Serie A Round 16 Preview: Udinese travels to Lazio in battle of high flyers

The penultimate fixtures of 2011 see Genoa also looking to bounce back from its midweek defeat with victory over Bologna, while Fiorentina aims to extend its unbeaten home run.

Dec 16, 2011 4:30:00 AM

By Livio Caferoglu

More On :  AS Roma, Atalanta, Bologna, Cagliari, Catania, Cesena, Chievo, Fiorentina, Genoa, Inter, Juventus, Lazio, Lecce, Milan, Napoli, Novara, Palermo, Parma, Siena, Udinese
Antonio Di Natale - Udinese-Lazio - Serie A (Getty Images)
Getty Images


Serie A: Round 16 Preview

Table/Fixtures

Saturday DECEMBER 17
 KO Sunday DECEMBER 18
 KO
Chievo - Cagliari
 12:00
 Parma - Lecce
 9:00
AC Milan - Siena
 2:45
 Juventus - Novara
 9:00
Fiorentina - Atalanta
 2:45
 Genoa - Bologna
 9:00


Cesena - Inter
 9:00


Catania - Palermo
 9:00


Napoli - Roma
 2:45
all times in ET   Lazio - Udinese 2:45

Chievo
 v Cagliari
PROBABLE LINEUPS


Sorrentino
Frey, Cesar, Andreolli, Jokic
Luciano, Hetemaj, Bradley
Sammarco
Pellissier, Thereau

  

Agazzi
Pisano, Canini, Ariaudo
Perico, Ekdal, Biondini, Agostini
Nainggolan
Larrivey, Ibarbo

TEAM NEWS
  • One change from the 2-1 reverse to Udinese should see Bojan Jokic come in for Boukary Drame at left back.
  • Luca Rigoni is Chievo's only injury victim prior to the match at the Friuli on Sunday.
  
  • Coach Davide Ballardini is set to switch to a 3-4-1-2 formation, with Gabriele Perico, Albin Ekdal coming in for the doubtful Daniele Conti and Andrea Cossu, who is suspended.
  • Meanwhile, Moestafa El Kabir is nearing his injury comeback, but there is no such news for trio Davide Astori, Nene and Sebastian Eriksson, who won't be back until after the new year.

AC Milan
 v Siena

                                                                                           
Massimiliano Allegri's side welcomes the Bianconeri on Saturday, knowing a victory over the visiting side would send it temporarily to the summit of Serie A.

A full preview of this fixture can be found here
Fiorentina
Atalanta
PROBABLE LINEUPS

Boruc
De Silvestri, Gamberini, Natali, Pasqual
Behrami, Salifu, Kharja, Vargas
Jovetic, Gilardino



Consigli
Masiello, Lucchini, Manfredini, Bellini
Schelotto, Cigarini, Carmona, Padoin
Moralez
Denis
TEAM NEWS
  • Changes aplenty for Fiorentina boss Delio Rossi sees a switch to a 4-4-2 formation, as Stevan Jovetic, Amidu Salifu and Houssine Kharja come in for Gianni Munari, Andrea Lazzari and Adem Ljajic.
  • However, the club will be without the services of midfielder Riccardo Montolivo and influential defenders Mattia Cassani and Per Kroldrup at the weekend.
  
  • The return of Stefano Lucchini in the place of Michele Ferri should form the only change for Atalanta.
  • Last week's goalscorer Simone Tiribocchi and Matteo Brighi are both doubtful, while Daniele Capelli remains out for the season and Cristiano Doni is suspended until Feb. 2015.
 
Parma
 v Lecce
PROBABLE LINEUPS

Mirante
Zaccardo, Paletta, Lucarelli, Gobbi
Biabiany, Galloppa, Morrone, Modesto
Floccari, Pelle
  

Julio Sergio
Oddo, Carrozzieri, Ferrario, Esposito
Olivera, Giacomazzi, Grossmuller
Cuadrado, Muriel, Di Michele
TEAM NEWS
  • Two changes for the Ducali should see Francesco Modesto and Graziano Pelle replace Francesco Valiani and injured talisman Sebastian Giovinco.
  • However, there is still a possibility that the former Juventus starlet could feature, as he prepares to undergo a late fitness test.
  
  • Moris Carrozzieri and Carlos Grossmuller are set to come into the side, as Serse Cosmi returns to a 4-3-3 system.
  • There is no such luck for quartet Edward Ofere, Manuel Giandonato, Djamel Mesbah and Andrea Bertolacci, who are expected to miss out.

Juventus
 v Novara

                                                                                                 
The Old Lady will be looking to turn draws into wins at Juventus Stadium on Sunday to further underline their title aspirations, as a plucky Novara side come to town, fresh from a point against Napoli.

A full preview of this fixture can be found here
Genoa
 v Bologna

PROBABLE LINEUPS


Frey
Mesto, Granqvist, Kaladze, Moretti
Rossi, Veloso, Constant
Merkel
Ze Eduardo, Jankovic

Gillet
Crespo, Raggi, Portanova, Morleo
Casarini, Mudingayi, Kone
Ramirez, Diamanti
Di Vaio
TEAM NEWS
  • The Grifoni make just the single change, as Bosko Jankovic should be preferred to Dario Dainelli in a tactical reshuffle by Alberto Malesani.
  • However, Luca Antonelli, Valter Birsa, Juraj Kucka and Rodrigo Palacio are all ruled out, while Cesare Bovo is a doubt.
  
  • An unchanged lineup is expected to be named by Stefano Pioli from the impressive 2-2 draw with AC Milan last Sunday.
  • Diego Perez will oversee a one match ban due to his yellow card as a substitute against the Rossoneri.

Cesena
 v Inter

                                                                                                
Both sides have enjoyed a revival in their fortunes of late, paving the way for an interesting bout between the Seahorses and Claudio Ranieri's men in Emilia-Romagna on Sunday.

A full preview of this fixture can be found here

Catania
Palermo

PROBABLE LINEUPS

Andujar
Bellusci, Legrottaglie, Potenza
Lodi, Almiron, Delvecchio, Marchese
Barrientos, Maxi Lopez, Bergessio


Benussi
Balzaretti, Silvestre, Migliaccio, Mantovani
Alvarez, Barreto, Della Rocca, Bertolo
Ilicic
Miccoli
TEAM NEWS
  • Coach Vincenzo Montelli is being tipped to opt for an attack minded 3-4-3 formation ahead of the mouthwatering Sicilian derby, as Gonzalo Bergessio should come in for the suspended Nicolas Spolli.
  • However, Mariano Izco, Marco Biagianti, David Suazo and Cristian Llama remain on the treatment table.
  
  • Andrea Mantovani, Giulio Migliaccio, Francesco Della Rocca and Edgar Alvarez all are set to replace quartet Ezequiel Munoz, Afriyie Acquah, Armin Bacinovic and Maurio Pinilla.
  • Munoz and Acquah are banned from participation, while Eran Zahavi, Alexandros Tzorvas, Abel Hernandez and Eros Pisano are all out of contention.
Lazio
 v Udinese

PROBABLE LINEUPS


Carrizo
Konko, Diakite, Biava, Stankevicius
Gonzalez, Ledesma, Lulic
Hernanes
Klose, Rocchi


Handanovic
Benatia, Danilo, Ferronetti
Basta, Isla, Pinzi, Asamoah, Armero
Floro Flores
Di Natale
TEAM NEWS
  • Juan Pablo Carrizo, Marius Stankevicius, Abdoulay Konko, Alvaro Gonzalez, Tommaso Rocchi and Miroslav Klose are set to form six changes for Edy Reja's men.
  • Federico Marchetti and Stefan Radu lead an ever-increasing mounting injury list that includes Cristian Brocchi, Simone Del Nero, Stefano Mauri, Andre Dias, Stephen Makinwa and Matuzalem.
  
  • All change for the Zebrette, as Damiano Ferronetti, Mauricio Isla, Giampiero Pinzi and Antonio Floro Flores all return, with Joel Ekstrand, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Thierry Doubai and Almen Abdi the sacrificial lambs.
  • However, Badu is a doubt along with Andrea Coda and Paulo Barreto, but Maurizio Domizzi is ruled out.

Napoli
 v Roma

                                                                                               
These two perennial rivals in Serie A have not shown the best of form this season, but will want to end the year in winning fashion, starting with Sunday's encounter at the San Paolo.

A full preview of this fixture can be found here

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