20-02-2011 15:00 Parma - Cesena

Still Struggling For Survival

Parma have shown their urgency for salvation but the Ducali still find themselves one of the main contenders for a place in the bottom-three in Serie A at the end of the season. With 26 points from 25 encounters, the Gialloblu find themselves just four points and three places above the dropzone.

Last weekend Parma went down 4-0 to Milan at San Siro to stretch their winless run to five matches. This weekend, though, Pasquale Marino's side are at home and will be confident of getting maximum points against Cesena.

Relegation Looks A Certainty

With every passing week, Cesena are going deeper and deeper into the hole. Having managed just 21 points from 25 matches, the Seahorses are second from bottom and are three points from safety.

Last weekend Cesena were dumped 3-0 at home by Udinese and the weekend before they suffered a expected loss to Napoli in Naples. Massimo Ficcadenti's side have won just once on the road in the league this season and they may not be able to add to that tally in Parma this weekend.

TEAM NEWS

Parma

Calvo and Marques are out injured for the home side.

Cesena

Fatic is injured and Parolo is suspended.

Prediction

A win for Parma seems to be the most likely result as Cesena, like the hosts, are struggling for survival in the Italian top flight and have a poor away form.

Parma 2-0 Cesena

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20-02-2011 15:00 Lazio - Bari

Recovery In Progress

Lazio had a disappointing run of results in January but the former Italian champions have repaired the damage and are back on track. With 45 points from 25 matches, Edy Reja's side find themselves in fourth spot in the Serie A standings and are well on course to finishing in the Europa League at least.

Last weekend the Aquile defeated relegation-threatened Brescia 2-0 away to stretch their unbeaten run in the league to four matches. It followed draws with Milan and Chievo and victory over Fiorentina.

Lazio be confident of defeating Bari this weekend as the visitors are languishing at the foot of the table and they themselves have lost just twice at home in the league all season.

Even A Miracle Wouldn't Be Enough

Bari are as good as relegated from Serie A. The Galletti are rooted to the foot of the table and have amassed a mere 15 points from 25 encounters, nine fewer than Lecce, who are 17th and a place above the relegation zone.

Last weekend Bari were held to a goalless draw by Genoa at home, bringing to an end their wretched run of seven competitive defeats in a row. It also saw Bortolo Mutti's side gain their first point at home in the new year.

Winning in Rome for Bari would require a miracle as they have won one and lost nine of their 12 away games in Serie A this season.

TEAM NEWS

Lazio

Lichtsteiner, Rocchi, Diakitè and Mauri are out injured for the Aquile.

Bari

Barreto, Salvatore Masiello, Kutuzov and Belmonte will miss the trip to Rome because of injuries.

Prediction

Lazio have a strong record at home this season and will comfortably get past the challenge of relegation candidates Bari.

Lazio 2-0 Bari

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20-02-2011 15:00 Genoa - Roma

Building On Derby Triumph

Genoa have been a disappointment for much of the season as in what was expected to be a campaign that would end triumphantly with European honours, the Grifoni have struggled to maintain even mid-table respectability and currently find themselves 11th in the table with 32 points from 25 matches.

However, on Wednesday evening Davide Ballardini's side accomplished a morale-boosting 1-0 win against Sampdoria in the Derby della Lanterna and that could provide them with the launchpad for the remainder of the season. With nine points separating them from a European slot at the moment, a place in next season's Europa League appears to be out of reach but they can still give a better account of themselves between now and the end of the season.

Genoa will be looking to exact revenge against Roma as they lost 2-1 to the Lupi in the reverse fixture in October.

Finding Their Feet Again

Roma have struggled in the new year and have fallen off the pedestal almost radically. From looking genuinely good for a top-four finish, Claudio Ranieri's side now find themselves outside the top-six, two points off a Europa League slot and four further adrift of a place in next season's Champions League.

On Wednesday evening the Giallorossi's season became even worse as they slumped to a 3-2 defeat by Shakhtar Donetsk in their first-leg, round of 16 tie in the Champion League in Rome. The loss has virtually guaranteed the former Italian champions' elimination from Europe's premier club competition this season.

Roma have also struggled in Serie A in recent weeks, losing to Napoli at home last weekend and getting hammered 5-3 by Inter in Milan the weekend before. They are on a slide and the suspicion is that they will continue to spiral down in Genoa.

TEAM NEWS

Genoa

Boselli, Destro and Konko are out injured for the Grifoni.

Roma

Pizarro and Adriano are unavailable because of injuries, and Rosi, De Rossi and Cassetti are suspended.

Prediction

Genoa won the derby against Sampdoria in midweek and will head into this game with confidence. Roma haven't looked particularly formidable in 2011 and the Grifoni will eye a win. However, a draw could be the final result.

Genoa 2-2 Roma

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20-02-2011 15:00 Fiorentina - Sampdoria

Mid-Table Security

In midweek Fiorentina gave Inter a run for their money but eventually went down 2-1 in Florence. It was a rescheduled Serie A fixture that was originally slated to be played in December, and one suspects that coach Sinisa Mihajlovic didn't really expect a victory over the Nerazzurri.

That's mainly because Fiorentina have wriggled their way out of the tentacles of the relegation octopus and are secured under the blanket of mid-table mediocrity. With 32 points from 25 matches, the Viola have a ten-point gap between themselves and the bottom-three.

Last weekend the Florence-based side accomplished their first away win of the league campaign as they defeated Palermo 4-2 in Sicily. In what was thoroughly entertaining match, Fiorentina gave a refreshing account of themselves, and will hope to win this weekend too.

Mid-Table Mediocrity

Like Fiorentina, Sampdoria won last weekend and like Fiorentina they lost in midweek. The Blucerchiati defeated Bologna 3-1 at home to station themselves in mid-table but suffered a humiliation as they went down 1-0 to Genoa in the derby In midweek.

Not that the loss has dragged the Samp into the relegation quagmire. After 25 rounds of matches, the former Italian champions find themselves in 13th place with 30 points, eight more than Brescia, who are third from bottom in the Serie A table.

Sampdoria's away form, though, makes them the second best side going into this encounter with Fiorentina in Florence. Domenico Di Carlo's men have conceded 19 goals in 12 away fixtures in the league and have won just two of them.

TEAM NEWS

Fiorentina

Vargas, Santana, Kroldrup, Jovetic and Frey are unavailable for the Viola as they are suffering from injuries.

Sampdoria

Semioli, Pozzi and Biabiany are injured and will miss the trip to Florence.

Prediction

Fiorentina appear to have turned their fortunes around and will be confident of picking up a victory against Sampdoria. The Viola have looked better at home and will just about edge past Samp.

Fiorentina 2-1 Sampdoria

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20-02-2011 15:00 Chievo Verona - Milan

Recovering From The Shock

Last weekend Chievo suffered a huge defeat as they were destroyed 4-1 by Cagliari in Sardinia. It was the Flying Donkeys' first defeat in six competitive matches and punctuated their flow.

Chievo head into this weekend's encounter with Milan 12th in the league table with 31 points from 25 matches. With nine points separating them and the relegation zone and a ten-point gulf between them and a European place, Stefano Pioli's side are indeed placed as an also-ran this season.

However, Ceo will attempt to return to winning ways and will hope to put one on over the Rossoneri. They lost 3-1 at San Siro in the reverse fixture and will have revenge on their mind as well.

Concentrating On The League

Milan's run of two successive Serie A draws came to a screeching halt last weekend as Massimiliano Allegri's team destroyed Parma 4-0 at San Siro. January signing Antonio Cassano was the conductor of the orchestra as his terrific performance restored confidence in what was then a somewhat stuttering side.

However, in midweek the former Italian and European champions slumped to a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at home in the first-leg of their round of 16 Champions League tie on Tuesday evening and are one foot out of Europe.

With a three-point advantage over second-place Napoli, Milan will now have to turn their focus back on the league and continue their stride towards their first Scudetto since 2004.

Winning in Verona against Chievo will not be easy but Milan do have a formidable record on the road this season, having lost just one away league fixture. The Diavolo have conceded just a miserly nine goals in 12 matches away from San Siro.


TEAM NEWS

Chievo

Bogliacino, Luciano and Marcolini are injured and will miss the visit of Milan. Mandelli and Sardo are suspended.

Milan

Pirlo, Zambrotta, Inzaghi, Bonera, Ambrosini and Abbiati are out injured for the Rossoneri.

Prediction

A win for Milan is expected from this encounter but the Rossoneri haven't looked entirely convincing in recent weeks and Chievo will hope to conjure up an upset at home. The Flying Donkeys have shown time and again that they can raise their game against the bigger sides in Italy and could earn a draw with Allegri's team.

Chievo 2-2 Milan

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