Serie A
Round three of the 2018/19 Serie A season will get off to a flying start when heavyweights AC Milan and Roma meet at the San Siro on Friday night.
Franck Kessie’s Milan have ground to make up after their first match of the domestic season was postponed, and their second ended in a 3-2 defeat away to Napoli last weekend. The Rossoneri found themselves 2-0 up the Stadio San Paolo, but the enormity of the task lying ahead of manager Gennaro Gattuso was revealed when they conceded three goals and succumbed to a disappointing – if highly entertaining – defeat. They will need to be far more resilient against Eusebio Di Francesco’s Roma.
Saturday features just two matches, the first of which sees Ibrahima M’Baye, Godfred Donsah and Orji Okonkwo looking to inspire Bologna to an unexpected home win over Internazionale. Kwadwo Asamoah and Keita Balde will be looking to get the better of their fellow West Africans in the match at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, as the Nerazzurri chase their first three-pointer of the campaign.
Saturday’s final game sees reigning champions Juventus looking to continue their 100 percent start to the season when they face hosts Parma at Stadio Ennio Tardini. The Crociati have picked up just one point from their first two matches back in Serie A but will be fired up for the visit of the Bianconeri for a night match. The question on every one's lips, though, is if Cristiano Ronaldo can score his first goal in Serie A?
Sunday’s early game sees Fiorentia – fresh from an impressive 6-1 win over Chievo last weekend – taking aim at an Udinese side which can call on West Africans players such as Molla Wague, Nicholas Opoku, William Troost-Ekong, Seko Fofana, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu and Mamdou Coulibaly.
The pick of Sunday’s night games sees Omar Colley’s Sampdoria host Kalidou Koulibaly’s Napoli at the Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris, while Atalanta and Chievo play host to Cagliari and Empoli respectively.
Alfred Gomis will look for a third straight clean sheet as SPAL chase a hat-trick of wins when they face Nicholas N’Koulou’s Torino at the Olympic Stadium in Turin, Christian Kouame’s Genoa are away to Kevin-Prince Boateng’s Sassuolo, and Angolan defender Bastos will hope to help Lazio claim a home win over Raman Chisbah’s Frosinone.
Key match stats:
Milan v Roma
Head-to-Head, all competitions
Matches played 52
Milan wins 17
Roma wins 18
Draws 17
Parma v Juventus
Head-to-Head, all competitions
Matches played 44
Parma wins 9
Juve wins 22
Draws 13
Sampdoria v Napoli
Head-to-Head, all competitions
Matches played 36
Sampdoria wins 7
Napoli wins 20
Draws 9
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