We present the 18th day of the series A, which for this week will be held between Friday and Saturday as the Christmas holidays are looming. From this year the championship break will be moved from 6 to 21 January, so the Christmas holidays will be full of interesting matches. The sign game, of the weekend, is definitely Juventus-Rome, which will be played Saturday at 8.45pm. At the top, Napoli hosts Sampdoria, Inter visits Sassuolo and Lazio plays at home with Crotone. Milan hosts Atalanta and can be considered a Europa League play-off. In the relegation zone to signal Genoa-Benevento, last call for the bells.
CHIEVO-BOLOGNA
Challenge between disappointments of the last day, with the chievo that was defeated by the home of Crotone and the Bologna that suffered the clear defeat at home against Juventus.
Chievo must do without Castro and lose Meggiorini for a thigh problem; Mister Maran repeats the usual 4-3-1-2 with Birsa in support of the English-Pellissier duo.
For Bologna sure the absence of Di Francesco, for a gionocchio problem, will try to recover the pained Palacio; if it is not available to complete the trident with Green and Destro there will be the young Okwonkwo.
Two relatively quiet teams regarding the ranking but coming from a series of negative games. Triple match.
CAGLIARI-FIORENTINA
Cagliari after the last minute defeat of Rome, with a questionable decision of the Var, looking for the redemption at home against a good Fiorentina seen in the last period.
Always unavailable Dessena, with the doubt Farago, Mister lopez proposes again the formation seen in Rome.
Fiorentina after the draw with white goals against Genoa, will try to score points to remain attached to the Europa League train. No absence for Mr. Pioli who will rely on the proven 4-3-3, led by the trident Church-Simeone-Thereau.
Important match for both teams but the field factor could make the difference.
LAZIO-CROTONE
After the defeat with Torino and the draw of Bergamo, Lazio must return to the three points to recover ground to the quartet ahead.
Return Immobile from disqualification and lead the attack supported by Milinkovic-Savic and Luis Alberto. Felipe Anderson is an important player who can be important during the race.
The Crotone of Mister Zenga, after the very important success against Chievo, will try the business reconfirming the formation seen in the previous race.
Prediction in favor of Lazio but Crotone will sell dear skin.
GENOA-BENEVENTO
Challenge Salvezza, where Genoa will try to extinguish the last hopes of the comeback of Benevento.
No Absence for the genoa who will present the best possible formation with the only doubt that concerns Taarabt's attacking partner; Lapadula-Pandev the runoff with the latter in slight advantage.
4-3-3 for the campans who will rely on Ciceretti's inspiration to reopen the salvation speech.
Important occasion for Genoa that can not get out of the hands. A victory of the Benevento would engulf Genoa and could give a light of hope to the team bell.
NAPOLI-SAMPDORIA
Napoli to keep the record in the standings, the Sampdoria to get out of the mini-crisis that is going through.
After the measured victory in the Italian Cup and a large turnover, Mister Sarri reproposes the titolarissimi with the exception of the long-term Ghoulam, in his place Mario Rui.
4-3-1-2 for Mister Giampaolo with Ramirez in support of the two former Quagliarella and Zapata.
Key match for Napoli could take advantage of the direct clash between Juventus and Roma to lengthen the table. But will have to deal with a Sampdoria wounded by recent defeats and the desire for revenge of Quagliarella and Zapata, former poisoned tooth.
SASSUOLO-INTER
Inter after the burning defeat at home against Udinese, will immediately try to turn the page and return to victory. For its part, Sassuolo, despite the defeat with the atalanta in the Coppa Italia, in the league is going through a good time and will try to assert the home effect.
Mister Spalletti will send the best line-up, the only ballots are Nagatomo-Santon and Gagliardini-Brozovic with the first lead.
The Sassuolo will respond with the usual 4-3-3, with Berardi-Falcinelli-Politano to try to scratch the Nerazzurri bunker.
Beautiful game, in which the inter on paper seems favored, observing the standings. Despite this I am unbalanced by saying that it will be very much discussed even if X2 is the most probable result.
SPAL-TORINO
The Spal comes from the very important success at home of Benevento, the Torino from the Italian cup company where he eliminated Roma. Two healthy teams that will give rise to a good challenge.
For the usual 3-5-2 Spal with flagship Paloschi-Boriello.
For Mister Mihajlovic, with the absences of Ansaldi and Lajlic, he will punctuate 4-3-3 with Belotti sole tip flanked by Iago Falque and one between the emerging Edera or Berenguer.
The Spal in full salvation zone seeks points at home, will find a motivated Taurus but that could be affected by the effort of Wednesday in the Italian Cup. For the Spal too delicious opportunity.
UDINESE-VERONA
The two teams after beating the Milanese in the previous round, are facing a very important salvation challenge for both.
After the turnover of the Italian Cup Udinese, re-propose 3-5-1-1 against Inter with De Paul in support of Lasagna.
Verona with the absence of Fares, repeats a 4-4-1-1 with Romulo-Verde on the belt and Valoti in support of Cerci or Kean.
Balanced match where a draw could be the most probable result.
MILAN-ATALANTA
The wrong team at the wrong time for Milan. The Atalanta will be a very important test for this Milan that will have to do without the disqualified Suso and Romagnoli. We'll see if in this week of withdrawal imposed by the company, Mr. Gattuso has managed to work on the heads of the players. As for the module the choice will fall either in 4-3-3 seen in the last games, with Borini in place of Suso, or a 4-3-1-2 with Bonaventura in the role of the playmaker supporting the two points that could be Andrè SIlva and Kalinic. Usually 3-4-3 for Mr. Gasperini with Gomez-Ilicic to support Petagna.
It will take a different Milan from the last version seen in Verona to be able to cope with an Atalanta that goes to a thousand per hour. We will see if the punitive withdrawal will bring the desired results.
JUVENTUS-ROMA
It's the Big Macht of the 18th day, the championship challenge of the last years.
Juventus after the victory in Bologna last week and the victory in the Italian cup with Genoa, will rely on the effect of Stadium to beat a solid Rome despite the opaque performance of the latest releases. Doubtful the presence of De sciglio and Mandzukic, in 4-3-3 mister Allegri will have to choose the trident of attack with only the safe Higuain of the place. Lichstainer forced choice for the right wing, forward run-off between Douglas Costa, Cuadrado and the rediscovered Dybala for those who work alongside the "Pipita". Despite the good performance of Dybala against Genoa, the first two appear to benefit the first to put Rome in trouble on the belt.
No absence for the Rome of Mr. Di Francesco, who will opt for the usual 4-3-3 with the idea Schick, after the good game of the Czech cup in Italy.
Juventus at home will look for the loot hoping for a misstep of Naples, but will be in front of a solid Rome with great individuality. The bands will decide the match.
I will be lucky enough to see the match live, so you can do a detailed analysis in the post game.