Serie A Matchday 20
19-21 January
With the league leaders, Juventus, only set to take to the field on Monday, this weekend will afford the Italian teams just below them on the log the opportunity to cut the ever-increasing gap to the summit of Serie A.
ROMA VS TORINO – STADIO OLYMPICO
Last season’s UEFA Champions League semi-finalists AS Roma have writhed thus far in 2018/19 and find themselves down in sixth place ahead of this weekend’s tie with Torino. Eusebio di Francesco’s side are already a staggering 23 points off the pace set by Juve, although head into this fixture off the back of three successive victories since a 1-0 defeat at the league leaders just before Christmas.
Torino were dumped out of the Coppa Italia last weekend when they were beaten 2-0 at home by Fiorentina – Il Toro’s first loss in four since they too were beaten 1-0 by Juventus last month. Walter Mazzarri’s side are three points and three places behind this weekend’s opponents, knowing that a victory by a three-goal margin in the capital would see Torino leapfrog Roma in the standings.
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Roma will be seeking their fifth straight victory over Torino in Serie A. They won the corresponding fixture last season 3-0 thanks to three second-half goals from the home side, before a 1-0 win in the reverse fixture this campaign – Edin Dzeko with the 89
th minute winner.
Torino’s last victory over Roma came in the Coppa in December 2017 when Lorenzo De Silvestri and Simone Edera scored either side of half-time to secure an historic win – their first at the Stadio Olympico in over 10 years.
INTER MILAN VS SASSUOLO – SAN SIRO STADIUM
Inter Milan have seemingly turned a corner, unbeaten in their last six matches in all competitions since, yep, you guessed it – a 1-0 defeat to Juventus. They capped off a fine run of form by beating Benevento 6-2 on Sunday to book their place in the last eight of the cup, courtesy of a brace apiece from Antonio Candreva and Lautaro Martinez respectively.
After their strong start to the season Sassuolo have struggled to maintain that early consistency and head into this crunch encounter having notched up just two wins from their last 10 matches in the league and cup collectively, including a humbling 6-2 defeat at home against Atalanta in the final match of 2018. They began 2019 with a 2-0 defeat at Napoli which saw the Neroverdi exit the Coppa Italia in the round of 16.
Since their promotion to Italy’s top-flight back in 2013, Sassuolo have the better overall head-to-head record against the Nerazzuri. They suffered two 7-0 defeats in their first three league meetings, however since then they have registered an impressive seven wins while suffering just one further defeat.
Roberto di Zerbi is looking to orchestrate a fifth straight Serie A win against Luciano Spalletti’s side. Sassuolo have won by the same 2-1 scoreline on each of their last two visits to the San Siro to face Inter. They won 1-0 earlier in the campaign thanks to Domenico Berardi’s first-half spot kick.
NAPOLI VS LAZIO – SAN PAOLO STADIUM
Runners-up to the Old Lady in 2017/18 by only four points, Napoli have failed to maintain the high standards they set for themselves under Maurizio Sarri last season. Carlo Ancelotti has taken over at the helm and although the Gil Azzurri currently occupy second place, they are already 11 points adrift of the leaders this time around. Napoli have won five of their last six matches in Serie A heading into Sundays encounter.
Lazio went seven games without a win between November and December last year but since a 1-0 loss at Atalanta a month ago L Biancocelesti are unbeaten in their last four matches in all competitions including, most recently, a 4-1 win over Novara that secured a quarter-final berth in the cup for Simone Inzaghi’s men.
Napoli have not lost to Lazio in the league since suffering a 4-2 drubbing in this fixture back in May 2015 – a run of seven games including six wins and a draw. Ciro Immobile stole the lead for the visitors in the corresponding fixture last season only to lose 4-1 for the second game running. It was the same story at the Stadio Olympico earlier this season with Immobile opening the scoring before goals from Milik and Insigne gave Napoli a 2-1 win.
A game that has produced a flurry of goals in recent years. In the last 16 Serie A meetings between the pair, there have been a total of 60 goals scored between them at an astonishing average of 3.75 goals per game.
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