Serie A: The Final Countdown

Serie A: The Final Countdown

The Serie A title is all done and dusted, though Juventus’ Scudetto celebrations were delayed by a shock defeat to SPAL last weekend, a result which defied SBOBET tips and stunned the Italian football mad world.

But only briefly.

The race for the title has been over for some time and so our remaining Serie A 2019 predictions will be casting a gaze a little lower down the table.

Champions League Hunt

Napoli looks to have second place wrapped up and that’s good news for Carlo Ancelotti’s side which, having exited the Champions League now looks like going out of this year’s Europa League after losing a first leg tie 2-0 to Arsenal.

Inter Milan is in third place but by no means clear of the chasing pack, just six points above fifth placed Roma and Inter fans will have a close eye on the form of city rivals AC Milan, currently occupying that invaluable fourth spot. But with the quality of Ivan Perisic and the fighting spirit of Radja Naingollan in the side I see Inter staying in the top four. Mauro Icardi is also back in the fold and scoring again.

The Rossoneri had a vital 1-0 win over Lazio on Saturday thanks to a late Franck Kessie penalty. And that ended a sequence of four games without a win. Meanwhile, Claudio Ranieri’s return to Roma gave their fans hope that the fourth spot would be in their grasp, but a 1-4 home reversal to Napoli cast doubts over that. Subsequent back-to-back wins have hauled Roma back into the chase. But an away fixture against Inter Milan will be a serious test next week. Lose that and I see the Champions league drifting away from Rome.

Atalanta has been a surprise package. Gian Piero Gasperini has a young side but the midfield nous of Josip Ilicic and the goals of Duvan Zapata have kept them up among the elite. But drawing a blank at home to Empoli on Monday was a disappointment and they look likely to settle for a Europa League place.

Torino and Lazio are just outside the top six, but well in touch and a winning run for either could see them make a late challenge. They face each other on the last day of the season and will be delighted if they are still in with a chance at that point.

Sampdoria is an outside bet to reach a Europa League place especially if Fabio Quagliarella continues his hot streak in front of goal.

Prediction: Both Milan sides to stay in the top four with Lazio beating Roma to fifth place.

Relegation Battle

Chievo has had a wretched season and has been doomed for some time, and looks likely to be joined by Frosinone, though Marco Baroni’s side hasn’t yet given up the ghost. Back to back wins have just about kept Frosinone in touch but still with a mountain to climb. And defeat at home to Inter at the weekend, though expected, was a blow.

The battle to avoid the other relegation place has seen Udinese, Empoli and particularly Bologna picking up wins; and that means SPAL, Parma and Genoa are still in danger.

SPAL’s win over Juventus was the Serie A 2019 news of last weekend and a huge bonus for Leonardo Semplici’s side; and he’ll hope the goals of Andrea Petagna can keep his battlers up; he has 12 goals to his name so far. And his team has a crunch match away to Empoli next week, whose confidence is on the up on the back of an impressive draw with Atalanta on Monday.

Prediction: Empoli to just fall short and join Chievo and Frosinone in Serie B

Capocannoniere

The battle to win Serie A’s mantle of top scorer, or ‘head gunner’ is really heating up into a four way tussle. There were many predicting that Cristiano Ronaldo would walk away with this title, but he’s currently behind Atalanta’s Duvan Zapata, Milan’s Krzysztof Piatek, and Sampdoria’s Fabio Quagliarella. At 36 years old, the evergreen Quagliarella is two years older than Ronaldo, and he is tied at the top on 21 goals with in-form Piatek.

The Pole joined Milan from Genoa mid season, and his goals are a big reason why the Rossoneri is in with a good shout of Champions League football next year. But Cristiano Ronaldo simply loves to win titles, and with the Scudetto as good as won and the Champions League no longer in mind, after defeat to Ajax, Juve’s main man will have his eye on this one.

Prediction: Piatek and Ronaldo to share the Capocannoniere …if Juve’s superstar stays fit.

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