The final day of The 2011/2012 Serie A season is this Sunday with all 20 teams in action with kickoffs at 2.00p.m, 5.00p.m and 7.45p.m. There is still much to play for despite Juventus having now been crowned champions. The race is on for third and that all important last Champions League place with Udinese, Inter, Napoli and Lazio all vying for it. At the bottom Cesena and Novara have already been relegated but the third and final relegation place is yet to be filled, Leece currently occupy it but they will hope they can gain a victory and that Genoa lose which would see the two sides swap places. It is set up for an exciting finale.
We begin with the first of 3 2.00p.m kick offs as champions Juventus host Atalanta. Juventus sealed their 28th Serie A title last Sunday with a 2-0 away win against Cagliari. They are now looking to to go the whole season unbeaten a feat only achieved twice before in the history of Serie A most recently, when Fabio Capello's AC Milan side managed the feat in 1991/1992. They face an Atalanta side who are on a poor run, losing all of their last 3 matches 2-0 including a home defeat to Lazio last weekend. Its not difficult then to say that Juventus should win this comfortably, and complete the season undefeated. Atalanta are good outfit but it is impossible to oppose the Champions. Home Win - Juve's fantastic season is completed with yet another win.
AC Milan will be looking to end the season on a positive note as they face relegated Novara. Milan ruined all chance of retaining the Serie A last weekend when they were beaten 4-2 by city rivals Inter. Milan are secure in second place and they will look at this as a confidence booster. Novara beat bottom of the table Cesena 3-0 on Sunday to record just their seventh win of the season. Attilio Tesser's side are relegated and will want to go down fighting but one does fear a Milan backlash. Novara haven't won in Milan since 1940 and that is very unlikely to change here. Home Win - Milan finish the season with a flourish by comfortably beating Novara.
Two teams happy to be out of the relegation dogfight meet when Fiorentina host Cagliari. Fiorentina managed a 1-0 victory away to Leece with ironically secured their future in the Serie A along with Cagliari's despite them losing to Juve. Fiorentina have lost just one of their last 5 whereas Cagliari have won just one of their last 5. Calgliari's away form is poor but it is particulary bad when visiting Florence, failing to win in their last 6 visits. With the two sides having little play for other than pride it is likely that home advantage may become even more important and in their current vein Fiorentina should take this one. Home Win - The Viola continue in their good end to the season at the expense of a Cagliari side who are happy just to still be in the division.
The first of 5.00p.m kick offs sees relegated Cesena face Roma with both sides low on form and confidence. The breaking news this afternoon is that Roma coach Luis Enrique has resigned from post. It is understood that the directors of Roma wanted to keep the Spaniard in charge but he felt worn out and that he was frustrated by the pressure he was under from the local media and the fans. Enrique had only been in charge for one season but poor league form which sees Roma sitting in seventh had caused friction between himself and the fans. It is a common conception that the fans run Roma and Enrique's resignation comes as little surprise. He leaves Roma with no chance of European qualification for next season and that could reduce the number of applicants to becoming his successor. The usual names are being banded around, Capello, Raneri, Anchelotti, Villas-Boas but it is former Roma player and the man who led from in the second part of last season Vincenzo Montella who is favourite to succeed Enrique. In a strange twist it was Montella's Catania side that made the decision for Enrique to resign much easier when they drew 2-2 last weekend. Roma have now not won in 5. Cesena meanwhile suffered yet another defeat when they lost 3-0 to Novara, they have picked up just one point from their last 5 and have only one 4 times this season. So two sides that will really want to finish the season well to appease their fans. It is Roma that get the tentative vote given how poor Cesena's attack is and that the cloud over Roma may have been lifted with Enrique's departure. Away Win - Roma play with the freedom of a side with little to lose and are too classy for Cesena.
Parma host Bologna as 8th plays 9th. Parma continued their fantastic run by beating Siena 2-0 last weekend, they are have now won all of their last six games. Bologna meanwhile are unbeaten in 7 and gained a great result last time out by beating Napoli 2-0. This is The 'Emilia' derby so both teams have something to play for other than pride and that should make for a good game. History dictates that the home side usually win the derby but the Parma's record against Bologna in recent seasons has been poor. The safest option is a cagey draw with two good sides cancelling each other out. Draw - a result that satisfies no one really but it promises to be an entertaining game at least.
The first of the 5 7.45p.m kick offs sees Genoa play Palermo in what could turn out to be a must win for the home side. Genoa's 2-0 defeat to Udinese last weekend meant that Luigi De Canio's side have won just one just one of their last 16 games. They remain 3 points above the drop zone but will survive if they can avoid defeat regardless of what Leece do against Chievo. Palermo to are on a poor run, without a win in 7 they drew 4-4 with Chievo last time out. Only four points separates these two sides which highlights what an even game it is Genoa certainly have much more to play for but they would be delighted with a draw and suspicion is that is what they will get. Draw - Genoa survive by stumbling across the line in a low scoring draw .
Chievo face Leece in what is a must a win game for the away side. Chievo's 4-4 draw with Palermo means that they have drawn 4 of their last 5, losing the other. Leece too are win less in 5 after losing 1-0 to Fiorentina last time out. Even with Leece needed to win it is difficult seeing them getting a result here, at a ground they have struggled at in recent years. The form of both sides suggests that they simply don't score enough goals. Leece will give it a good go but ultimately they will probably fall short. Draw - Leece are doomed as their poor attack is foiled by Chievo's defence.
The race for third comes to an exciting finale in the final 3 game of the season. We begin with Catania hosting Udinese. Udinese have spent most of the season in third and are favourites to keep the position as they sit two points above Lazio and 3 ahead of Napoli and Inter. A draw here might be enough to secure third place, a win certainly would be. Udinese continued on their good run by beating Genoa 2-0 last time out which means they have now won 3 on the bounce. Their is no such consistency for Catania however who haven't won any of their last four, alternating between a draw and loss, they continued this run by drawing 2-2 with Roma last weekend. Catania will prove a test for Udinese but the visitors will be desperate to secure third place and given their attacking flare and solid defence they should prove to much for Catania who keep leaking goals and struggle to score. Away Win - Udinese finish in third by outclassing Catania.
The game of the weekend sees Lazio host Inter as 4th meets 6th. Lazio returned to winning ways last weekend by beating Atalanta 2-0 prior to that they had picked up just 2 points from five games. They will know they have to win to stand any chance of overtaking Udinese into third. Inter come into this game on a high after insuring their city rivals would have no chance of winning the title by they beating them 4-2 on Sunday. Despite that victory Inter's form remains suspect with just 2 wins in their last 5. Both teams have been hit and miss this season and in particular Lazio have a poor record against those amongst them in the table. Lazio have only beaten Inter once in their previous 16 meetings and that is unlikely to change here with the visitors high on confidence. Away Win - Inter make sure Lazio can't reach third and give themselves an outside chance of reaching it with a good win.
The final game of this matchweek and indeed the season sees third place chasing Napoli host Siena. Napoli hit a stumbling block in their quest for third last weekend as they were beaten 2-0 by Bologna. Prior to that Walter Mazzarri's men had looked to have re found their form winning 3 of their last 5. Siena are win less in four after a 2-0 defeat to Parma last weekend. Napoli's home form has been solid all season, they have lost just one of their last 10 games at home and they are taken to continue that record here. Siena have a decent away form but they are struggling overall and Napoli's attacking flare should be too much for them. Home Win - Napoli give themselves a shot at third with a comfortable win over Siena.
Selected Match Betting:
Napoli, Inter, Udinese, Roma, Fiorentina, Juve & AC Milan: All To Win -45/1
Milan V Novara - Ibrahimovic Hatrick : 10/1
Lazio V Inter - Inter To Win 3-1: 14/1
Enjoy The Games!
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