Italian Serie A match previews
March 17, 2000
SportsServer
MILAN, Italy - Juventus enjoys
a six point lead at the top of Serie A as it enters the title run-in, but
a difficult series of fixtures begins with the local derby against Torino
on Sunday (kick off 14:00 GMT).
Juventus, which faces Inter
and AC Milan at the San Siro as well as host Fiorentina and closest rivals
Lazio at home in upcoming matches, knows it must pick up maximum points
against the supposedly lesser teams if it wants to maintain top spot.
But Juve striker Alessandro
Del Piero says the game against struggling Torino, 13th in the standings
and just three points off the relegation zone, does not count as one of
the easier fixtures.
Torino, which returned to
the top flight this season, has struggled against the top teams but managed
a 0-0 draw against Juve earlier this season.
"This match comes at a good
time for us as we have been getting some good results and we are in better
form than we were when we last met," says Del Piero. "But derby games have
their own special logic and the lesser teams find some special motivation.
It is like playing a Cup final."
Juventus, unbeaten in 21
games, has a doubt over central defender Ciro Ferrara and should he fail
a fitness test later on Friday, Croat Igor Tudor will deputize.
Torino has defender Djibril
Diawara suspended, while midfielder Alessio Scarchilli and striker Iija
Ivic are both injured.
Other matches (League position
in parentheses, kick off Sunday 1400 GMT unless stated)
Bari (12) vs. Perugia (10)
Perugia is unbeaten in five
outings and will be looking to avenge a 2-1 home defeat by Bari earlier
this season.
Bari has not won for seven
games and is in danger of slipping into the relegation zone.
Fiorentina (8) vs. Cagliari
(16) (Saturday 1400 GMT)
Fiorentina's Champions League
ambitions may well have ended with its 3-1 defeat to Manchester United
on Wednesday and it knows it needs an excellent end to the league campaign
if it wants to secure a European spot for next season.
While the Florence club has
not lost in eight games at home Cagliari has yet to win away this season
and is without suspended Uruguayan playmaker Fabian O'Neill.
Inter Milan (3) vs. Bologna
(9) (Saturday 1930 GMT)
Inter coach Marcello Lippi
has been forced into changing the side which beat AC Milan and then drew
away to Lazio as defenders Christian Panucci, Ivan Cordoba and midfielder
Benoit Cauet are all suspended.
Inter goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi
is doubtful with a bruised chest and Fabrizio Ferron is on stand-by. Bologna
beat Inter 3-0 earlier in the season but have not won in six matches.
Parma (6) vs. Piacenza (18)
After two consecutive wins
ended its poor run of results, Parma has regained hope of making a Champions
League qualification spot but will be without injured midfielders Dino
Baggio and Paulo Sousa.
Piacenza is stranded at the
foot of the table nine points away from safety and is without first choice
striker Massimo Rastelli.
AS Roma (5) vs. Reggina (14)
Roma crushed Reggina 4-0
away from home when the sides met earlier this season and will expect to
continue its impressive run of eight straight wins at home.
Fabio Capello's team will
be without injured Brazilian defender Cafu against a Reggina side who have
not won away for ten games and are just two points off the relegation zone.
Udinese (7) vs. Lecce (11)
Lecce has never won in 10
trips to Udinese but will take heart from its 1-0 home win over them earlier
in the campaign.
But Udinese has been in explosive
form at home putting five goals past Cagliari and Bari, while Lecce have
managed only one away win all season.
Venezia (17) vs. AC Milan
(4)
Milan defender Jose Chamot
and midfielder Diego De Ascentis are both suspended while Brazilian winger
Serginho is injured. Luigi Sala, Andreas Guglielminpietro and Demetrio
Albertini are the likely replacements.
Verona (15) vs. Lazio (2)
Despite its lowly position
Verona is gaining a reputation as a hard team to beat thanks to an unbeaten
run of six games, which includes five draws.
Lazio can't afford to settle
for a point and is without suspended Simone Inzaghi, with Chilean Marcelo
Salas expected to partner Alen Boksic in attack.
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