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  • Friday, 20 February 2009

    Serie A Round 25 Preview

    Saturday 21 February
    Bologna vs. Internazionale
    Roma vs. Siena
    Palermo vs. Juventus

    Sunday 22 February
    Napoli vs. Genoa
    Sampdoria vs. Atalanta
    Milan vs. Cagliari
    Fiorentina vs. Chievo
    Lecce vs. Lazio
    Catania vs. Reggina
    Torino vs. Udinese

    On Saturday, Inter visit Bologna where Jose Mourinho will undoubtedly have one eye on the crucial Champions League clash midweek against Manchester United. Christian Chivu and Nicolas Burdisso (no loss IMO) are both suspended so Walter Samuel and Ivan Cordoba are likely to pair up at the back. The Nerazzuri have gone a month unbeaten including last week’s derby win and will fancy their chances even below full strength against Sinisa Mihailovic’s side, who have picked up 4 points out of 15 recently.

    Roma’s good run was brought to a shuddering halt by Atalanta last week and the visit of Siena brings its own problems, as Simone Perotta and Daniele De Rossi are both suspended and Francesco Totti is doubtful through injury. Siena have drawn their last two games but only Torino possess a worse away record so Luciano Spalleti will still be confident of victory. Completing Saturday’s card is the mouthwatering prospect of Juventus, short of form, visiting Palermo – Amauri’s old club. The Brazilian has already said he will not celebrate if he scores but there’s no guarantee of that as the Rosanero have collected 9 wins from 11 home games. With Fabio Simplicio and Fabrizio Miccoli in good touch, and Juve in anything but, this could be a cracker.

    On Sunday Genoa, who seem to be serving up belting games at the moment, visit a Napoli side who have not won in six matches, their worst run of the season. The Grifone are just a point off the top four and will fancy their chances even in the forbidding San Paolo. Fiorentina, who staged such a memorable second-half comeback at Genoa last week, face the easier prospect of Chievo at home while Udinese, nowhere near their best but a whole chunk improved on their pre-Christmas form, visit a Torino side desperate to scrabble out of the bottom three.

    Sampdoria, unbeaten in four, host Gigi Del Neri’s Atalanta while AC Milan play host to Cagliari, who have been beaten just once in 2009 and already have taken a point from one visit to the San Siro since the turn of the year. Lazio visit Lecce and bottom club Reggina, with one win from 12 away matches, visit Catania.

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