By Anna Italia
Follow me in Twitter @ItalianSerieA,
Facebook: Anna Italia Page

 

Hello my friends. Here is the  Serie A Preview  for Week 18 – Eighteenth Round on Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 January 2016.

Happy New Year to all my friends!   It’s time to get back to the Italian Serie A resuming on Tuesday 5 January and Wednesday 6.    We have some good challenges.   Inter ended the 2015 year as sole leader of the Serie A and will certainly look to defeat Empoli in the away game at the Carlo Castellani Stadium to keep the sole leadership.

The first game in 2016 is the famous Derby della Lanterna on Tuesday between Genoa vs Sampdoria.  Pressure is for Genoa to win the match to start climbing the Serie A Table and avoid falling down in the relegation zone.  It’s also a challenge for Sampdoria coach and ex player Vincenzo Montella to win this Derby for the fans.

The top scorer up to Round 17: Napoli forward Gonzalo Higuain with 16 goals

 

 

Top Serie A teams standing AFTER Serie A Week 17 games. First 3 qualifying for Champions League, 4 and 5 for Europa League.

– Inter, 1st position with 36 points and a positive goal difference of +12

– FIORENTINA, 2nd position with 35 points and a positive goal difference of +18

– NAPOLI, 3rd positions with 35 points points and a positive goal difference of +18

– JUVENTUS , 4th position with 33 points and a positive goal difference of +14

– AS ROMA, 5th position with 32 points and a positive goal difference of +14

– SASSUOLO, 6th position with 27 points and a positive goal difference of +5

Relegation Zone: FROSINONE, 18th position with 14 points and a negative goal difference of -15

– CARPI, 19th position with 10 points and a negative goal difference of -18

– HELLAS VERONA, 20th position with 8 points and a negative goal difference of -15

 

2014 – 2015 Italy Serie A Standing

 

– Watch Serie A Matches Live with fubo PRO games including Juventus, AS Roma, AC Milan, Inter, Napoli

Italian Serie A Tickets for next 10 games
===============================================

 

Tuesday 5 January 2016

• Serie A Week 18 / 18ª Giornata /
  

GENOA – SAMPDORIA
Luigi Ferraris Stadium
Referee: VALERI
Assistants: DI LIBERATORE – GIALLATINI
Fourth Official: DE LUCA
ADD1: ORSATO
ADD2: GIACOMELLI
20:45

Serie A Standing BEFORE the game:
Genoa, 17th position with 16 points and a negative goal difference of -8
Sampdoria, 14th position with 20  points and a negative goal difference of -2

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	Goals	DIFF	Points
14	Sampdoria	17	5	5	7	24:26	-2	20
17	Genoa	17	4	4	9	15:23	-8	16

 

The Derby della Lanterna is the first match of the 2016!   What a challenge for Genoa and Sampdoria.   Pressure is for Genoa to win the home game to avoid falling into the relegation zone.

There are 32 precedents between Genoa vs Sampdoria at the Ferraris Stadium.  Stats showing Genoa with 9 wins, 12 draws, and Sampdoria with 11 wins.   The last two derbies won by Sampdoria.  Genoa have not won a home derby since the 2010 – 2011.   Out of the 65 goals, Genoa scoring 33 goals and Sampdoria 32 goals.

Stats BEFORE the game. Top scorer for GENOA:  Leonardo Pavoletti with 5 goals

Top scorer for SAMPDORIA:  Citadin Eder with 10 goals

Genoa	Goals	Goals	Sampdoria
Pavoletti, Leonardo	5	10	Eder
Gakpe, Serge	3	4	Muriel, Luis
Laxalt, Diego	2	4	Soriano, Roberto
Rincon, Tomas	1	3	Zukanovic, Ervin
Perotti, Diego	1	1	Fernando

 

Stats. Here are the last 3 games of GENOA:  3 lost

20/12/15	SA	Roma – Genoa	2:0	Round 17
15/12/15	CI	Genoa – Alessandria	1:2 (OT)	1/8
12/12/15	SA	Genoa – Bologna	0:1	Round 16

 

Here are the last 3 games of SAMPDORIA:  1 win, 1 draw, 1 lost

20/12/15	SA	Sampdoria – Palermo	2:0	Round 17
17/12/15	CI	Sampdoria – Milan	0:2	1/8
14/12/15	SA	Lazio – Sampdoria	1:1	Round 16

 

Disciplinary Situation BEFORE the game.  1 suspended player for GENOA: Perotti (2)

No suspended players for SAMPDORIA.

Here is the probable formation for Genoa (4-3-3): Perin; Izzo, De Maio, Burdisso, Ansaldi; Rincon, Dzemaili, Ntcham; Lazovic, Pavoletti, Laxalt.

Unavailable: També, T. Costa, Cissokho, D. Figueiras, Ujkani

Here is the probable formation for Sampdoria (4-3-3): Viviano; De Silvestri, Moisander, Zukanovic, Regini; Barreto, Fernando, Soriano; Carbonero, Cassano, Eder.

Wednesday 6 January 2016

UDINESE – ATALANTA
Friuli Stadium
Referee: CERVELLERA
Assistants: PADOVAN – DI VUOLO
Fourth Official: LO CICERO
ADD1: BANTI
ADD2: AURELIANO
12:30

Disciplinary Situation BEFORE the game.  1 suspend player for UDINESE: Wague (1)

1 suspended player for ATALANTA: Paletta (1)

Here is the probable formation for Udinese (3-5-2): Karnezis; Piris, Danilo, Felipe; Widmer, Badu, Lodi, Bruno Fernandes, Edenilson; Thereau, Di Natale.

Unavailable: Merkel, Pasquale, Kone

Here is the probable formation for Atalanta (4-3-3): Sportiello; Bellini, Toloi, Cherubin, Dramé; Kurtic, De Roon, Grassi; D’Alessandro, Denis, Gomez.

Unavailable: Raimondi, Carmona, Pinilla

CHIEVO VERONA – ROMA
Marc’Antonio Bentegodi Stadium
Referee: IRRATI
Assistants: DI FIORE – TASSO
Fourth Official: GAVA
ADD1: GUIDA
ADD2: PINZANI
15:00

Serie A Standing BEFORE the game:
Chievo Verona, 12th position with 22 points and a positive goal difference of +3
AS Roma, 5th position with 32 points and a positive goal difference of +14

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	Goals	DIFF	Points
5	Roma	17	9	5	3	32:18	14	32
12	Chievo	17	6	4	7	21:18	3	22

 

Stats AFTER the game.  Top scorer for CHIEVO VERONA: Alberto Paloschi with 7 goals

Top scorer for AS ROMA:  Miralem Pjanic with 7 goals

Chievo Verona	Goals	Goals	AS Roma
Paloschi, Alberto	7	7	Pjanic, Miralem
Meggiorini, Riccardo	4	6	Gervinho
Inglese, Roberto	3	5	Salah, Mohamed
Birsa, Valter	3	3	Florenzi, Alessandro
Castro, Lucas	2	3	Dzeko, Edin

 

Stats.   Here are the last 3 games of CHIEVO VERONA: 2 wins, 1 lost

20/12/15	SA	Fiorentina – Chievo	2:0	Round 17
13/12/15	SA	Chievo – Atalanta	1:0	Round 16
06/12/15	SA	Frosinone – Chievo	0:2	Round 15

 

Here are the last 3 games of AS ROMA:  1 win, 1 draw, 1 lost

20/12/15	SA	Roma – Genoa	2:0	Round 17
16/12/15	CI	Roma – Spezia	2:4 (AP)	1/8
13/12/15	SA	Napoli – Roma	0:0	Round 16

 

Disciplinary Situation BEFORE the game.  No suspended players for CHIEVO.

2 suspended players for AS ROMA: Dzeko (2), Pjanic, Nainggolan (1)

Here is the probable formation for Chievo Verona (4-3-1-2): Bizzarri; Cacciatore, Gamberini, Dainelli, Gobbi; Castro, Radovanovic, Hetemaj; Birsa; Meggiorini, Paloschi.
 
Unavailable: Izco, Mattiello

Here is the probable formation for AS Roma (4-3-3): Szczesny: Maicon, Manolas, Rudiger, Digne; Florenzi, De Rossi, Vainqueur; Iago Falque, Gervinho, Salah.

Unavailable: Strootman, Ucan, Totti, Keita

JUVENTUS – HELLAS VERONA
Juventus Stadium
Referee: CALVARESE
Assistants: DOBOSZ – VIVENZI
Fourth Official: CRISPO
ADD1: DOVERI
ADD2: MARIANI
15:00

Disciplinary Situation BEFORE the game.  No suspended players for JUVENTUS

1 suspended player for HELLAS VERONA: Sala (1)

Here is the probable formation for Juventus (3-5-2): Buffon; Rugani, Bonucci, Chiellini;Lichtsteiner, Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba, Alex Sandro; Morata, Dybala.

Unavailable: Pereyra, Lemina, Barzagli, Mandzukic

Here is the probable formation for Hellas Verona (4-2-3-1): Gollini; Bianchetti, Moras, Helander, Souprayen; Hallfredsson, Greco; Wszolek, Ionita, Siligardi; Toni.

Unavailable: Romulo, Albertazzi, Pisano, Viviani, Matuzalem

LAZIO – CARPI
Olimpico di Roma Stadium
Referee: RUSSO
Assistants: LONGO – GALLONI
Fourth Official: MANGANELLI
ADD1: ROCCHI
ADD2: BARACANI
15:00

Disciplinary Situation BEFORE the game.  Suspended players for LAZIO: Biglia, Milinkovic-Savic (1)

No suspended players for CARPI

Here is the probable formation for Lazio (4-3-3): Berisha; Konko, Hoedt, Mauricio, Radu; Cataldi, Onazi, Parolo; Candreva, Matri, F. Anderson.

Unavailable: De Vrij, Lulic, Kishna, Marchetti, Gentiletti, Basta

Here is the probable formation for Carpi (4-4-1-1): Belec; Zaccardo, Romagnoli, Gagliolo, Letizia; Pasciuti, Cofie, Lollo, Martinho; Lasagna, Borriello.

Unavailable: Fedele, Bubnjic, Wallace, Bianco, Spolli, Matos

AC MILAN – BOLOGNA
San Siro Stadium
Referee: MASSA
Assistants: PASSERI – FIORITO
Fourth Official: SCHENONE
ADD1: GERVASONI
ADD2: LA PENNA
15:00

Serie A Standing BEFORE the game:
AC Milan, 6th position with 28 points and a positive goal difference of +3
Bologna, 15th position with 19 points and a negative goal difference of -5

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	Goals	DIFF	Points
6	Milan	17	8	4	5	24:21	3	28
15	Bologna	17	6	1	10	19:24	-5	19

 

Stats BEFORE the game.   Top scorer for AC MILAN: Carlos Bacca with 8 goals

Top scorer for BOLOGNA:  Mattia Destro with 5 goals

AC Milan	Goals	Goals	Bologna
Bacca, Carlos	8	5	Destro, Mattia
Bonaventura, Giacomo	4	3	Mounier, Anthony
Adriano, Luiz	3	2	Masina, Adam
Niang, Mbaye	2	2	Rossettini, Luca
Mexes, Philippe	1	2	Brienza, Franco

 

Stats.  Here are the last 3 games of AC MILAN:   2 wins, 1 draw

20/12/15	SA	Frosinone – Milan	2:4	Round 17
17/12/15	CI	Sampdoria – Milan	0:2	1/8
13/12/15	SA	Milan – Verona	1:1	Round 16

 

Here are the last 3 games of BOLOGNA: 2 wins, 1 lost

19/12/15	SA	Bologna – Empoli	2:3	Round 17
12/12/15	SA	Genoa – Bologna	0:1	Round 16
06/12/15	SA	Bologna – Napoli	3:2	Round 15

 

Disciplinary Situation BEFORE the game.  1 suspended player for AC MILAN: Romagnoli (1)

No suspended players for BOLOGNA

Here is the probable formation for AC Milan (4-4-2): Donnarumma; Abate, Alex, Mexes, De Sciglio; Honda, Montolivo, Bertolacci, Bonaventura; Niang, Bacca.

Unavailable: Menez, D. Lopez, Balotelli

Here is the probable formation for Bologna (4-3-3): Mirante; Rossettini, Oikonomou, Gastaldello, Masina; Donsah, Diawara, Taider; Mounier, Destro, Giaccherini.

Unavailable: Rizzo, Crisetig, Brienza

Photo: facebook.com/bfc1909official

 

PALERMO – FIORENTINA
Renzo Barbera Stadium
Referee: DAMATO
Assistants: COSTANZO – VALERIANI
Fourth Official: PAGANESSI
ADD1: GAVILLUCCI
ADD2: DI PAOLO
15:00

Disciplinary Situation BEFORE the game.  1 suspended player for PALERMO: Gonzalez (1)

Here is the probable formation for Palermo (4-3-1-2): Sorrentino; Struna, Goldaniga, Andelkovic, Lazaar; Hiljemark, Jajalo, Chochev; Vazquez; Trajkovski, Gilardino.

Unavailable: Vitiello

Here is the probable formation for  Fiorentina (3-4-1-2): Tatarusanu; Roncaglia, Rodriguez, Astori; Bernardeschi, Vecino, Badelj, M. Alonso; B. Valero, Ilicic; Kalinic.
SASSUOLO – FROSINONE
Mapei Stadium
Referee: PAIRETTO
Assistants: STALLONE – DE PINTO
Fourth Official: VUOTO
ADD1: MAZZOLENI
ADD2 GHERSINI
15:00

Disciplinary Situation BEFORE the game. 1 suspended player for SASSUOLO: Missiroli (1)

1 suspended player for FROSINONE: Soddimo (1)

Here is the probable formation for Sassuolo (4-3-3): Consigli; Vrsaljko, Cannavaro, Acerbi, Peluso; Pellegrini, Magnanelli, Laribi; Berardi, Defrel, Sansone.

Unavailable: Terranova, Floccari

Here is the probable formation for Frosinone (4-4-2): Leali;M. Ciofani, Diakité, Blanchard, Pavlovic; Tonev, Gori, Sammarco,  Paganini; D. Ciofani, Dionisi.
 
Unavailable: Rosi, Verde, Gomis, Castillo

EMPOLI – INTER
Carlo Castellani Stadium
Referee: CELI
Assistants: POSADO – LA ROCCA
Fourth Official: MUSOLINO
ADD1: TAGLIAVENTO
ADD2: FABBRI
18:00

Serie A Standing BEFORE the game:
Empoli, 7th position with 27 points and a positive goal difference of +1
Inter, 1st position with 36 points and a positive goal difference of +12

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	Goals	DIFF	Points
1	Inter	17	11	3	3	23:11	12	36
7	Empoli	17	8	3	6	23:22	1	27

 

Stats BEFORE the game.  Top scorer for EMPOLI: Massimo Maccarone with 7 goals

Top scorer for INTER:  Mauro Icardi with 7 goals

Empoli	Goals	Goals	Inter
Maccarone, Massimo	7	7	Icardi, Mauro
Saponara, Riccardo	5	4	Jovetic, Stevan
Pucciarelli, Manuel	3	2	Brozovic, Marcelo
Buchel, Marcel	2	2	Perisic, Ivan
Zielinski, Piotr	1	2	Ljajic, Adem

 

Stats.  Here are the last 3 games of EMPOLI:

19/12/15	SA	Bologna – Empoli	2:3	Round 17
13/12/15	SA	Empoli – Carpi	3:0	16
06/12/15	SA	Verona – Empoli	0:1	15

 

Here are the last 3 games of INTER:  2 lost, 1 win

30/12/15	CFG	Inter – Paris St.-Germa…				0:1	Friendly
20/12/15	SA	Inter – Lazio				1:2	Round 17
15/12/15	CI	Inter – Cagliari				3:0	1/8

 

Disciplinary Situation BEFORE the game. No suspended players for EMPOLI.

1 suspended player for INTER: Felipe Melo (3)

Here is the probable formation for Empoli (4-3-1-2): Skorupski; Laurini, Barba, Costa, Mario Rui; Zielinski, Paredes, Buchel; Saponara; Pucciarelli, Maccarone.

Unavailable: Mchedlidze, Tonelli

Here is the probable formation for Inter (4-3-3): Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, Miranda, Murillo, Telles; Brozovic, Medel, Kondogbia; Perisic, Icardi, Ljajic.
 
Unavailable: Vidic

Photo:  facebook.com/empolifcofficialpage

 

 

NAPOLI – TORINO
San Paolo Stadium
Referee: DI BELLO
Assistants: TONOLINI – PEGORIN
Fourth Official: MARRAZZO
ADD1: RIZZOLI
ADD2: NASCA
20:45

Serie A Standing BEFORE the game:
Napoli, 2nd position with 35 points and a positive goal difference of +18
Torino, 13th position with 22 points and a positive goal difference of +1

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	Goals	DIFF	Points
2	Napoli	17	10	5	2	31:13	18	35
13	Turin	16	6	4	6	21:20	1	22

 

Stats BEFORE the game.  Top scorer for NAPOLI: Gonzalo Higuain with 16 goals

Top scorer for TORINO:  Daniele Baselli and Fabio Quagliarella with 4 goals each

Napoli	Goals	Goals	Torino
Higuain, Gonzalo	16	4	Baselli, Daniele
Insigne, Lorenzo	7	4	Quagliarella, Fabio
Allan	3	3	Lopez, Maxi
Hamsik, Marek	2	2	Bovo, Cesare
Gabbiadini, Manolo	1	1	Belotti, Andrea

 

Stats.  Here are the last 3 games of NAPOLI: 2 wins, 1 draw

20/12/15	SA	Atalanta – Napoli	1:3	Round 17
16/12/15	CI	Napoli – Verona	3:0	1/8
13/12/15	SA	Napoli – Roma	0:0	Round 16

 

Here are the last 3 games of TORINO:  1 draw, 2 lost

20/12/15	SA	Turin – Udinese	0:1	Round 17
16/12/15	CI	Juventus – Turin	4:0	1/8
05/12/15	SA	Turin – Roma	1:1	Round 15

 

Disciplinary Situation BEFORE the game.  1 suspended player for NAPOLI: Jorginho (1)

No suspended players for NAPOLI: Jorginho (1)

Here is the probable formation for Napoli (4-3-3): Reina; Hysaj, Albiol, Koulibaly, Ghoulam; Allan, Valdifiori, Hamsik; Callejon, Higuain, Insigne.

Here is the probable formation for Torino (3-5-2): Padelli; Bovo, Glik, Moretti; Bruno Peres, Benassi, Vives, Baselli, Molinaro; Quagliarella, Belotti.

Unavailable: Obi, Avelar, Maksimovic, Amauri, Farnerud

Photo:  facebook.com/SSCNapoli/