MY ACCOUNT
Juventus host Napoli on Thursday eager to secure three points to get them back into the top-four race.
Second-placed AC Milan entertain Jose Mourinho’s Roma, while leaders Inter Milan are on the road at Bologna.
We have all the key information as Serie A returns from its winter break firing on all cylinders with a full round of midweek fixtures on Matchday 20.
Game of the week: Juventus vs Napoli (Thursday, 7.45pm)
This battle between two Serie A giants is not the top-of-the-table clash of previous seasons but is still important for both sides’ top-four hopes.
Napoli are now seven points behind Inter after a poor run of form but will still believe they can catch the Milan club.
Juventus are heading in the right direction having won four of their last five in Serie A, conceding just once.
On the other hand, their opponents have been beaten in four of their last seven Serie A games, with only Genoa and Salernitana losing more during this period.
Luciano Spalletti’s side have won three of their last four league games against the Old Lady, which is as many as they managed in the previous 18 meetings.
From 2020 onwards, Napoli have beaten the Bianconeri more often in Serie A than any other side (three times).
Bologna vs Inter Milan (Thursday, 11.30am)
Red-hot Inter are four points clear of neighbours Milan at the top of the table and are on a seven-game winning run in the league having gone 11 games unbeaten.
Bologna ended a three-game losing streak in their last fixture by defeating Sassuolo 3-0.
Inter have won six of the last eight league matches between the two sides, with Sinisa Mihajlovic’s men taking the other two.
Bologna have not triumphed in any of their last 15 home Serie A games against Inter (three draws, 12 defeats), keeping just one clean sheet during that time.
Milan vs Roma (Thursday, 5.30pm)
Milan will be hoping to keep the pressure on their city rivals when they welcome Roma to the San Siro.
Stefano Pioli’s side have won their last two league games against the capital club and could beat the Giallorossi three times in a row in Serie A for the first time since 1996 under Fabio Capello.
Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored 11 goals against Roma in the Italian top-flight.
The 40-year-old Swede has netted more braces against the men from the capital than against any other side in Serie A.
Ex-Milan forward Stephan El Shaarawy scored his last Roma goal in the reverse fixture in October — a late consolation in a 2-1 defeat for Mourinho’s men.
Lazio vs Empoli (Thursday, 1.30pm)
Both of these sides will be looking to mount a challenge for European qualification in the second half of the season, with Lazio sitting eighth in the table and Empoli in ninth.
Recent omens look good for Maurizio Sarri’s side, who have won each of the last six Serie A games against the visitors by an aggregate score of 11-2.
Indeed, Aurelio Andreazzoli’s men have not scored an away goal against the Biancocelesti since March 2007.
Ciro Immobile is likely to be the hosts’ key goal threat — only Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic (16) has more league goals than the 31-year-old.
Atalanta vs Torino (Thursday, 3.30pm)
Atalanta failed to win either of their last two games before the winter break but will be hopeful of three points against bottom-half Torino.
Unbeaten on the road, Gian Piero Gasperini’s men have been inconsistent at home with three victories, three draws and three defeats.
But only Cagliari and Salernitana have picked up fewer away points than Torino this campaign.
The hosts typically begin the new year in style, having won their first match in January in each of the previous five seasons.
This week’s other games
Sampdoria vs Cagliari (Thursday, 11.30am)
Spezia vs Verona (Thursday, 1.30pm)
Sassuolo vs Genoa (Thursday, 3.30pm)
Salernitana vs Venezia (Thursday, 5.30pm)
Fiorentina vs Udinese (Thursday, 7.45pm)
