Serie A Preview: Juventus, Napoli aim to close gap on Roma

Napoli and Juventus will aim to keep the pressure on leaders Roma after Rudi Garcia’s men made it 10 Serie A wins in a row.

Roma’s 1-0 victory over rock-bottom Chievo on Thursday saw them move five points clear at the top as the capital club’s record-breaking start to the season continued.

But with Garcia’s charges not in action until Sunday, there is an opportunity for the chasing pack to close the gap in Saturday’s fixtures.

Juventus will be first up when they travel to Parma with a view to making amends for a second-half capitulation in their last away match.

Having led Fiorentina 2-0 at the break, Juve’s collapse saw them concede four goals in 15 minutes to lose 4-2, ending a seven-match unbeaten league run.

Antonio Conte’s charges bounced back with convincing home victories against Genoa and Catania, but Parma, who have won three in a row at the Stadio Ennio Tardini, are likely to provide a sterner test.

Napoli’s only loss of the campaign came against Roma and they too reacted well to their first setback, winning the next two to stay ahead of Juventus on goal difference.

Catania are the visitors to the Stadio San Paolo, with Luigi De Canio’s side residing in the bottom three, having lost five in a row on the road.

In Saturday’s other game, Massimo Ambrosini could be denied a return to Milan, where he spent 18 years, after the Fiorentina midfielder injured his thigh and missed the defeat to Napoli.

Roma, who have conceded just one league goal, travel to Torino in Sunday’s late kick-off.

The hosts are winless in six and have not kept a clean sheet since an opening-day victory over Sassuolo.

Fourth-placed Inter have scored 15 of their 24 goals on the road and head to Udinese boasting an unbeaten away record.

Sampdoria welcome fellow strugglers Sassuolo with just three points separating the sides, who sit 16th and 19th respectively.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Genoa travel to Lazio, Verona welcome Cagliari, and Livorno eye just their second home win of the campaign against mid-table Atalanta.

Bologna will have their sights set on a third straight win when they take on Chievo, who have lost six in a row, on Monday.