All eyes were on the Roma-Juventus game this week as it seemed to be Roma’s last chance at contending for the title this year. While all the fans and viewers knew this; it seemed as if the Roma players did not as they began the game without a huge sense of urgency or determination. After going down a goal Roma would throw everything and the kitchen sink at Juventus, but ultimately they were unable to manage anything more than a draw. Juventus now look like the clear winners of the Serie A for the 4th year in a row. Elsewhere in Italy, Napoli would also miss out on a great chance to catch up with Roma as their defensive issues continued in a 1-0 loss to Torino.
Let’s get to the games:
 |
Chievo | 0 | (6-7-12) |
 |
AC Milan | 0 | (8-10-7) |
| Full Time | |||
Action kicked off in the Serie A this weekend with AC Milan looking to maintain some consistency and relevance in the world of football with a match against bottom half side Chievo. This game had a gritty and chippy feel to it from the start as both teams seemed to fight and claw for every loose ball. Neither one of the sides looked very dangerous at any point of the match which would rightfully end in a nil-nil draw. The point means more to Chievo who are now 5 points clear of the relegation zone but the nightmare start of Filipo Inzaghi’s coaching career continues.
 |
Cagliari | 1 | (4-8-13) |
 |
Verona | 2 | (7-7-11) |
| Full Time | |||
Cagliari-Verona was the early game this week as the two bottom-of-the-table sides would look to gain some valuable points towards salvation. Verona striker Luca Toni would find the net first in the 9th minute which prompted his famous celebration for his 10th goal of the season. Juanito Gomez would double Verona’s lead with a goal in the second half that would seal the three points as Cagliari could only muster a consolation goal in stoppage time.
 |
Genoa | (9-9-6) | |
 |
Parma | (3-2-18) | |
| Postponed | |||
This game would also be postponed due to Parma’s economic situation.
 |
Palermo | 0 | (8-10-7) |
 |
Empoli | 0 | (5-13-7) |
| Full Time | |||
A dull affair in Sicily between Palermo and Empoli would ensue in this one. The effort from both sides was there but the spark of genius or skill to break the deadlock was not. It looked as if certain players such as Paulo Dybala were already thinking about their potential moves to bigger clubs next season. The point would prove vital for Empoli who are now 8 points clear of the relegation zone in their first season back in the Serie A.
 |
Atalanta | 1 | (5-8-12) |
 |
Sampdoria | 2 | (9-12-4) |
| Full Time | |||
Sampdoria came into this game looking to break a bad run of form that has followed them ever since dealing Manolo Gabbiadini to Napoli in the January transfer period. The team has gone 2-3-4 (W-D-L) since the move and have not been playing the same inspiring soccer we saw in the first half of the season. The same story seemed to ensue early in this one as Gugliemo Stendardo would score in the 16th minute to put Atalanta up. Sampdoria would wake up in the second half led behind a wonderfully striked volley by Luis Muriel which brought life to the Sampdoria side. Sampdoria would go on to wrap the game up by scoring a second goal coming from Stefano Okaka.
 |
Sassuolo | 0 | (6-11-8) |
 |
Lazio | 3 | (13-4-8) |
| Full Time | |||
While all the attention for the weekend was on Roma, Juventus and Napoli; Lazio were quietly taking care of Sassuolo to close in on their dreams of finishing third. Lazio got off to a hot start in this game and clearly looked like the favorites from the beginning. Felipe Anderson would score a stunning goal in the 45th minute which opened up the door for Miroslav Klose and Marco Parolo to add a goal a piece in the second half.
 |
Cesena | 1 | (4-7-14) |
 |
Udinese | 0 | (7-7-10) |
| Full Time | |||
With Parma being virtually relegated already, Cesena are the lowest remaining team that are looking to save their spot in Serie A for next season. Udinese would look lackluster in this match and would not even be able to contain the majority of the possession throughout the match. In the 76th, Cesena’s leader on the pitch Franco Brienza would set up Alejandro Rodriguez for the only goal in this match. Cesena are now 4 points behind Atalanta for the coveted 17th spot that would secure their salvation.
 |
Inter Milan | 0 | (9-8-8) |
 |
Fiorentina | 1 | (11-9-5) |
| Full Time | |||
Two words: Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian born Chelsea loanee has been phenomenal for Fiorentina since his move in January. The player causes nightmares for defenders and looks dangerous and ready to strike at any moment. Salah would not even start in this game but would come into the match for Babacar in the 43rd minute. The only goal of the match would come in the 55th from the Egyptian International which would continue the struggles in Milan.
 |
Torino | 1 | (9-9-7) |
 |
Napoli | 0 | (13-6-6) |
| Full Time | |||
One would expect Napoli to have come into this match with loads of energy and determination knowing that they could tie Roma for 2nd place with a win. Unfortunately for the Neapolitan side, the players looked to be very stagnant and unfocused throughout this match. Rafael Benitez seemed to be outmatched tactically as well as Ventura was able to pressure the Napoli midfield into not creating much cohesion or fluency and also spread his side wide throughout the pitch which would allow Torino to hold onto the ball for much of the first half. The breakthrough of the game would come off of a corner kick where Kamil Glik (who seems to be somewhat of a corner kick specialist) would run to the near post and carefully place the ball into the far side of the net with a glancing header. Napoli would spend the rest of the game attempting to equalize but were unable to look dangerous at any point in the game. A huge 3 points lost for Napoli and their dreams of arriving second.
 |
Roma | (13-9-2) | |
 |
Juventus | (17-6-1) | |
| Full Time | |||
The most important match of the Serie A season would take place in Rome as 2nd place Roma would face 1st place Juventus with a chance to dwindle the lead to 6 points. The first half would fail to produce any real goal-scoring chances for either side. Arturo Vidal would come close to breaking the deadlock early in the second half as his shot whizzed by the post of De Sanctis’ net. Roma defender Torosidis would cost his side dearly after receiving a red card for tangling legs with Roberto Pereyra who was on a breakaway towards net. The first goal would come in the 64th minute from the defending champions as Carlos Tevez would do his best Andrea Pirlo impersonation (literally) as he would score on a curving free kick. After the game, Carlos Tevez would go on to say that he watches Pirlo take free kicks in practice and tries to mimic him. Roma would then throw everything they had at Juventus in desperation and would score a goal by Seydou Keita off of a free kick crossed into the box. The Roma players looked demoralized and defeated at the end of the game, knowing that they may have lost their chance to win the Serie A title this year.