On the back of a rare clean sweep in European competitions, the morale in the Italian peninsula is sky-high. Napoli and Inter imitated Milan by securing important first-leg victories in the Champions League, while Juventus, Roma, Lazio, and Fiorentina all advanced to the Round of 16 of the Europa League and Conference League respectively. But how will Calcio’s representatives cope with the packed schedule? Here are our full predictions for Serie A Round 24 which will feature an anticipated meeting between Milan and Atalanta, in addition to the famous Deby della Mole.
Empoli vs Napoli
Despite having a 15-point separating them from their closest chasers, Napoli don’t intend to slow down any time soon. Luciano Spalletti doesn’t want to leave anything for chance, so we can expect him to go full throttle with his usual starting formation at the Carlo Castellani.
While Empoli remain a difficult puzzle to solve for any opponent, their defenses will struggle to contain Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for the duration of the match.
Last season, the Azzurri completed an astonishing come-from-behind win in this fixture 3-2. But the Partenopei weren’t one of the most terrifying clubs on the continent last season.
Prediction: Napoli to avenge last year’s defeat.
Lecce vs Sassuolo
This one should be fun, as it involves two clubs that aspire to play entertaining football and possess a plethora of talent between them.
Unexpectedly, Lecce are ahead of Sassuolo in the Serie A standings ahead of Round 24, and they come from a stunning win in Bergamo. At this point, it’s difficult to bet against the southerners, but the Neroverdi have also been displaying signs of improvement despite their latest defeat in Naples.
Prediction: Lecce and Sassuolo to share the spoils.
Bologna vs Inter
This weekend, Inter make their first trip to Bologna following last season’s dramatic defeat which ultimately cost them the Scudetto title.
While Thiago Motta will be eager to make a statement against his former club, the Nerazzurri are currently riding an impressive winning streak, and their squad depth allows Simone Inzaghi to make some tweaks in his starting formation without jeopardizing the quality.
Prediction: Inter to earn a hard-fought victory.
Salernitana vs Monza
On Sunday, Paulo Sousa will make his debut in Salernitana’s dugout. Although he’ll have a stern test ahead of him, the morale boost could be the decisive factor in this one.
Now surely Raffaele Palladino’s Monza project is head and shoulders above the Granata, but the excitement of a new beginning in addition to the raucous crowds in Salerno might tip the scale in favor of the hosts.
Prediction: Salernitana to snatch a much-needed win.
Udinese vs Spezia
In Round 24, Udinese will host Spezia at the Dacia Arena in the hopes of halting their freefall in the Serie A standings. If it wasn’t for their brilliant start to the campaign, Andrea Sottil’s men would have been in the relegation zone.
On the other hand, the Aquillotti haven’t fared much better recently, but in their defense, the schedule had them running the gauntlet since the turn of the year.
Therefore, this should be a razor-tight affair, and perhaps one between Beto and M’Bala Nzola will make the difference.
Prediction: Udinese to edge past their opponents with a late winner.
Milan vs Atalanta
In the previous years, Atalanta acted as Milan’s unofficial bogeyman, thrashing the fallen giants almost at will. But luckily for the Rossoneri, they have recently managed to overcome this knot, earning important wins over La Dea in some of their recent meetings.
However, this remains the most difficult contest to predict from Serie A Round 24. On one hand, the Italian champions have regained their balance following a disastrous run, albeit their performances remain far from impressive. On the other hand, the Orobici can be devastating on their day, but then suddenly collapse against lower opposition.
Ultimately, this could play out as an interesting tactical battle between the two veteran managers. Although momentum is on Stefano Pioli’s side, Gian Piero Gasperini relishes this type of contest.
Prediction: Atalanta to break through Milan’s lines.
Verona vs Fiorentina
Following their recent revival, Verona have restored their survival hopes, as the safe zone is now in their range (17th place is only two points away). As for Fiorentina, they find themselves sitting 14th in the table, a position which surely doesn’t fit their ambitions or their capabilities.
At this point, it’s pretty obvious that the Tuscans have prioritized their Conference League adventure over their miserable domestic campaign, but they can no longer afford to drop points.
Prediction: Verona and Fiorentina to settle for a draw.
Lazio vs Sampdoria
Despite their heartening outings under Dejan Stankovic’s tutelage, Sampdoria haven’t been able to collect points, leaving them in a desperate 19th position with very little hope of survival.
Therefore, it would curious to see if the despaired Ligurians have already raised the white flag when they travel to the capital for a meeting against Lazio.
Although Maurizio Sarri’s men remain vastly inconsistent, they should have enough in the ranks to unlock the Blucerchiati’s defenses.
Prediction: Lazio for the win.
Cremonese vs Roma
If Sampdoria’s situation is almost hopeless, then Cremonese’s status leaves no doubt in mind. The Tigers will surely make a swift return to Serie B and have apparently accepted their fate, but they insist on enjoying their run in the top flight while it lasts.
When José Mourinho’s troops descend on Cremona, they will be hellbent on exacting vengeance on their hosts who astonishingly eliminated them from the Coppa Italia earlier this month.
Prediction: Roma to overcome their resilient hosts.
Juventus vs Torino
On Tuesday night, Serie A Round 24 ends with a much-anticipated meeting between two crosstown rivals. So who will prevail in this edition of Derby della Mole?
Well, the record books, the recent form, the capabilities and the home advantage all favor Juventus, but we still expect Torino to act as a thorn in the Old Lady’s side.
Prediction: Juventus to emerge victorious from a cagey affair.
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