Before becoming a Sports Journalist for Free Super Tips, Aaron spent three years studying Sports Journalism at the University of Sunderland while taking in the Black Cats' 'glory years' under Martin O'Neill. Now back in Northern Ireland he turns niche stats into predictions for FST, while he's one of the few people on this island who is equally comfortable at Windsor Park and the Aviva.
After a midweek round of matches, Serie A jumps in to a huge day on Saturday. They kick things off with the Rome derby on Saturday afternoon, which is followed by last season’s top two, Juventus and Napoli. After their title battle last season, measuring those two against each other will be really interesting.
Those two games back to back make Serie A the league to watch this weekend. Ahead of those two clashes, we have everything you need to know ahead of this weekend’s big Serie A double header.
Bleak Derby Day for Roma
This isn’t just a crucial game for Roma’s season, but it’s massive for their manager’s future. Eusebio Di Francesco has concerns about his future at the Stadio Olimpico, with his team struggling for results so far. They were woeful in their recent trip to Real Madrid, and last season’s successes aren’t being follow up upon.
The big blow for Di Francesco was the manner of their 2-0 loss at Bologna, coached by Pippo Inzaghi. Meeting his brother Simone this weekend is a concern, especially given that the Lazio boss is the most talented manager of the two brothers. That’s all not going to sit well with the Roma fans, who know how high the stakes are in these derby meetings. With Lazio warming up with five straight wins, it could be a dark day for Roma on Saturday.
Read More: Roma vs Lazio Betting Tips and Predictions
Can Carlo’s Changes Test the Champions?
That derby is followed up by the emerging rivalry in Serie A. Juventus and Napoli fans have long hated one another, but they’re now getting competitive. That’s been sparked by recent results, and the Partenopei come here with golden memories of Turin. Last weekend they won 3-1 at Torino, while earlier this year Napoli claimed a 1-0 victory at the Allianz against Juve.
That win sparked a late title tilt from Maurizio Sarri’s side. However, things have changed for them in the summer. Carlo Ancelotti is aiming to learn from his time at Bayern Munich, as he’s quickly changed his approach at the San Paolo. The 4-3-3 which Sarri preferred has gone, with the new boss trying to get more bodies up front. Their system in it’s most attacking form is a 4-2-3-1, but on paper it’s a 4-4-2.
The latter is more likely against the champions this weekend, and those two banks of four could help Napoli. It will certainly be interesting to measure this version of the Partenopei against the champions, given what Sarri achieved, and where he failed. Ancelotti’s changed more than we expected this season, but they didn’t exactly invest heavily in the summer. Their chances of winning the title are on trial here, as Juventus look for an eighth straight win, to aid them in their chase of an eighth straight title.
Read More: Juventus vs Napoli Betting Tips and Predictions
Nerazzurri Aiming to Maintain Streak
There’s more to Saturday’s action outside of the biggest clashes, as Cagliari visit Inter Milan that night. That means that all of last season’s top five sides in Serie A feature across a few hours. Inter are certainly struggling in their attempt to make it back to the top four, despite a busy summer. That puts them slightly on edge ahead of what should be a straightforward clash, making the finale of Saturday’s action quite interesting.
Inter have hit form of late and lifted themselves in to sixth in Serie A. They’ve won three of the spin, including their 2-1 success over Tottenham I the Champions League. However, those wins haven’t all been clear successes. Their victories over Spurs and Sampdoria came with last minute strikes in mixed displays. A win over Fiorentina was slightly more comfortable, but there were still problems for the Nerazzurri.
Luciano Spalletti has a brilliant squad to work with at Inter, but they are struggling to translate that to performances. However, results tend to make that redundant. Inter aren’t impressing, but they are winning. Critics had the knives out for Spalletti not long ago, but his side have done just enough of late to keep them quiet. Keep that up, and there’s little arguing with their position. However, slipping up at home to Cagliari could land them in all kinds of trouble.
Read More: Inter vs Cagliari Betting Tips and Predictions
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