On Saturday, the final round from the first part of the Serie A campaign will begin, in what will be a prolonged weekend in Italian football. This matchday will feature several razor-tight affairs, including two highly anticipated clashes. The first will ensue at the Allianz Stadium, as Juventus host Atalanta on Sunday evening, while Calcio fans will have to await until Tuesday to witness the battle between Lazio and Milan at the Olimpico Stadium. Let’s try to foreshadow the outcomes of all ten fixtures in our predictions for Serie A Round 19.
Verona vs Lecce
The weekend kicks off with an intriguing battle between Verona and their visitors Lecce at the Bentegodi. Don’t blink now but the Giallorossi are in the form of their lives, collecting three wins and as many draws in a six-match undefeated streak. Their latest feat was an impressive draw against Milan last weekend.
In their turn, the hosts are showing signs of improvement since the turn of the new year, even in their most recent 0-1 defeat at the hands of Inter.
In what could turn out to be a battle of wills, the Gialloblu have much more to play for due their current position in the standings, so they’ll be hellbent on gaining three vital points.
Prediction: Verona to snatch a hard-fought win.
Salernitana vs Napoli
Despite their recent setback in the Coppa Italia, Napoli still have their eyes fixed on the big prize: the Scudetto title.
Hence, Luciano Spalletti has reserved his best formation for the Campanian derby against Salernitana who endured a chaotic week following the 2-8 pummeling at the hands of Atalanta.
The Granata sacked their manager Davide Nicola, and 48 hours later, they wisely replaced him with… Davide Nicola. That’s Calcio for you.
Obviously, the Partenopei will be the big favorites in this one.
Prediction: Another convincing win for Napoli.
Fiorentina vs Torino
This will be a tense battle between two perennial mid-table residents who are looking to bounce back from their respective defeats from the previous weekend.
This should be a thrilling clash of styles between Vincenzo Italiano’s progressive brand of football and Ivan Juric’s cautious yet effective approach.
The home advantage could give the Viola a slight edge in this encounter.
Prediction: Narrow victory for Fiorentina.
Sampdoria vs Udinese
While neither Sampdoria nor Udinese have been on a positive form recently, the difference is that the Friulan side had collected a vast amount of points during the earlier stage of the season, shielding itself against a relegation dogfight.
As for the Ligurians, they displayed some encouraging glimpses following the restart, but it’s nothing to write home about.
Dejan Stankovic and his men will be adamant on securing a result, but this could the perfect opportunity for Udinese to finally break their 10-match winless streak.
Prediction: Udinese to seal the win in a cagey affair.
Monza vs Sassuolo
Kudos for Monza who managed to build a deep squad, allowing Raffaele Palladino to rotate his starting lineup in the Coppa Italia Round of 16. Despite the defeat to Juventus on Thursday, the Biancorossi still have momentum on their side thanks to their impressive Serie A run, and they’ll be looking to secure anther win in Round 19.
On the other hand, Sassuolo have been lacking identity since the departure of Giacomo Raspadori and Gianluca Scamacca last summer, with some of their new acquisitions failing to inspire.
The Emilians will try to elevate themselves in the standings with what would be a timely victory in Brianza, but we lean towards a victory for the home side.
Prediction: Monza to prevail in an entertaining battle.
Spezia vs Roma
Apart from their midweek elimination from the Coppa Italia, Spezia haven been on a sensational form since the turn of the new year. The Ligurians have recently stunned Torino away from the home, and they came extremely close to beating Atalanta a couple of weeks ago.
But this time around, Luca Gotti’s men are set to play hosts for Roma who are looking to forge a winning streak. Spezia will probably be without their star defender Jakub Kiwior who’s reportedly on the verge of completing a transfer to Arsenal.
Therefore, the Pole’s exit could leave a gap in the hosts’ backline, allowing Paulo Dybala and Tammy Abraham to exploit the situation.
Prediction: A tough win for Roma.
Juventus vs Atalanta
The two sides had contrasting fortunes last weekend. While Juventus suffered a historic defeat at the hands of Napoli, Atalanta wrecked the hapless Salernitana. Nonetheless, Massimiliano Allegri will certainly pull off some tweaks ahead of this significant battle to avoid another setback, while relying on his stadium as a fortress.
However, Gian Piero Gasperini has recently found the right recipe upfront in the form of a devastating trio (Lookman, Boga and Hojlund), and he’ll be aiming to catch the Bianconeri in the standings with a victory.
Perhaps the two sides would eventually settle for a draw.
Prediction: Juventus and Atalanta to share the spoils.
Bologna vs Cremonese
On Monday, Cremonese will be afforded with one last chance to earn a win before the conclusion of the first round. But against the resurgent Bologna, this remains an uphill task, especially at the Renato Dall’Ara.
Despite the absence of their charismatic leader Marko Arnautovic, the Rossoblu have all what it takes to come away with another win.
Prediction: Bologna with a convincing victory.
Inter vs Empoli
Due to the agonizing struggles of Juventus and Milan, it seems that Inter have emerged as the most equipped club to give Napoli a run for their money this season. But in order to do so, Simone Inzaghi’s men can’t afford to drop points either home or away.
For their part, Empoli earned a morale-boosting win over Sampdoria last weekend, but it surely isn’t comparable to the Nerazzurri’s empathic 3-0 demolition of their crosstown rivals in the Italian Super Cup.
While the physical aspect could complicate matters for Inter, they should have enough in the tank to reach the finish line.
Prediction: Inter to earn a slim win.
Lazio vs Milan
Luckily for Lazio, they finally managed to turn the match with two back-to-back wins last week. On the the other hand, Milan are enduring what is probably their worst run since the appointment of Stefano Pioli.
A defeat at the Olimpico could spell disaster for the Rossoneri, so the manager must pull every trick in the book to avoid such bleak outcome. But will it be enough?
This one is the toughest fixture to predict in Serie A Round 19, because we simply don’t know which version of Milan will land in the Eternal City: the hollow and disorganized side that has been on display since the start of 2023, or the reigning defending champions who used to wear their hearts on their sleeve?
Prediction: Giroud and Leao to lead Milan out of the abyss.
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