Giornata 24 -- Preview

After a midweek draw between Inter and Parma, the gap is now 9 points. Round 24 is looking very interesting as many teams close in the table are squaring off, specifically #4 Napoli-#1 Inter, #2 Roma-#5 Palermo, and #7 Juve-#8 Genoa. Milan and Udinese play a rare Friday evening match, which will be conveniently televised live on FSC. Also, to any other RAI subscribers, two Serie B matches will be aired Saturday morning with Gallipoli-Sassuolo at 9:00 followed by Torino-AlbinoLeffe at 10:15.

(http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/2009-2010/regular-season/tables/)

Match of the Week:
#2 Roma - #5 Palermo: SAT 12:00pm EST Live on FSC, ESPN 360, and RAI
Round 5: 3-3
As mentioned, there are some great matches this week but Roma and Palermo have been the two most exciting teams of the second half. Roma is on fire and Palermo is coming off an emotional win. Should be a phenominal match.
--Prediction: 2-0 Roma... With Roma on their form and at home, I don't think anyone can beat them.

#3 Milan - #15 Udinese: FRI 2:45p EST Live on FSC and RAI
Round 5: 0-1 Udinese
Udinese has beaten Milan by a score of 1-0 twice but I can't imagine that will happen for a third time. At the same time, Milan is not on good form, making this very difficult to predict.
--Prediction: 2-1 Milan

#6 Sampdoria - #11 Fiorentina: SAT 2:45p EST Live on FSC, ESPN 360, and RAI
Round 5: 0-2 Fiorentina
Another great match up. The fact that Sampdoria after their slump is back up to 6th after three straight wins. Fiorentina lost a late one to Roma last week and need this win to get back into the running for Europe.
--Prediction: 3-2 Sampdoria

#17 Livorno - #14 Bologna: SUN 9:00a EST
Round 5: 0-2 Bologna
Relegation implications here. I would expect to see one of these two, if not both, relegated at the end of the season so survival hangs highly on this one.
--Prediction: 2-1 Livorno

#7 Juventus - #8 Genoa: SUN 9:00a EST Live on ESPN 360, FS en Espanol, and RAI
Round 5: 2-2
I have no clue when Juve will finally win a match. Genoa on the other hand is on decent form and looks likely to keep Juve's winless streak going.
--Prediction: 2-2

#16 Catania - #19 Atalanta: SUN 9:00a EST
Round 5: 0-0
Another relegation match. Different from Livorno-Bologna, these two seem more than capable of staying up, despite being in just as bad, if not worse, positions in the table.
--Prediction: 4-1 Catania

#12 Parma - #18 Lazio: SUN 9:00a EST
Round 5: 2-1 Parma
Lazio has been shocking this season and the fact that they're in the relegation zone in week 24 is even more incredible. However currently, both teams have strung equally bad winless streaks together so hopefully this is the spark for the one of the two teams to get it together.
--Prediction: 0-2 Lazio

#13 Chievo - #20 Siena: SUN 9:00a EST
Round 5: 0-0
Siena looks like they've already resigned to dropping down. Chievo will be using this game to cement themselves in Serie A for another year.
--Prediction: 3-0 Chievo

#9 Cagliari - #10 Bari: SUN 9:00 EST
Round 5: 1-0 Cagliari
Both teams have had great individual seasons so far. However both are beginning to slide a bit. Should still be a great mid-table match.
--Prediction: 2-1 Cagliari

#4 Napoli - #1 Inter
Round 5: 3-1 Inter
You've got to be a fool to pick against Inter any Serie A team. They've just been too good despite a midweek draw against Bari. Napoli has been good, but I question if their defense, which has been seamless lately, can withhold Milito, E'eto, and Balotelli.
--Prediction: 1-3 Inter