Serie A, Week 13: 3 games to watch

Let’s face it -- even stretched out over three days, there’s a lot of calcio to be watched this weekend. So you’re going to have to make some choices. Some games are going to need to be cut.

And that’s what we’re here for. We’re here to tell you that it’s OK not to watch the Derby della Mole, because no, 15th-placed Torino, with no goals in four matches, aren’t suddenly going to upstage first-place Juventus. Sure, it’s got its own time slot, but go ahead and nap instead.

The pick of the Sunday clump. The viola aren’t living up to expectations -- unless you count reaching 10th place without Giuseppe Rossi or Mario Gómez a pretty decent achievement -- but in the rare moments that they click, they’ve still got the capacity to entertain. Particularly when Juan Cuadrado remembers he’s a footballer. But against Cagliari, they won’t have to work all that hard to find the goal. The trouble will be making sure the isolani don’t hit back. Last week against Napoli, they put on a near-perfect Zdeněk Zeman display, scoring with ease. Now they’ll be aiming for the “one more” part of the equation.

So the Roberto Mancini revolution didn’t come overnight. But really, how impressive would it have been to beat Milan? Rivalry aside, it wouldn’t have really proved that he’s capable of turning Inter around. But a win against Roma can show that this Inter side has the goods, but has just been horribly misguided over the past season and a half. That, or it will show that the giallorossi have been hampered by defensive injuries, were demoralized by a late equalizer midweek, and that Adem Ljajić is horribly immature. A Roma win, on the other hand, and ... well, the Inter hero is probably still given a little bit of slack.

This one’s a bit of a risk. Napoli’s Europa League fixture turned out to be such a dull match that the players’ mothers likely couldn’t even find anything complementary to say. Meanwhile, Sampdoria is fourth, but that’s more down to cautious and careful defense than an inherent need to win. The week could close with a dull, goal-less draw. If it does, Rafa Benítez surely can’t be blamed -- after all, how could he have known that continuing to use your playmaker out wide would result in, well, not many plays being made at all?

results updated throughout the weekend

Stadio Sant’Elia, Cagliari | 3 p.m. CET, 9 a.m. ET

Stadio Dino Manuzzi, Cesena | 3 p.m. CET, 9 a.m. ET

Stadio Carlo Castellani, Empoli | 3 p.m. CET, 9 a.m. ET

Stadio San Siro, Milan | 3 p.m. CET, 9 a.m. ET

Stadio Renzo Barbera, Palermo | 3 p.m. CET, 9 a.m. ET

Juventus Stadium, Turin | 6 p.m. CET, 12 noon ET

Stadio Olimpico, Rome | 8:45 p.m. CET, 2:45 p.m. ET

Stadio Marassi, Genoa | 9 p.m. CET, 3 p.m. ET