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Milan, March 11, 2021 (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus mud themselves down and head for lowly Cagliari on Sunday, focussed on salvaging their bid for a tenth consecutive league title with their Champions League ambitions buried for one more season.
Juventus crashed out within the final 16 for the second consecutive 12 months, dropping on away targets to FC Porto in Turin, and now additionally threat ending the season with out the Serie A trophy.
Andrea Pirlo’s facet are third — 10 factors off leaders Inter Milan who journey to relegation-threatened Torino — however having performed a sport much less.
Second-placed AC Milan, 4 factors forward of Juventus, host Napoli, in sixth, the place a slip-up by Stefano Pioli’s facet might let the champions shut the hole.
“We’ll have time to enhance now and work on the issues we did not have the possibility to do earlier than with all of the back-to-back video games,” mentioned Pirlo, on the lookout for positives after their European shortcomings.
“We have to dive into the championship as a result of we’re solely in March and nonetheless have many video games.”
Serie A high scorer Ronaldo might console himself with a aim within the Sardegna Enviornment, the one high flight Italian stadium the place the Portuguese striker has by no means discovered the web.
“I nonetheless imagine we will win the Scudetto,” mentioned 23-year-old ahead Federico Chiesa who outshone veteran Ronaldo with three targets over two legs in opposition to Porto.
“We should bounce again with an enormous efficiency in opposition to Cagliari.”
The Sardinians, two factors above the relegation zone, are unbeaten of their final three video games since Leonardo Semplici took over to snap a 16-match winless run.
In Turin, leaders Inter tackle coronavirus-hit Torino with coach Antonio Conte sitting out a touchline ban.
Huge-scoring Inter boosted their ambitions of a primary ‘Scudetto’ since 2010 with a win over Atalanta final weekend.
Torino, in nineteenth, have misplaced their final three Serie A matches in opposition to Inter, conceding at the least three targets in every sport.
Napoli take their push for Champions League soccer to the San Siro in opposition to Milan earlier than subsequent week’s conflict with third-placed Roma who journey to Parma who’re on a 17-match winless run.
Ahead Hirving Lozano has returned to coaching offering a lift for Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso.
Italy’s two remaining Champions League hopefuls this season Lazio and Atalanta kick off the weekend on Friday in opposition to Crotone and Spezia respectively.
Atalanta are one level off fourth-placed Roma, and subsequent journey to Actual Madrid within the Champions League after dropping the primary leg of their final 16 tie 1-0.
Lazio are seventh after dropping to Juventus final weekend and subsequent week play European champions Bayern Munich who thrashed the Romans 4-1 within the first leg.
One to observe: Fikayo Tomori
AC Milan’s English defender Tomori has impressed since transferring from Chelsea on mortgage in January, with after 5 league appearances sporting director Paolo Maldini indicating a everlasting deal could possibly be on the playing cards.
“It is superb to really feel wished right here, particularly by a legend like Maldini, one of many best defenders of all time, if not the easiest,” mentioned Tomori, 23, earlier than Thursday’s Europa League journey to Manchester United.
“This offers me loads of confidence.”
Key stats:
42 – Factors between Inter and Torino
20 – Cristiano Ronaldo’s aim in Serie A
10 – Juve’s factors off high spot
7 – Inter’s profitable run
Fixtures (all instances GMT)
Friday
Lazio v Crotone (1400), Atalanta v Spezia (1945)
Saturday
Sassuolo v Hellas Verona (1400), Benevento v Fiorentina (1700), Genoa v Udinese (1945)
Sunday
Bologna v Sampdoria (1130), Parma v AS Roma, Torino v Inter Milan (1400), Cagliari v Juventus (1700), AC Milan v Napoli (1945)
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