Serie A Weekend Preview

Serie A Weekend Preview

Inter Milan will welcome Fiorentina to the San Siro on Sunday looking to erase memories of their Champions League loss in midweek.

The Nerazzurri slipped to a 2-0 loss against defending champions Barcelona in Spain on Tuesday, their first defeat of the competition.

Jose Mourinho´s side have been cruising in Serie A but they have tasted victory just once in Europe´s elite club competition.

The normally brash Mourinho said: "Barcelona are a better team than we are.

"They deserved the win."

Mourinho even questioned the toughness of his team.

"I expected a different approach to the game by my players but they showed fear," he said.

"If anyone thinks we are at the same level as Barca are, they are mistaken.

"A team has to be aware of its quality but also its own limits."

Inter have turned their attention to this weekend's game against Fiorentina, who are in a completely different state of mind when it comes to Europe.

Cesare Prandelli´s side is the only Italian team to have claimed a place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a game in hand after beating Lyon 1-0 on Tuesday, courtesy of a Juan Vargas´penalty.

It all means the Nerazzurri´s unbeaten run at the San Siro in Serie A - five wins and two draws - should be put to the test by the Viola.

Second-placed Juventus, who are five points behind league leaders Inter, travel to Cagliari.

Juve slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Bordeaux in midweek, a result that has left Bianconeri´s last-16 hopes hanging in the balance.

AC Milan will be hoping Juve fall in Sardinia as well because a slip-up by the Turin club could allow Leonardo's side to leapfrog them into second place.

The Rossoneri, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Olympique Marseille on Wednesday, are two points behind Juve and play on Sunday at Catania.

Fourth-placed Sampdoria will fancy their chances of taking a win in the Genoa derby after five wins and two draws at the Luigi Ferraris stadium this season.

A draw in Genoa could see Parma climb to fourth in the standings, provided the Gialloblu beat Napoli on Sunday.

The Ducale club are one point clear of Sampdoria.

They have claimed 23 points in 13 matches since returning to the top flight this summer.

Roma travel to Bergamo to face Atalanta this weekend eager to climb up from their 11th position in the standings.

The Giallorossi will be hoping Francesco Totti can again deliver after his hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Bari in the last round.

Lazio fans are desperate for Sunday´s game against Bologna to be a turning point in their otherwise dismal campaign.

The Biancoceleste have not won in Serie A since August 30 and are level on 12 points with 18th-place Livorno.

A victory on Sunday would be a huge morale boost for Davide Ballardini´s men in preparation for the city derby against Roma in the following round.

New Palermo coach Delio Rossi is cautiously optimistic that he can turn around the flagging fortunes of the Sicilian club, starting on Sunday at Chievo.

Rossi replaced sacked Walter Zenga following Palermo´s 1-1 tie to Catania in the last round.

A win on Sunday at Udinese could see Livorno climb out of the drop zone.

The Amaranto travel to the Friuli stadium trailing three points behind 14th-place Udinese.

Siena will look to open a new chapter under new boss Alberto Malesani when they make the journey to Bari.

Malesani was handed the reins of the team after Marco Baroni was released as coach of the first team following poor results.

The Tuscan outfit are the foot of the standings, with just one win this season, a 3-1 triumph at Cagliari on August 30.


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