03.04. (Sun) 15:00 Chievo Verona - Sampdoria

DID YOU KNOW?

* Chievo have picked up only one win in 13 meetings with Sampdoria.

* Four out of the last six encounters between the two sides in Verona have ended 1-1.

* The Flying Donkeys' last win at home came against Napoli on February 2.

* Sampdoria have been held scoreless in five out of their last six fixtures.

* The Blucerchiati have lost four games in a row.

* Samp have been outscored 7-2 in their last five matches.

LAST MEETING

November 14, 2010: Sampdoria 0-0 Chievo

Sampdoria struggled to break down the Flying Donkeys at the Luigi Ferraris. Chances were few and far between as both teams had to be content with a scoreless draw.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Chievo: Sorrentino; Sardo, Andreolli, Cesar, Mantovani; Fernandes, Guana, Constant; Bogliacino; Pellissier, Moscardelli

Sampdoria: Curci; Zauri, Gastaldello, Lucchini, Martinez; Mannini, Palombo, Poli, Ziegler; Guberti; Maccarone

Prediction

Recent history tells us this match will end in a 1-1 draw in Verona. Chievo picked up a huge win last round while Samp are struggling big time. Each team will be satisfied with a share of the spoils on Sunday.

Chievo 1-1 Sampdoria

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03.04. (Sun) 15:00 Cesena - Fiorentina

DID YOU KNOW?

* Cesena are stationed a place above the relegation zone with 29 points from 30 matches.

* The Seahorses have defeated Fiorentina just twice in 21 meetings in Serie A, with the Viola having won 11 times.

* Massimo Ficcadenti’s side have registered just two victories in their last 13 Serie A matches, losing six of them.

* Fiorentina are currently in ninth place in the table with 41 points from 30 matches, nine points behind sixth-placed Roma.

* The Viola are on a five-game unbeaten run, their longest since May 2009.

* Sinisa Mihajlovic’s side have won 43% of their matches in which striker Adrian Mutu has featured.

LAST MEETING

November 13, 2010: Fiorentina 1-0 Cesena

Fiorentina won the reverse fixture at home. Italy international striker Alberto Gilardino’s goal a minute before the hour mark proved to be the difference between the two teams.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Cesena: Antonioli; Ceccarelli, Pellegrino, Von Bergen, Santon; Sammarco, Colucci, Parolo; Giaccherini, Jimenez; Bogdani

Fiorentina: Boruc; De Silvestri, Gamberini, Natali, Pasqual; Santana, Donadel, Vargas; Montolivo; Gilardino, Mutu

Prediction

Fiorentina have grown in confidence and have also won away from home in the league. A win in Cesena is not out of question and the Viola could just about nick maximum points.

Cesena 1-2 Fiorentina

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03.04. (Sun) 15:00 Catania - Palermo

DID YOU KNOW?

* Catania are currently placed 15th in the Serie A standings with 32 points from 30 matches, just four more than third-from-bottom Lecce.

* The Etnei have won four of the 13 Sicilian derbies against Palermo.

* Diego Simeone’s side have alternatively won and lost their last seven matches in the league. If that pattern is to continue this weekend, then Catania should win the derby.

* Palermo are eighth in the league table with 43 points from 30 matches, seven points behind sixth-placed Roma.

* The Rosanero’s 1-0 win against Milan before the international break brought to an end to their five-match losing streak in Serie A.

* Serse Cosmi’s side have lost their last three away matches in the league and have failed to score in any of them.

LAST MEETING

November 14, 2010: Palermo 3-1 Catania

Palermo registered a comprehensive victory over Catania in the reverse fixture earlier this season. A Javier Pastore hat-trick, his first and so far only in the league, secured the points for the Aquile. Christian Terlizzi was on target for Catania.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Catania: Andujar; Alvarez, Silvestre, Spolli, Marchese; Carboni, Lodi; Schelotto, Ricchiuti, Bergessio; Maxi Lopez

Palermo: Sirigu; Bovo, Goian, Migliaccio; Cassani, Acquah, Bacinovic, Nocerino, Balzaretti; Pastore, Hernandez

Prediction

This is a Sicilian derby and anything can happen. Palermo seem to have recovered their form but Catania are struggling for top-flight status. A draw seems to be a likely outcome.

Catania 2-2 Palermo

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03.04. (Sun) 14:30 Fulham - Blackpool

DID YOU KNOW?

* The game will be the 100th league meeting between Fulham and Blackpool.

* The Seasiders have won just one of their last 10 league encounters.

* Ian Holloway’s side haven’t fared so well with trips down to the capital this year, drawing one and losing two with an overall goal difference of minus 10.

* The rather generous Blackpool defence have afforded their opponents 199 shots on target this season – a Premier League high.

* Not to be outdone at the other end, they’ve netted 45 times themselves, making them the Premier League’s fourth highest scorers.

* Blackpool are certainly giving their fans value for money, with the combined total of goals in their games this season now reaching 100.

* Fulham, on the other hand, are slightly less schizophrenic, recording 14 Premier League draws this season – the highest in the division.

* To further cement that reputation, they have a goal difference of zero - scoring 33 but letting the same amount in.

* The Cottagers harbour an unbeaten home record at Craven Cottage in 2011, winning four and drawing one since the turn of the year.

* If Fulham take the lead at half-time, they hold out – notching four wins and two draws from half-time leads so far this season.


LAST MEETING

August 28, 2010: Blackpool 2-2 Fulham

A late Dickson Etuhu equaliser at Bloomfield Road denied the Tangerines their first ever Premier League win.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Fulham: Schwarzer; Kelly, Hangeland, Baird, Salcido; Murphy, Dempsey, Etuhu, Duff; Johnson, Dembele.

Blackpool: Kingson; Crainey, Baptiste, Evatt, Eardley; Puncheon, Adam, Vaughan; Reid, Taylor-Fletcher, Varney.

Prediction

Despite Blackpool’s nature as one of the Premier League’s great entertainers, I think they will find it hard to break down a Fulham side that have become very pragmatic home performers. I can see Charlie Adam being stifled, thrills and spills being at a premium and the hosts just edging it.

Fulham 1-0 Blackpool

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03.04. (Sun) 12:30 Napoli - Lazio

DID YOU KNOW?

* Napoli are currently placed third in Serie A with 59 points from 30 matches, three behind leaders Milan.

* The Partenopei have failed to win their last five matches against Lazio at the San Paolo.

* Walter Mazzarri’s side are unbeaten in 11 games at home and have won nine of those.

* The Azzurri have already equaled their record point-tally in Serie A. Last season they mustered 59 from 38 matches.

* Napoli striker Edinson Cavani needs just one more goal to become the club’s most prolific goalscorer in a single season in Serie A. He has netted 22 times so far.

* Lazio are fifth in the league standings and have collected 54 points from 30 matches, two points behind fourth-placed Udinese.

* The Aquile have not lost in their four encounters with Napoli in the league.

* Edy Reja’s side have won just one of their last nine away matches in Serie A.

* The Biancocelesti have the second-best defensive record in the championship, having conceded just 25 goals.

* Lazio have not won the Scudetto since 2000.

LAST MEETING

November 14, 2010: Lazio 2-0 Napoli

Lazio registered a 2-0 victory over Napoli at the Stadio Olimpico. Mauro Zarate gave the Aquile the lead after 15 minutes and a minute after the hour mark Sergio Floccari netted his side’s second.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Napoli: De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica; Maggio, Pazienza, Yebda, Dossena; Hamsik; Lavezzi, Cavani

Lazio: Muslera; Lichtsteiner, Biava, Dias, Garrido; Gonzalez, Brocchi, Mauri; Hernanes; Zarate, Sculli

Prediction

Napoli have a strong record at home and against Lazio they will be confident of stretching that run and garnering maximum points against the Aquile.

Napoli 2-1 Lazio

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