The spotlight of Serie A’s 19th matchday will be on Fiorentina vs. Napoli and the Rome derby between Roma and Lazio. This round will feature only seven matches as Inter, Atalanta, Juventus, and Milan are tied up with the Italian Super Cup.
On Saturday at 6:00 PM, Fiorentina will host league leaders Napoli at the Artemio Franchi Stadium. Raffaele Palladino’s team has struggled recently, collecting just one point in the last three matches after an impressive run of eight consecutive wins. Napoli, under Antonio Conte, arrives in Florence fresh off three consecutive victories and determined to maintain their momentum.
The Rome derby will take place on Sunday at 8:45 PM, pitting Claudio Ranieri’s Roma against Marco Baroni’s Lazio. Roma has regained confidence after a dominant 5-0 home win against Parma, followed by a 1-1 draw at San Siro against Milan. While the specter of relegation seems to have faded, Roma is still far from the European qualification spots. However, a derby win carries more than just points—it’s a battle for pride. Lazio, currently fourth with 35 points, bounced back from a devastating 0-6 home loss to Inter with a 2-1 victory over Lecce and a 1-1 draw against Atalanta. Roma has an even goal record (24 scored, 24 conceded), while Lazio boasts the third-best attack in the league (33 goals), behind only Inter (45) and Atalanta (43). The last 20 meetings in all competitions have resulted in a balanced record: eight wins for each side and four draws.
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This round also features crucial relegation battles. On Saturday at 3:00 PM, Venezia will host Empoli. Eusebio Di Francesco’s side has shown signs of improvement with one win, two draws, and a single loss (a respectable performance in their 2-1 defeat against Napoli). Venezia is just three points behind Lecce, who sit just above the relegation zone. Empoli, with 19 points under Roberto D'Aversa, still feels relatively safe but has suffered three consecutive losses, raising concerns about their form.
Hellas Verona, meanwhile, has pulled out of its slump with two wins in its last three games—both 3-2 victories away against Parma and Bologna. The team has now climbed four points clear of the relegation zone, but with 42 goals conceded, Verona still holds the league's worst defensive record and remains the only team without a single draw this season.
Monza vs. Cagliari is a true "survival match." Monza, sitting last with 10 points and only one win this season, has suffered four consecutive 2-1 losses. Cagliari, on the other hand, is also enduring a tough stretch, having lost their last four matches as well.
Patrick Vieira's resurgent Genoa, which has only lost once in its last eight games, aims to build on its recent away victory over Empoli. Meanwhile, Lecce, under Marco Giampaolo, is reeling from two consecutive defeats. With 16 points, they are just two points clear of the drop zone and have highlighted their clash against Genoa as a must-win. Lecce’s upcoming fixtures include crucial matches against Empoli and Cagliari—two more direct relegation battles.
Finally, Torino will host Parma in a matchup between two struggling sides. Paolo Vanoli’s Torino has only managed one win in its last nine matches but salvaged a draw against Udinese in their previous outing. Parma, sitting 16th with 18 points, recently broke a three-game losing streak by defeating Monza 2-1 and will seek to continue their upward trend.
