Serie A - Round 2 Preview

Saturday SEPTEMBER 17	KO	Sunday SEPTEMBER 18	KO
Cagliari - Novara	1800	Atalanta - Palermo	1200
Inter - Roma	2045	Udinese - Fiorentina	1500
		Siena - Juventus	1500
		Parma - Chievo	1500
		Lazio - Genoa	1500
		Catania - Cesena	1500
		Bologna - Cesena	1500
all times in CET		Napoli - AC Milan	2045

Cagliari

vs

Novara

PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Agazzi  Pisano, Canini, Astori, Agostini  Biondini, Nainggolan, Conti Cossu  El Kabir, Nene		Ujkani Novara (probable): Ujkani; Morganella, Paci, Ludi, Gemiti; Marianini, Porcari, Rigoni; Pinardi; Granoche, Morimoto Morganella, Paci, Ludi, Gemiti Marianini, Porcari, Rigoni Pinardi Granoche, Morimoto
TEAM NEWS
Injured midfielder Sebastian Eriksson is the only absentee for the Sardinians. This will be the first-ever meeting between Cagliari and Novara in Serie A Cagliari had gone seven league games without a win prior to their victory over Roma.		Striker Riccardo Meggiorini is Novara's only injury victim. Attilio Tesser is yet to oversee a win in the Italian top-flight in 13 attempts. Last season in Serie B, Novara conceded only 21 goals on the road; the joint-lowest in the league.

Inter

vs

Roma

Saturday's late kick-off sees two of Calcio's perennial giants face off in what promises to be a mouthwatering clash at San Siro. Both teams have endured poor starts to the new season, with Gian Piero Gasperini and Luis Enrique seemingly desperate to allay some of the pressure that continues to overshadow their respective managerial positions.

  

Atalanta

vs

Palermo

PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Consigli Masiello, Lucchini, Manfredini, Peluso Schelotto, Cigarin, Padoin, Bonaventura Moralez Denis		Tzorvas, Pisano, Silvestre, Migliaccio, Balzaretti Alvarez, Barreto, Della Rocca, Ilicic Hernandez, Miccoli
TEAM NEWS
Ferreira Pinto, Michele Ferri and Nadir Minotti are all out of contention with injury. Atalanta have taken just two points from their last four meetings with Palermo. Striker German Denis is yet to score in six games against the Rosanero.		Igor Budan and Luca Di Matteo are Palermo's only unavailable performers. Palermo are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Atalanta, winning four of them. The Sicilians have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 10 Serie A fixtures on the road.

Udinese

vs

Fiorentina

PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Handanovic Benatia, Danilo, Domizzi Isla, Badu, Pinzi, Asamoah, Armero Torje Di Natale		Boruc Cassani, Gamberini, Natali, Pasqual Behrami, Montolivo, Lazzari Cerci, Gilardino, Jovetic
TEAM NEWS
Udinese will be without the services of Andrea Coda, Damiano Ferronetti and Antonio Floro Flores through injury. Udinese have come out on top in four of their last five games against Fiorentina at the Friuli. However, at home the Friulani have won only one of the last four (2-1 vs Lazio in May).		Fiorentina won't be able to call on Per Kroldrup or Nikola Gulan, both of whom are nursing injuries. The Viola have suffered defeat just once in their past seven Serie A games. Alberto Gilardino has scored 13 goals against Udinese, a personal high against top-flight opposition.

Siena

vs

Juventus

Giuseppe Sannino's newly-promoted hosts started the new campaign with an impressive point at Catania, but not nearly as much as Antonio Conte's Juventus, who put in a virtuoso performance to down Parma 4-1 last weekend and send out a warning shot to their league rivals that they are more motivated than ever to challenge for honours.

Parma

vs

Chievo

PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Mirante Zaccardo, Paletta, Lucarelli, Rubin Biabiany, Morrone, Galloppa, Modesto Giovinco Floccari		Sorrentino Frey, Andreolli, Cesar, Jokic Bradley, L.Rigoni, Hetemaj Cruzado Pellissier, Paloschi
TEAM NEWS
Danilo Pereira will face a late fitness test to discover whether he is fit enough to feature against the Flying Donkeys. Their 4-1 reverse at Juventus on matchday one was their first since 1992. However, Parma have won their last three Serie A matches at home.		Francesco Acerbis is Domenico Di Carlo's only absence, as Rinaldo Cruzado and Michael Bradley prepare to make their debuts. Chievo have won just once during their past four away outings. There have been no goals in any of these sides' past two meetings.

Lazio

vs

Genoa

PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Marchetti Konko, Biava, Dias, Zauri Ledesma, Brocchi Mauri, Hernanes, Cisse Klose		Frey Mesto, Bovo, Kaladze, Antonelli Rossi, Kucka, Veloso, Constant Caracciolo, Palacio
TEAM NEWS
Stefan Radu and Lorik Cana remain on the sidelines, as Edy Reja is set to name an unchanged squad from their trip to AC Milan. Lazio are unbeaten against Genoa in their past seven Serie A meetings. At the Olimpico, they have lost just one of their past 17 games against the Grifoni.		Genoa will be without new boys Alexander Merkel and Ze Eduardo, but veteran goalkeeper Alessio Scarpi faces a late test to prove his fitness. Alberto Malesani's side have recorded just the solitary point from their last six away games in Serie A. Rodrigo Palacio has scored two goals in two starts against Lazio.

Catania

vs

Cesena

PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Andujar Alvarez, Bellusci, Spolli, Capuano Biagianti, Almiron, Ricchiuti Gomez, Maxi Lopez, Lanzafame		Ravaglia Comotto, Von Bergen, Rossi, Lauro Parolo, Guana, Candreva Eder, Mutu, Ghezzal
TEAM NEWS
Nicola Legrottaglie and Mariano Izco have both been ruled out, whilst Cristian Llama has a further two months before he recovers fully. Catania have impressively lost just one of their last six Serie A fixtures. Striker Maxi Lopez scored against Cesena in both meetings with the Emilia-Romagna outfit last season.		Defender Yohan Benalouane is suspended, whilst Francesco Antonini and Vincenzo Rennella are a week away from returning. Cesena have not drawn a match in seven Serie A games. Adrian Mutu has already scored five goals against Catania in Serie A, including a brace for ex-club Fiorentina in March.

Bologna

vs

Lecce

PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Gillet Raggi, Portanova, Loria, Morleo Perez, Mudingayi, Kone Diamanti Ramirez, Di Vaio		Julio Sergio Oddo, Tomovic, Esposito, Mesbah Obodo, Giacomazzi  Cuadrado, Grossmuller, Pasquato Di Michele
TEAM NEWS
Cesare Rickler and Gianluca Cherubin remain on the sidelines for Bologna  Pierpaolo Bisoli's men are unbeaten against Lecce in Serie A at home in 11 games. However, they are winless in their last 10 league matches, scoring just once in their last eight.		Ruben Olivera and Moris Carrozzieri are both ruled out of the trip to Emilia-Romagna, but Massimo Oddo prepares to make his Lecce bow. Gigi De Canio's side have lost their last four consecutive visits to the Dall’Ara. A tactical change from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 is set to be confirmed for the weekend.

Napoli

vs

AC Milan

Italy's European heroes during midweek prepare to do battle at San Paolo for this week's Sunday evening clash. However, they have differing fortunes in the league, as Walter Mazzarri's side will strive to continue with their winning start, whilst the Rossoneri aim to pick up their first three points after a disappointing home draw to Lazio last weekend.