The Derby della Mole could determine whether the hosts stay up in Italy's top-flight, or whether the visitors claim another Scudetto...

Sunday 28 April 2013

Torino were seemingly going to be safe from the relegation dogfight a month ago, but with only one win over their past eight outings, Giampiero Ventura's troops are edging closer to going down. Despite the Granata being seven points from 18th placed Palermo, they don't want to concede more points and get dragged nearer. 

Juventus took on one of their biggest rivals last weekend in Milan, snatching a 1-0 win thanks to an Arturo Vidal second-half penalty. And another victory over their local rivals this weekend will put the Bianconeri in the box seat to win their second-successive Scudetto. No injury concerns for coach Antonio Conte, meaning he has a full squad to choose from.

Torino's poor form coupled with Juventus' strong results should see the match go one way.

Prediction: Torino 0-2 Juventus

Fiorentina have pulled off a remarkable fight-back to keep themselves in touch with AC Milan for the third and final Champions League spot. The Rossoneri looked to have sealed their passage into Europe’s top division with goals from former Viola man Riccardo Montolivo and Mathieu Flamini either side of a sending off to Nenad Tomovic. But the home side didn’t give up having lost just once this season at the Artemio Franchi, and two penalties from Adem Ljajic and David Pizarro secured a priceless draw.

Montolivo opened the scoring in the 14^th minute after a calamitous error from Pizarro. The midfielder robbed the ball from the defender and kept his nerve to beat Emiliano Viviano and give his new side the crucial first goal.

Mario Balotelli and Manuel Pasqual both traded 30-yard free kick efforts that went wide, before Stephen El Shawaary met Montolivo’s cross with his head but Viviano somehow made the save in the 35^th minute.

Four minutes later, it looked as though Milan’s task would become much easier when Nenad Tomovic was controversially given his marching orders for an elbow on El Shawaary.

Stevan Jovetic had to be replaced before the break and the Viola had a big mountain to climb.

The Rossoneri surely thought they had the win in the bag when Flamini doubled their lead 17 minutes into the second half. After having been denied minutes earlier by Viviano, the Frenchman had no such difficulty when glancing in Montolivo’s drilled cross from close range.

Ljajic gave the home side a lifeline just three minutes later, going on a mazy run and being brought down by Antonio Nocerino in the box. The same player tucked away the spot kick to half the defecit.

The Viola were back from the brink in the 73^rd minute when they received another penalty. Valero played a long ball into Cuadrado, who drew a needless challenge from Mattia De Sciglio in the corner of the area. This time Pizarro stepped up and atoned for his earlier mistake. 

Fourth host third in the battle for the final Champions League spot...

Sunday 7 April 2013

Fiorentina are desperately clinging onto the top three, and a win is a must of the Viola want to remain in the hunt for a spot in Europe's biggest club competition: the Champions League. Six points behind the Rossoneri in the standings, Vincenzo Montella's side will need to get maximum points without star striker Stevan Jovetic at their disposal, as he picked up a thigh injury in Fiorentina 2-1 loss to Cagliari last week, meaning Juan Cuadrado is the one to watch out for in his absence. 

Milan may be seen as the favourites to claim the three points as Massimiliano Allegri's side has yet to lose domestically in 2013 and haven't conceded a goal over the past month. And it was the tap-in by RIccardo Montolivo that secured victory over Chievo last weekend, as he was the first to react from a Mario Balotelli free-kick. Montolivo has been the focus of this week, as it will be the first time he returns to the Artemio Franchi since departing from Fiorentina over the summer. There will be some hostility toward the midfielder, but he is good enough to rise above it and perform well. Giampaolo Pazzini is also a former favourite of the Tuscan crowd, and will be keen to score.

Fiorentina are not pushovers, especially after losing last week.

Prediction: Fiorentina 1-1 Milan

Juventus have showed their winning instinct at Inter Milan to maintain their nine point lead at the top of Serie A, while the Nerazurri’s bid for the European places took a hit. Rodrigo Palacio’s goal cancelled out an early cracker from Fabio Quagliarella, but Alessandro Matri quickly restored Juve’s lead and they didn’t look back.

The Bianconeri had a goal within just three minutes when Quagliarella picked up the ball 25 yards from goal after a swift passing move from the Bianconeri. The striker didn’t hesitate to bend a powerful shot right into the top corner. There wasn’t much Handanovic could do.

Four minutes later, Arturo Vidal ran down the right and curled in a cross that Leonardo Bonnuci headed over.

Gigi Buffon then had to be alert twice, once to tip around Antonio Cassano’s low drive and then again showed quick reflexes to deny Palacio’s header at the back post.

Andrea Pirlo was the next to have a shot saved five minutes before the break as he whacked one that rebounded back off Handanovic.

Inter equalised nine minutes into the second half as Palacio sped through the heart of Juve’s defence with one touch and finished clinically into the corner with another.

The Bianconeri responded quickly though as Simone Padoin had his effort saved before Matri scored the away side’s second in the 60^th minute. Vidal played the ball through, Quagliarella raced to the byline and barely kept it in as he cut it back to the danger zone for Matri to pounce.

Inter didn’t have the answers from there and it got worse when Esteban Cambiasso was sent off late for a challenge on Sebastian Giovinco.