27-02-2011 15:00 Cagliari - Lazio

Floating In Mid-Table

Cagliari continue to play the role of willing also-rans as the Sardinians remain neatly tucked in mid-table, out of the reach of the relegation monster and way behind the promises of European qualification.

Placed tenth in the Serie A standings with 35 points, Cagliari are 12 clear of the bottom-three and seven off a Europa League slot. With the teams above them stronger than them and those below them - especially those near the relegation zone - depressingly struggling for points, Cagliari’s season is as good as over.

However, the Isolani will still be looking to collect more points and give Europe a push. Cagliari have won seven times at home in the league this season and will be confident of forcing Lazio to the edge.

Lingering Scudetto Dreams

Lazio chiefs continue to insist that they are not playing for the Scudetto and that qualifying for Europe would be deemed a success. However, with the league’s top-two Milan and Napoli confronting each other on Monday, the former Italian champions will be looking to sneak in on them.

At the moment Edy Reja’s side are fourth in the Serie A table with 48 points, seven points off the pace. A victory over Cagliari in Sardinia on Sunday afternoon will see them trim the gap on leaders Milan to just four points, making their Scudetto chances more concrete.

Lazio are on a good run of form, having won their last two league encounters and yet to lose in five. The Biancocelesti’s last away fixture saw them win 2-0 in Brescia and they will be confident of getting at least a point in Cagliari.

TEAM NEWS

Cagliari

There are no injury or suspension worries for the Sardinians.

Lazio

Rocchi, Diakite, Mauri, Muslera and Brocchi are injured for the Aquile and will miss the trip to Sardinia.

Prediction

Cagliari have proved themselves to be strong at home and will be confident of winning against Lazio. However, the Roman side are in a good run of form and should muster a narrow away victory.

Cagliari 1-2 Lazio

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27-02-2011 15:00 Brescia - Lecce

Hoping For One Last Push

Heading into Week 27 Brescia find themselves third from bottom in the Serie A table with 23 points from 26 matches. All is not lost for the Biancoazzurri, though, as they are just three points behind Catania, who are 17th.

Ahead of their relegation six-pointer against Lecce, Brescia will take encouragement from their goalless draw with Udinese in Udine last weekend. The Bianconeri are in a great run of form and are fighting for a place in Europe, and staving them off from scoring is a feat indeed.

Increasing The Gap

Lecce have been in and around the relegation zone for long but heading into this weekend’s round of matches in Serie A, the Giallorossi find themselves with some breathing space as they lie 15th in the standings, four points clear of the dropzone.

Lecce have also run into a bit of good form as they have won two of their last four matches. Last weekend Luigi De Canio’s side conjured up a massive shocker as they destroyed former Italian and European champions Juventus 2-0 at home.


TEAM NEWS

Brescia

Dallamano, Sereni, Filippini and Cordova are injured for Brescia and will miss the visit of Lecce.

Lecce

Giuliatto, Di Michele, Ofere, Tomovic and Ferrario are injured and will miss the trip to Brescia. Giacomazzi and Vives are suspended.

Prediction

This is a relegation six-pointer that could go either way. Brescia will have the edge as they are at home and could just about sneak all three points.

Brescia 2-0 Lecce

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27-02-2011 15:00 Bari - Fiorentina

Doomed For Relegation

Bari are set to win the race to become the first side in 2010-11 to suffer relegation from Serie A. Having managed just 15 points from 26 matches, the Galletti find themselves rooted to the bottom and a massive 11 points from safety.

Bari have won just three times in the league all season and their last victory came in the first week of January against fellow relegation candidates Lecce. Last weekend the Biancorossi suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to Lazio in Rome.

Bari have a porous defence that has conceded a whooping 40 league goals this season and they are statistically the worst side attack-wise, having mustered only 14 goals so far.

Eying Another Away Victory

A day before Valentine’s Day Fiorentina gift-wrapped themselves their first away win of the 2010-11 campaign in Serie A. The 4-2 shock defeat of Palermo in Sicily came as much as a surprise as a refreshment and this Sunday they will be hoping to repeat that feat in Bari.

At the moment Sinisa Mihajlovic’s side are in 11th spot in the table with 33 points from 26 matches, out of the reach of the relegation demon and too far away to reach the Europe-fairy. Last weekend Fiorentina held fellow mid-table side Sampdoria to a goalless draw at home and will aspire for maximum points this weekend.

The Gigliati will also be encouraged by the fact that in the reverse fixture against Bari in Florence in October they won 2-1.

TEAM NEWS

Bari

Barreto, Salvatore Masiello, Kutuzov, Almiron and Rudolf are injured and will sit out the visit of Fiorentina. Rossi is suspended.

Fiorentina

Santana, Kroldrup, Jovetic and Frey are injured for the Viola.

Prediction

Fiorentina should be confident of mustering maximum points against Bari, who are at the foot of the table.

Bari 0-2 Fiorentina

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27-02-2011 14:30 West Ham United - Liverpool

* Liverpool's Raul Meireles has scored in five of Liverpool's last six matches.
* Kenny Dalglish's side have won their last four league games against West Ham
* Liverpool are currently on a three-game unbeaten away run in all competitions.
* In each of their last four wins, Liverpool have scored three goals.
* Liverpool have not won three consecutive league games away from home since May 2009.
* West Ham's last seven goals have been scored by strikers.
* Only Birmingham City (13) have scored fewer goals at home than West Ham (14) this season.
* West Ham have lost 13 of their last 16 league games against Liverpool.
* Avram Grant's side have only kept three clean sheets in the league all season.
* At this stage last season, West Ham had only two more points from 27 games but were in 13th place.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

West Ham (4-4-2): Green; Jacobsen, Tomkins, Gabbidon, Bridge; O'Neil, Noble, Parker, Obinna; Ba, Piquionne.

Liverpool (3-4-2-1): Reina; Agger, Skrtel, Carragher; Kelly, Lucas, Poulsen, Johnson; Kuyt, Meireles; Suarez.

Prediction

Kenny Dalglish has only lost one league match since taking charge and it's easy to underestimate the Scot's impact since his January arrival.

West Ham's bolstered attack could give the visitors problems and Demba Ba has shown early promise of being able to score consistently. But Liverpool look more assured with every passing game and if Meireles is on form, the midfielder could make the difference.

West Ham 1-2 Liverpool

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27-02-2011 12:30 Catania - Genoa

The Battle Continues

Catania’s battle against relegation continues as the Sicilians remain dangerously close to the bottom-three. As a matter of fact, the Etnei are just a place and three points above third-from-bottom Brescia with 26 points from as many matches.

Catania, though, have a formidable record at home. Diego Simeone’s side have suffered just three defeats at the Angelo Massimino all season and those losses came at the hands of Juventus, Inter and Milan.

In the reverse fixture in October, Catania went down 1-0 to Genoa, and will therefore be emboldened to go for a victory this time to avenge themselves.


Running Into Form

Genoa’s 2010-11 campaign is virtually over with the Grifoni languishing in ninth place in the Serie A standings with 35 points from 26 matches. With relegation worries not bothering to haunt them and Europe looking a faraway dream, Davide Ballardini’s team has become an also-ran.

However, this isn’t deterring the Rossoblu from winning games and collecting points. Last weekend Genoa conjured up what is arguably the most shocking comeback of the league season in Italy. After going 3-0 down to Roma by the early minutes of the second-half, they scored four goals and emerged victorious 4-3.

The win was their second in a row and followed a 1-0 defeat of Sampdoria in the Genoa derby. It also saw Genoa stretch their unbeaten run in the league to four matches and they will now hope to continue that streak in Catania.

TEAM NEWS

Catania

Capuano, Biagianti, Bellusci, Martinho and Sciacca are injured for the Sicilians. Spolli is suspended.

Genoa

Destro, Konko, Chico and Milanetto are injured. Rafinha is suspended.

Prediction

Catania are very strong at home and Genoa would struggle for even a point. The Sicilians should eventually garner a win.

Catania 2-0 Genoa

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