Serie A, Week 28: A last-minute goal sends Juventus nine points clear

Bologna did find joy in this fixture last season, running out 3-0 victors, while Inter are one of only three clubs to have come away from Bologna with three points this season, winning 3-1 back in Week 9.

Bologna injuries and suspensions

That was no more evident than with a little over 10 minutes of the half remaining, when Alessandro Rosini slid in at the back post to try and beat a perfect low cross, though he didn’t arrive in time to find the back of the net.

Goals: Anselmo 44 (P) Emeghara 51 (S) Rosina 72 pen (S)

Neither side were able to dominate the opening exchanges however it was Chievo who were afforded the first opening, Nicolas Frey breaking into the box from the left however Alessandro Gamberini was able to recover to make a crucial challenge and get the ball to safety.

Chievo: Puggioni; Frey, Dainelli, Cesar, Andreolli, Drame (Jokic 73); Cofie, Rigoni, Hetemaj; Thereau (Luciano 57), Paloschi (Pellissier 82)

Goals: Giaccherini ‘90

Cow:

Atalanta: Consigli; Raimondi, Stendardo, Lucchini, Del Grosso; Giorgi, (Brienza 59) Radovanovic, (Cazzola 78) Biondini, Bonaventura; Livaja, (De Luca 71) Denis

Pescara: Pelizzoli; Zanon, Kroldrup, (Bianchi Arce 72) Cosic, Bocchetti; Blasi, D’Agostino, (Togni 46) Cascione; Sculli, Vukusic, Weiss (Celik 62)

However, there’s no escaping their dreadful away form. The robur have won only once away from home this season -- with the only team who have a worse record on the road being Palermo. If they can’t turn things around now, they may as well be preparing for Serie B already.

They haven’t won away at the Renzo Barbera in the league since 2008, though won on penalties in their last visit in 2011, in the Coppa Italia. When these sides met at the Artemio Franchi earlier in the season, it ended in a drab 0-0. Neither team can afford to settle for a draw here.

The draw does very little to the league table, with both sides continuing to float in the top half, albeit not in immediate danger of creeping into the European qualification places.

Roma looked thoroughly comfortable in their lead through into the second half, playing a defence-first, disciplined style which saw -- in a strange reversal of what would usually be expected -- Udinese in control of possession; dictating the game.

Chievo will do what Chievo do and look to frustrate a Napoli side desperate for a win to restart their title challenge, and will approach the match in much the same way as they approached their last victorious encounter with a then-Scudetto chasing Lazio. Napoli on the other hand, will need to regain their goalscoring touch gain three points against a side who, based on form and league position, they really should be beating.

Chievo Injuries and Suspensions

Di Natale remains the main Udinese goal threat. Toto has notched 15 goals so far this season, but has revealed he’ll be considering retirement at the end of the current campaign, even though his contract still has a year left to run.

“I don’t feel my age, but, after 20 years of football, training is starting to weigh me down,” the 35-year-old told the Gazzetta dello Sport.

8:45 p.m. local, 2:45 p.m. ET

The long Serie A weekend kicks off at the Luigi Ferraris in Genoa, as Davide Ballardini’s side look to extend their five point buffer above the relegation zone after the new coach suffered his first defeat in charge against Roma last weekend. Milan might have half an eye on a little meeting with Barcelona in mid-week, but having not lost a league game since before Christmas, storming into third place in the process, they should take victory.