With nine matchdays remaining in the Serie A season, the 30th of 38 is set to kick off – the last before the break for the World Cup qualifiers involving the Italian national team. The action begins on Friday, March 20th, with Cagliari v Napoli, followed by Genoa v Udinese and concludes on Sunday, March 22nd, with Fiorentina v Inter. The league standings are tightening as teams battle for Champions League qualification and to avoid relegation, making each fixture increasingly crucial.
Cagliari v Napoli
Napoli travels to Sardinia to face Cagliari in the opening match of the weekend. Antonio Conte’s Napoli will be looking to build momentum after a 2-2 draw against Inter on January 11th. Cagliari, meanwhile, will be desperate for points as they fight to stay clear of the drop zone.
CAGLIARI (3-5-2): Caprile. Zé Pedro, Mina, Dossena; Palestra, Adopo, Gaetano, Sulemana, Zappa; Folorunsho, Esposito. Manager: Pisacane.
NAPOLI (3-4-2-1): Meret; Beukema, Buongiorno, Olivera; Politano, McTominay, Anguissa, Spinazzola; Elmas, Alisson Santos; Hojlund. Manager: Conte.
A key question for Napoli will be the form of Scott McTominay. The midfielder has been a consistent performer, and his inclusion in the starting eleven will be vital for controlling the midfield battle.
Genoa v Udinese
Genoa hosts Udinese in a mid-table clash. Both teams are aiming for a comfortable finish to the season, and a win here would provide a significant boost. Genoa, under the guidance of Alberto Gilardino, have shown promise this season, although Udinese will be looking to rediscover their early-season form.
GENOA (3-5-2): Bijlow; Marcandalli, Ostigaard, Vasquez; Norton-Cuffy, Frendrup, Malinovskyi, Messias, Ellertsson; Colombo, Vitinha. Manager: De Rossi.
UDINESE (3-5-2): Okoye; Kristensen, Kabasele, Solet; Ehizibue, Ekkelenkamp, Karlstrom, Atta, Kamara; Zaniolo, Davis. Manager: Runjaic.
Parma v Cremonese
Parma welcomes Cremonese in a battle between two teams looking to climb the Serie A table. Parma will be hoping to leverage home advantage, while Cremonese will be aiming to upset their hosts and secure valuable points.
PARMA (3-5-2): Suzuki; Circati, Troilo, Valenti; Britschgi, Ordonez, Keita, Sorensen, Valeri; Strefezza, Pellegrino. Manager: Cuesta.
CREMONESE (3-5-2): Audero; Terracciano, Folino, Luperto; Barbieri, Thorsby, Grassi, Maleh, Pezzella; Bonazzoli, Djuric. Manager: Giampaolo.
Milan v Torino
Milan faces a challenging encounter against Torino at the San Siro. Milan, currently second in the table, will be eager to maintain their position and close the gap on league leaders Inter. Torino, known for their defensive solidity, will pose a stern test for the Milan attack.
MILAN (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Pulisic, Leao. Manager: Allegri.
TORINO (3-5-2): Paleari; Coco, Ismajli, Ebosse; Pedersen, Gineitis, Ilkhan, Vlasic, Obrador; Simeone, Adams. Manager: D’Aversa.
The availability of Adrien Rabiot will be crucial for Milan. His presence in midfield provides both defensive stability and attacking impetus.
Juventus v Sassuolo
Juventus hosts Sassuolo, aiming to continue their push for a Champions League spot. Juventus, under Massimiliano Allegri, will be looking to capitalize on home advantage and secure a vital three points. Sassuolo, however, will be determined to cause an upset.
JUVENTUS (4-2-3-1): Perin; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Koopmeiners; Conceiçao, McKennie, Boga; Yildiz. Manager: Spalletti.
SASSUOLO (4-3-3): Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Muharemovic, Garcia; Thorstvedt, Matic, Koné; Berardi, Pinamonti, Laurienté. Manager: Grosso.
The positioning of Kenan Yildiz is a point of interest for Juventus. His versatility allows him to play in multiple attacking roles, and the manager will necessitate to decide where he can be most effective.
Como v Pisa
Como takes on Pisa in a match that could have significant implications for both teams’ league positions. Como will be looking to build on their recent form, while Pisa will be aiming to secure their survival in the top flight.
COMO (4-2-3-1): Butez; Smolcic, Ramon, Kempf, Valle; Perrone, Da Cunha; Vojvoda, Nico Paz, Baturina; Douvikas. Manager: Fabregas.
PISA (3-4-3): Nicolas; Albiol, Caracciolo, Canestrelli; Leris, Loyola, Hojholt, Angori; Moreo, Stojilkovic, Tramoni. Manager: Hiljemark.
Atalanta v Verona
Atalanta welcomes Verona to the Gewiss Stadium. Atalanta, known for their attacking prowess, will be looking to continue their impressive goal-scoring run. Verona, meanwhile, will be hoping to frustrate their hosts and secure a positive result.
ATALANTA (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Dijmsiti, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, de Roon, Pasalic, Bernasconi; Samardzic, Zalewski; Scamacca. Manager: Palladino.
VERONA (3-5-2): Montipò; Edmundsson, Nelsson, Valentini; Belghali, Akpa-Akpro, Gagliardini, Harroui, Frese; Bowie, Orban. Manager: Sammarco.
Bologna v Lazio
Bologna hosts Lazio in a clash between two teams vying for European qualification. Bologna, enjoying a strong season, will be looking to maintain their momentum. Lazio, under a new manager, will be aiming to turn their season around.
BOLOGNA (4-2-3-1): Ravaglia; Zortea, Vitik, Lucumì, Miranda; Sohm, Freuler; Orsolini, Odgaard, Cambiaghi; Castro. Manager: Italiano.
LAZIO (4-3-3): Motta; Marusic, Gila, Provstgaard, Nuno Tavares; Dele-Bashiru, Patric, Taylor; Isaksen, Maldini, Cancellieri. Manager: Sarri.
Roma v Lecce
Roma faces Lecce at the Stadio Olimpico. Roma will be looking to secure a victory and strengthen their position in the Champions League race. Lecce, however, will be determined to place up a fight.
ROMA (3-4-2-1): Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Rensch, Cristante, Koné, Tsimikas; Pisilli, Pellegrini; Malen. Manager: Gasperini.
LECCE (4-2-3-1): Falcone; Danilo Veiga, Siebert, Tiago Gabriel, Gallo; Ngom, Ramadani; Pierotti, Gandelman, Sottil; Stulic. Manager: Di Francesco.
Fiorentina v Inter
The final match of the weekend sees Fiorentina take on league leaders Inter. This promises to be a thrilling encounter, with Inter looking to extend their lead at the top of the table. Fiorentina, playing at home, will be hoping to cause an upset.
FIORENTINA (4-3-3): De Gea; Dodô, Pongracic, Ranieri, Parisi; Mandragora, Fagioli, Brescianini; Harrison, Kean, Gudmundsson. Manager: Vanoli.
INTER (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Zielinski, Sucic, Dimarco; Thuram, Esposito. Manager: Chivu.
The return of Alessandro Bastoni to the Inter starting lineup will provide a significant boost to their defense. His presence will be crucial in containing the Fiorentina attack.
The Serie A season is reaching a critical stage, and these upcoming matches will have a significant impact on the final standings. Fans can expect plenty of drama and excitement as teams battle for glory.
What’s Next: The league will pause for international fixtures before resuming with Matchday 31 on April 3rd. Stay tuned to Archysport for continued coverage of Serie A and all the latest developments.
