Soccer

Serie A 2011, Week 14 Preview And Schedule: This Narrative Is Getting Old

Everyone knows the major storylines of this Serie A season: the indestructibility of Juventus, the failures of Inter, the persistence of Milan. But what of the rest?

by Kirsten Schlewitz

Dec 9, 2011, 5:46 PM UTC

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Serie A, Week 14: Napoli Manage An Equalizer, But Take Just One Point From Novara

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When will Juventus lose? Will Inter continue to spiral downward, past Claudio Ranieri sticking his head in the sand? Just how big is Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s head, anyway? Can Udinese really hang with the big boys? How is it that Napoli can beat Manchester City, and still contrive to draw with Atalanta?

These are the questions we’ve been asking for weeks now. Perhaps, in a week in which most match-ups fall on the bland side of tasty, there are a few more avenues to be explored.

Will Cosmi Be Able To Lift Lecce?

Lecce appointed Serse Cosmi as coach this week, setting him with the daunting task of lifting the giallorossi out of the relegation zone. Last week’s loss to Napoli was the ninth this season for Lecce -- and with a -12 goal difference, well, we might finally see Cosmi remove his baseball cap, although it will likely be to wipe the sweat from his brow.

Can Montella Keep His Job?

The youngest coach in Serie A, Vincenzo Montella, made a good start to the season, beating Inter and Napoli and drawing against Juventus. But since Catania fell 4-0 to Milan, it’s been a bumpy road for the brooding figure: four straight losses in the league, as well as a Coppa Italia loss to Novara. The rossazzurri are still secure in ninth, but this weekend could see them fall much closer to the relegation zone. For the sake of Serie A -- and the attacking fluidity Montella brings to his side -- let’s hope for an away win for Catania.

Are Fiorentina Really On Their Way Up?

The poor Viola have had a miserable couple years, finally culminating in the firing of Sinisa Mihajlovic and the appointment of his replacement, Delio Rossi. Rossi, much respected in Serie A, managed a 0-0 draw to Milan and now a 3-0 defeat of Roma. But is that really due to Rossi? The match against Milan showed little more than Fior’s continued commitment to conservatism, while, let’s face it, if you can’t beat an 8-man Roma side, you’ve got little to live for. Rossi will do fine, but the real resurgence of Fiorentina will depend on if they can keep Stevan Jovetic healthy, whole and happy.