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Serie A - Week 35 - Qualification to Champions League
By Joe, BettingExpert.com | Edited
Google+: Joe Bexpert
Napoli Lavezzi is a popular man at the moment and even Maradona thinks that he is the man that can bring the former glory back to the club. He returns this weekend to face Genoa while AC Milan hosts Bologna at the San Siro on Sunday, Fiorentina and Udinese will also feature at the same team.
Napoli vs Genoa
The Southern team must look towards the future in hope to enroll themselves in the presigtious European Champions League tournament to gain further past glory and statue under the Maradona era. If that is not the incentive in which they are looking for then the sound of the bank rolling its cash machine tilt could be the one that could give way for Napoli. Money can help the team to improve and further their progress to compete with both Milano club for the Scudetto next season. A win here is a must and that could give them a comfortable finish of taking the third place, at least, in the Serie A, despite losing two consecutive games in a roll. Coach Walter Mazzarri has no worries regarding injuries and with both Lavezzi and Paolo Cannavaro return from suspension, Napoli should be able to be put forward their strongest eleven at the Stadio San Paolo on Saturday evening.
Mid-table Genoa has nothing to neither gain nor have anything to lose as they face Napoli in the Saturday 19:4 CET kickoff. This team has shown that they are capable to compete with teams in the top half but that is usually at home rather than their away record shows. Coach Davide Ballardini has been experimenting with his side by deploying a 4-4-2 diamond formation lineup. That has shown in their two most recent games, winning both of them with the latest against Lecce where Omar Milanetto doing the defensive work while Rafinha sit behind the two strikers. Ballardini will need to find a way to defend against the stubborn Napoli 3-4-2-1 formation.
There might be a bit more pressure on Napoli to get that three points as they finish the season with Inter and Juventus in the final two games of the season. That means, the chances of the three points will have to come from the home games and staring with Genoa will help the team to get into the Champions League without needing to play the early stages of qualifications.
Milan vs. Bologna
This should be a routine win for Milan as the current league leaders are holding a 8 point steady lead from their neighbor rivals, Inter. It should be the case that Milan is expected to collect all three points home at the San Siro on Saturday to avoid any hiccup of losing the Scudetto this season. Last weekend, Milan was able to hold out Brescia with a 1-0 away win even without Pato and Ibrahimovic on the team, should they have both players returning to the side this weekend, a rampage is on the menu but Milan are known to slip at home. Interestingly Cassano was used in the midfield filling in the Pirlo position and that actually suits him better rather than playing in the wings. The only way for this game to end is three points to the home side and this is where the back four should be more alert in the opposition offensive power.
Bologna should avoid the relegation dog fight unless they do poorly and lose the remaining games of the season and all of their rivals managed to get more than five points. If that happens then somewhere along the lines of the next few games, three points might do the trick in staying up for yet another season. The away team hasn’t picked up any points since the March 20 when they drew 1-1 at home to Genoa and since then, four consecutive defeats and a fifth could be on the horizon. The pressure is on and there is no turning back if they were to continuing their losing record.
On one hand, everybody is expecting Milan to win while everybody is also expecting Bologna to lose after looking at their current record. The two are on opposite ends and by that, Milan have a tendency to struggle with the lower half teams. Bologna certainly needs to fight while Milan will put on their bes to keep gap from their rivals.
Fiorentina vs. Udinese
Another mid-table team, Fiorentina once again will see to that they are facing a team in the top half of the Serie A. Coach Sinisa Mihajiovic might have been under pressure during the season and after the Ultras revolted their anger to the team, Fiorentina showed a bit more encouraging heart to their play by winning their latest game against Cagliari away last weekend. His job might be hanging on a thread but surely secure enough to see him once again at the Viola dugout. He will have both Mario Santana and Michele Camporese rated as doubtful but otherwise a healthy team with Juan Vargas, Riccardo Montolivo and Adrian Mutu all available.
Udinese is changing that Champion league spot for next season and only a win at Stadio Franchi on Sunday will satisfy their demands. Coach Francesco Guidolin has a huge task in front of him as he is in a need to bounce back from a 2-0 home defeat to Parma last weekend. He will be once again faced with suspension and injuries issue before traveling to Fiorentina. Armero, Gokhan Inler and Maurizio Domizzi are suspended while key player Alexis Sanchez is out injuried for the rest of the season. All hopes lies on Antonio Di Natale to lead the team out for the desperate three points to gap themselves to Lazio for the fourth place.
Fiorentina might have nothing to play for but they have every intentions to win at home to give their fans something to cheer for. The positive signs puts Fiorentina in a comfortable position to gain that home win with a healthy squad to choose from which is the opposite for Udinese. Having that in mind, Fiorentina should edge out Udinese on this occasion.
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