⚽️🇮🇹 The Tuesday Calcio Wrap-Up #8: Atalanta wake up, Venezia have life left and a Matías Soulé screamer in Rome
Welcome to this week's wrap-up, where I give my thoughts on all the ups, downs and round and rounds from a weekend of Calcio fun.
I promise I won’t touch on the Serie A title race again this week. It’s continuing for now and it’ll be either Inter or Napoli who win the Scudetto. Until something drastic happens, I’ll try and avoid. There’s so much happening elsewhere that requires my attention. For example, Atalanta beat Bologna with what seemed like ease. A massive surprise, given Atalanta’s terrible form and how good Bologna have been. In the race for fourth place, it looks like Igor Tudor may be working his magic on Juventus as they win again. Roma and Lazio can’t be separated in the derby and Fiorentina fail to win against relegation-threatened Parma. All that and some big Serie B news in this week’s Tuesday Calcio Wrap-Up…
🚀 Que Sera, Sera: The Battle for Fourth
I think we can conclude that Italy won’t be getting the 5th place for Champions League this season unless something drastic happens. So, given that - 10 points separate seven teams (if we’re including Milan, which we probably shouldn’t…) as we enter the business end of the race. Juventus beating Lecce 2-1 has put them in 4th place, making it two wins and a draw since Tudor took over from Motta. Bologna failed to carry on their form and succumbed to a 2-0 loss at the hands of Gian Piero Gasperini and co. With that win, Atalanta ended a poor run of form that looked to have them potentially dropping out of the top 4 just weeks after they failed to keep up with Napoli and Inter in the title race. The Bergamo club sit in 3rd place and should be pretty confident of their Champions League qualification, especially with soon-to-be Capocannoniere firing again. Roma and Lazio drew in the Derby della Capitale, which is neither good nor bad for them both. Juventus, though, will be satisfied with that result. Fiorentina are an outsider, sitting six points from fourth and will be gunning for a Europa League spot or just settling for the Conference League. And since Milan can still mathematically qualify, we have to consider them. But the fact they’re in 9th place and have been terrible for the most part, it’s highly unlikely. Even if they did batter Udinese 4-0 on Friday.
The run-in for each team is crucial, with some facing a more challenging fixture list than others (ciao, Roma…). Check out the run-ins for each club in contention below:
Atalanta: Milan (A), Lecce (H), Monza (A), Roma (H), Genoa (A), Parma (H)
Juventus: Parma (A), Monza (H), Bologna (A), Lazio (A), Udinese (H), Venezia (A)
Bologna: Inter (H), Udinese (A), Juventus (H), Milan (A), Fiorentina (A), Genoa (H)
Lazio: Genoa (A), Parma (H), Empoli (A), Juventus (H), Inter (A), Lecce (H)
Roma: Verona (H), Inter (A), Fiorentina (H), Atalanta (A), Milan (H), Torino (A)
Fiorentina: Cagliari (A), Empoli (H), Roma (A), Venezia (A), Bologna (H), Udinese (A)
Milan: Atalanta (H), Venezia (A), Genoa (A), Bologna (H), Roma (A), Monza (H)
Who do you think has the most favourable run-in? Let us know on Instagram - @forzacalcioworld
🔻 Relegation looms, who’s it going to be?
Venezia picked up a HUGE win in their bid for survival at the weekend, seeing off Monza 1-0 thanks to a Daniel Fila goal (who’d later get sent off). That still leaves them in 19th place but only two points from Lecce, who failed to beat Juventus, leading them closer to the drop. Venezia face Empoli next in what will be a must-win game for both teams as Venezia sit just above Empoli following Napoli beating Roberto D’Aversa’s men 3-0 at the Stadio Maradona on Monday. Parma’s point at the Artemio Franchi was massive and Christian Chivu seems to have sured up their defence, albeit losing their attacking appeal that neutrals had grown so fond of. Parma should be worried, though, as they have Napoli, Atalanta, Lazio and Juventus left to play and a massive game against relegation rival Empoli. The relegation battle is just as entertaining as the race for fourth, with plenty of ups and downs still to be had as four clubs look to avoid slipping into the two places left in the bottom three.
🥂 Fabio Grosso and Sassuolo are BACK
Sassuolo were relegated last season but it didn’t take them long to return to Serie A. Fabio Grosso has led the Neroverdi to an early promotion as they currently sit top of the lega with five left to play. “Did you have any doubts?” was the attitude from the team, which was fitting given CEO Giovanni Carnevali made it clear “we’ll be back in Serie A at earliest opportunity” when they went down last year. They come up as record breakers, too, showing he really did mean business.
Domenico Berardi has been key to their success, remaining with the relegated club for the season. Armand Lauriente also sits second behind Catanzaro’s Pietro Iemello in the top goalscorer chart, which has been vital to Sassuolo’s success. With those two and the wider setup by Grosso, they’ve had a wonderful season and will return to Serie A next year to, most likely, take six points from Inter as their bogey team…
Serie B
🫣 Cosenza scored one of the best own goals of the season against Brescia as Aldo Florenzi smashed it past his own keeper from 12 yards out. Cosenza went on to draw the game with a 93rd-minute equaliser. Comical, nonetheless…
Serie C
🎆 Ternana were defeated by Milan Futuro, which meant Virtus Entella had their promotion to Serie B confirmed without playing. The last time the club were in Serie B was the 2017/2018 season, where they ended a four-year run in the division by finishing 19th and lost a relegation playoff against Ascoli. Welcome back!
Domenico Berardi’s season in Serie B
The latest FORZA CALCIO newsletter focused on Berardi dropping down into Serie B and remaining there for the season, turning down moves away from the club.