The Serie A title race has been one of the most-watched stories of the 2019-20 season so far, but it would seem that Juventus are putting their foot down on the accelerator now to get away from the chasing pack. They face Napoli this weekend, and a win could open up a seven-point gap.
Napoli vs Juventus
The form of Juventus over recent weeks has been staggering, as they have capitalised on every dropped point from Inter Milan. They began the second half of the season in second place, but now they are four points clear. The Old Lady have won their last five matches in Serie A, and have scored 13 goals in the process. In that same time, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored nine goals as the Portuguese superstar looks to be in the best form since signing for the Italian club.
Inter Milan’s recent run of three draws in five has allowed Juventus to open up this lead at the top of Serie A, but they will look to press home that dominance when they travel to Naples on Sunday. They will be helped by the fact that Napoli have been in miserable form all season, and that hasn’t improved since the departure of Carlo Ancelotti. They have lost four of their last five, and are struggling for goals.
Napoli have lost their last three in the league, and have only scored once. That goal came in a 3-1 defeat against Inter Milan in Naples. Juventus hold a dominant advantage over Napoli in the head to head record as they have won on 18 occasions in the past. Napoli have won 12, while there have been five draws. This will still be a high-quality fixture between the top two from last season, but punters will feel that Juventus will have enough quality in the final third to get a comfortable win.
Roma vs Lazio
You would be hard-pressed to suggest a reason why Lazio can’t get involved in the Serie A title race this season, but the Derby Della Capitale will be a true test of how far they have come. They are the most in-form team in the division, as they have won their last ten matches in Serie A; including a win over Juventus. During that spell, they have also beaten Juventus in the final of the Supercoppa. They have emerged out of nowhere to have a chance of overtaking Inter, as they now only trail Antonio Conte’s side by two points with a game in hand.
That game in hand could be a crucial factor if they can continue to win, as they could be level on points with Juventus if results go their way. Lazio have certainly been one of the most exciting teams to watch this season, as no other side in Serie A has scored more goals than them. They have been boosted by Ciro Immobile, who has already scored 25 goals this season. The Italian will be crucial in order for them to get three points against Roma.
Roma are just one place below Lazio in fourth place after taking advantage of the dropped points by their rivals. They have won three of their last five and are emerging as one of the strongest teams in Serie A this season. Edin Dzeko is their top scorer as he has scored eleven this season. Roma holds the advantage in the overall record as they have recorded 59 wins, while Lazio have 43 successes to their name. However, the recent form would suggest that it is impossible to bet against Lazio getting another win.
