Friday, September 9, 2011

Serie A Preview - Round 1

Saturday (20:45 CET)
Cesena - Napoli
Sunday
Catania - Siena (12:30 CET)
Chievo - Novara (15:00 CET)
Fiorentina - Bologna (15:00 CET)
Genoa - Atalanta (15:00 CET)
Lecce - Udinese (15:00 CET)
Roma - Cagliari (15:00 CET)
Palermo - Inter (20:45 CET)











CataniaCatania - SienaSiena

  • Catania and Siena have both lost their last two opening fixtures in Serie A.
  • Siena are unbeaten in eight previous meetings with Catania in the top-flight, drawing six.
  • Catania ended last season by impressively winning six of their last seven home matches.
  • Siena had the previous campaign's best attack in Serie B. scoring 67 goals in total.

PROBABLE LINEUPS
Catania (4-3-3): Andujar; Potenza, Bellusci, Spolli, Alvarez; Biagianti, Almiron, Ricchiuti; Gomez, Maxi Lopez, Bergessio
Siena (4-4-2): Brkic; Angelo, Contini, Terzi, Del Grosso; Mannini, Vergassola, D’Agostino, Brienza; Calaio, Destro

ChievoChievo - NovaraNovara

  • This will be the first-ever meeting between Chievo and Novara in Serie A.
  • It will also be Chievo's 10th season in the top-flight, who have also scored in seven of their past nine first-week Serie A fixtures.
  • Novara have not picked up a draw in any of their last 12 top-flight opening matchdays.
  • Novara had the most watertight defence in Serie B away from home, conceding just 21 goals last season.

PROBABLE LINEUPS
Chievo (4-3-1-2): Sorrentino; Frey, Cesar, Andreolli, Jokic; Vacek, Rigoni, Hetemaj; Cruzado; Pellissier, Paloschi
Novara (4-3-1-2): Ujkani; Morganella, Paci, Ludi, Gemiti; Giorgi, Porcari, Pesce; Pinardi; Meggiorini, Morimoto
FiorentinaFiorentina - Bologna Bologna
  • Bologna have lost their opening fixture just once in their past seven Serie A seasons.
  • Fiorentina have started with a 1-1 draw in their past three top-flight campaigns.
  • Bologna are unbeaten in their previous four league meetings with the Tuscany-based outfit.
  • Fiorentina shared the spoils 15 times last season; more than any other club in Serie A.

PROBABLE LINEUPS
Fiorentina (4-3-3): Boruc; Cassani, Gamberini, Camporese, Pasqual; Behrami, Montolivo, Lazzari; Cerci, Gilardino, Jovetic
Bologna (4-3-1-2): Gillet; Raggi, Portanova, Antonsson, Vitale; Perez, Mudingayi, Kone; Diamanti; Di Vaio, Acquafresca

GenoaGenoa - AtalantaAtalanta
  • Visitors Atalanta earned promotion to Serie A as champions of Serie B last season, accumulating 79 points.
  • Atalanta are unbeaten in their last four opening matches in the top-flight.
  • Meanwhile, Genoa have come out victorious in four of their last five first-week matches in Serie A.
  • Alberto Malesani's side are unbeaten in their last four league games against Atalanta, whilst avoiding defeat in their past five encounters at the Marassi.

PROBABLE LINEUPS
Genoa (4-3-1-2):
Frey; Mesto, Bovo, Granqvist, Antonelli; Kucka, Veloso, Constant; Birsa; Caracciolo, Palacio
Atalanta (4-4-1-1): Consigli; Masiello, Lucchini, Manfredini, Bellini; Schelotto, Cigarini, Brighi, Padoin; Moralez; Denis


LecceLecce - UdineseUdinese

  • Lecce have never won on the opening day of Serie A in their 14 previous seasons in the top flight, conceding 15 in their past five top-flight seasons.
  • Antonio di Natale has scored four of Udinese's last five goals on the opening day of the season in Serie A, aswell as scoring 57 of his 112 league goals for the Zebrette in the past two seasons.
  • These two sides have met a total of 24 times in the top-flight, with Udinese winning three of the last five.
  • Lecce's last home encounter against Udinese finished 2-0 to the hosts, ending a run of three games without a win at home against Francesco Guidolin's men.
PROBABLE LINEUPS
Lecce (4-3-3):
Julio Sergio; Oddo, Tomovic, Esposito, Mesbah; Giacomazzi, Obodo, Bertolacci; Piatti, Corvia, Di Michele
Udinese (4-1-4-1):
Handanovic; Ekstrand, Danilo, Neuton, Pasquale; Badu; Isla, Pinzi, Asamoah, Armero; Di Natale