KAMPALA: Serie A’s biggest break out star, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, is in contention to feature for leaders Napoli when they host off colour Udinese on Saturday. The wing wizard missed the club’s wins over Atalanta and Empoli with a back strain but has recuperated just in time for this weekend’s showdown. Nicknamed ‘Kvaradona’ – after club legend Diego Armando Maradona, by adoring Partenopei fans in tribute to his staggering talent, the Georgian dazzler in the dribble has set the division alight as Luciano Spalletti’s effervescent side have set a club record ten consecutive victories to open up an eight point cushion over the chasing pack.
Napoli have not lifted the Scudetto since Maradona captained them to the second of two Italian top flight titles in 1990 but are now bookmakers outright favourites to win the accolade. Kvaratskhelia’s 18 goal involvements – 8 goals and 10 assists in 17 matches have been critical to the Neapolitans rise. Crucially, goals are coming from all over the team, with Victor Osimhen, Giovanni Simeone, Giacomo Raspadori, Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, Hirving Lozano and Piotr Zielinski all contributing. The summer departures of record scorer Dries Mertens and long serving skipper Lorenzo Insigne have turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Record champions Juventus can climb to as high as second if they overcome Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio in the pick of this weekend’s matches on Sunday night. The Old Lady have shaken off a period of uncertainty which saw them knocked out of the Champions League but back to back victories, built by European football’s meanest defense has Massimiliano Allegri’s outfit where they belong.
Sunday’s action also features two monumental clashes. Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta and Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan begin proceedings in Bergamo. The two sides are level on 27 points but it’s 19-time champions Inter that go into the fixture with momentum having obliterated Bologna 6-1 midweek. Atalanta are looking to bounce back from Tuesday’s 1-2 setback at lowly Lecce. There is no room for error as AC Milan, in joint second along with Lazio, host unpredictable Fiorentina.
FRIDAY
Empoli v Cremonese
SATURDAY
Napoli v Udinese,
Sampdoria v Lecce,
Bologna v Sassuolo
SUNDAY
Atalanta v Inter Milan,
Monza v Salernitana,
AS Roma v Torino,
Hellas Verona v Spezia,
AC Milan v Fiorentina,
Juventus v Lazio
