Napoli re-opened the Scudetto race last weekend, and there’s plenty to play for at the top and bottom of Serie A in Week 35.
The relegation fight, the Scudetto battle and the scrap for Champions League places are all on a knife-edge, and with just four games to go there is very little margin for error.
Here’s what to look out for in Week 35 of Serie A.
Napoli re-opened the Scudetto race last weekend, and there’s plenty to play for at the top and bottom of Serie A in Week 35.
The relegation fight, the Scudetto battle and the scrap for Champions League places are all on a knife-edge, and with just four games to go there is very little margin for error.
Here’s what to look out for in Week 35 of Serie A.
No room for Roma error
Roma face Liverpool in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday, but they can’t think about another ‘Romantada’ until after their meeting with Chievo.
Juventus and Napoli have already secured the first two Champions League spots, so the Giallorossi are locked in a furious battle with city rivals Lazio and Luciano Spalletti’s Inter for the other two.
Eusebio Di Francesco’s side are level on points with the Aquile, while the Nerazzurri lie just one point behind.
Roma dropped points in Verona back in December, and they can’t afford to do the same at the Olimpico on Saturday evening.
Click here to read our Roma-Chievo preview
Decisive Derby d’Italia
The Derby d’Italia is always a big one, but Inter-Juventus on Saturday night is the biggest in years.
The hosts have ground to make up in the aforementioned Champions League race, while Juve have seen their Serie A lead whittled down to just a point.
A draw is no good for either team here, so both of them have to go for the win at a sold-out San Siro in what should be an unmissable game.
Click here to read our Inter-Juventus preview
Verona’s last chance
Defeat for Verona this weekend really would consign them to an immediate return to Serie B.
The Butei lost at Genoa on Monday night, a result which left them six points from safety with only 12 points to play for.
This weekend they face the team immediately above them, as Spal visit the Bentegodi with a four point advantage over their hosts.
Fabio Pecchia’s side still have trips to Milan and Juventus to come, so anything but a win here will surely extinguish whatever faint survival hopes they may have.
Click here to read our Verona-Spal preview
Igor Tudor’s debut
Former Juventus duo Igor Tudor and Mark Iuliano will make their debuts as Udinese Coach and assistant this weekend, as they face already relegated Benevento.
The Zebrette have lost 11 Serie A games in a row, and are just four points ahead of Spal in the final relegation place.
A win would go a long way to lifting them out of trouble, but the Streghe are fresh off a win against Milan at San Siro and have been much improved under Roberto De Zerbi.
Click here to read our Benevento-Udinese preview
Can Napoli handle the pressure?
There is truly no scenario in which Napoli won’t be under immense pressure when they face Fiorentina on Sunday evening.
Juventus play on Saturday night, so the Partenopei players will be well aware of their Scudetto rivals’ result as they take the pitch at the Artemio Franchi.
A Bianconeri win would make any dropped points a disaster, anything else is an opportunity to go top of Serie A.
The Viola would love nothing more than to see their most hated rivals beaten to the title, but they can’t take it easy against Napoli with Europa League qualification still a distinct possibility.
These are the games that champions win, and Maurizio Sarri’s side cannot leave Florence with anything less than three points.
Click here to read our Fiorentina-Napoli preview