As Serie A heads into the final round before the winter break, Juventus and Napoli are looking to break away at the top of the table.
The winter fixtures have seen the top two open up a small gap on the chasing pack, so none of the Scudetto contenders can afford to drop points this weekend.
With the relegation strugglers all facing tough games, the first round of the new year could be crucial, as teams decide whether or not to bolster their squads in January.
Here’s what to look out for in Week 20.
As Serie A heads into the final round before the winter break, Juventus and Napoli are looking to break away at the top of the table.
The winter fixtures have seen the top two open up a small gap on the chasing pack, so none of the Scudetto contenders can afford to drop points this weekend.
With the relegation strugglers all facing tough games, the first round of the new year could be crucial, as teams decide whether or not to bolster their squads in January.
Here’s what to look out for in Week 20.
Borja Valero returns to Florence
The love affair between Borja Valero and Fiorentina was cruelly ended in the summer, with the Spaniard moving to Inter at the insistence of his club.
Known as the Mayor of Florence during his time with the Viola, the midfielder formed such a bond with the city that he has the co-ordinates of the Ponte Vecchio tattooed on his arm.
There’s no room for sentimentality tonight though, as neither side can afford to drop points.
The Nerazzurri are winless in six games across all competitions – having beaten Pordenone on penalties in the Coppa Italia after a 0-0 draw – and are in danger of losing touch with the top two.
With Napoli welcoming Verona and Juve at Cagliari, both will be expected to take three points and Luciano Spalletti’s side can’t afford anything less than a win.
For Fiorentina too this is a crucial match, as their fellow Europa League contenders have winnable games.
It’s got Borja goal written all over it…
Click here to read our Fiorentina-Inter match preview
Walter Mazzarri’s Torino debut
Despite Torino’s struggles this season, it was a surprise when President Urbano Cairo opted to fire Sinisa Mihajlovic after the midweek Coppa Italia loss to Juventus.
The Serbian was replaced almost immediately by former Inter and Napoli boss Mazzarri, who has had just two training sessions with his new players.
Clearly the new man won’t be judged on this match, but it could give an indication of his plans going forward.
Will the Granata switch to his favoured 3-5-2? Can he get the best out of M’Baye Niang? We’ll get an indication in tomorrow’s early kick-off.
Click here to read our Torino-Bologna preview
Can Napoli put the pressure on Juventus?
Napoli lead Serie A by a point, and will be the leaders over the winter break if they beat Verona tomorrow afternoon.
Perhaps more importantly though, Juventus are playing after the Partenopei’s game finishes, so they’ll know the result when they take to the pitch in Cagliari.
In the 2015-16 season Maurizio Sarri spoke of the pressure of always playing after the Bianconeri, and his side have the chance to turn the tables by going four points clear before their rivals take to the pitch.
Verona should represent a winnable game at the San Paolo, but Napoli can’t afford to take their eyes off the prize with a two week break until they play again.
Click here to read our Napoli-Verona preview
Genoa and Sassuolo strike for safety
Both Genoa and Sassuolo are too close to the relegation zone for comfort, and they meet at Marassi on Saturday afternoon.
A win would prove crucial for either side, and not just because they’d be getting one over on a potential relegation rival.
This weekend Spal are at home to Lazio, Crotone travel to Milan, Benevento welcome Sampdoria and Verona are at the San Paolo.
There’s a very real chance then that the bottom four teams will all lose, so 16th-place Genoa or Sassuolo in 13th could put some real distance between themselves and the basement battle.
Click here to read our Genoa-Sassuolo preview
Is this a Milan revival?
On paper Milan’s recent Serie A form has been disastrous, with two losses and a draw in their last three games.
However, their final two matches of 2017 brought a Coppa Italia win over city rivals Inter and a draw at Fiorentina, in which they came from behind to take a point for the first time this season.
Is this the start of a change in fortunes for the Rossoneri, or merely another false dawn?
While a win over Crotone wouldn’t definitively indicate the former, anything else would strike a serious blow to any optimism Milanisti are holding for the first half of 2018.
Click here to read our Milan-Crotone preview