All eyes will be on the Angelo Massimino Stadium on Sunday night when Udinese visit Catania needing only a point to finish third in Serie A and qualify for next season's Champions League.
With one game remaining, Udinese are hoping to join Juventus and AC Milan in Europe's elite club competition.
The Friuli outfit are two points clear of fourth-placed Lazio, who host Inter Milan.
Udinese will have the edge in a head-to-head tie-breaker against Lazio should the sides finish the Serie A campaign level on points.
"We still need a point before we can celebrate," Udinese captain Antonio Di Natale said. "We need to get it against Catania, a team that is strong and has done well this season.
"We have plenty of motivation but we have to show it on the field."
If they do clinch third place, Di Natale says it will be a major success.
"It would be fantastic to secure qualification to the Champions League for the second consecutive season," he said. "It would be a great achievement for Udinese."
Fifth-placed Napoli's chances of finishing third are slim.
Walter Mazzarri's men need to beat Siena in Naples and not only hope that Udinese lose but that Lazio also fail to win against Inter.
Italian champions Juventus will get a heroes' welcome when they host Atalanta on Sunday.
The Bianconeri won 2-0 in Trieste over Cagliari last weekend to clinch the scudetto for the first time since 2003.
A point at Atalanta would be sufficient to see Juve join AC Milan and Perugia as the only clubs in the history of Serie A to remain unbeaten in a given season.
Second-placed AC Milan want to end the campaign on a winning note when they host already-relegated Novara.
The Rossoneri fell 4-2 at Inter Milan on Sunday to drop four points behind Juve.
Sunday's match at rock-bottom Cesena could be Luis Enrique's last game in charge of Roma.
The Spanish tactician has not confirmed if he will remain at the helm of the Giallorossi following a disappointing campaign.
Roma know they will miss out on European football as they can only finish as high as seventh.
In-form Parma set a new club record of six straight victories in Serie A in last weekend's 2-0 triumph at Siena.
Parma end the campaign at home to Bologna.
Fiorentina take on Cagliari in Tuscany buoyed by last weekend's 1-0 triumph at Lecce, a result which secured their Serie A status.
Football fans in Liguria will be hoping history will not be repeated when Genoa take on Palermo at the Luigi Ferraris stadium on Sunday.
Genoa are 17th and need a point to defend their Serie A status.
Palermo, however, were responsible for condemning Genoa's city neighbours Sampdoria to the second tier last season.
The game will be played behind closed doors as punishment for unruly scenes caused by Genoa fans in a match against Siena last month.
Palermo have won just once on the road this season.
Should Genoa lose, Lecce could leapfrog them into the final position of safety provided they beat Chievo in Verona.
Lecce are in the relegation zone, three points behind Genoa.
Both teams are level on head-to-head record but Lecce would have the edge on goal difference.
Post Comment
