Serie A run-in roundup: Intense battles for Europe and survival

As we approach the final ten matches of the Serie A season, while Juventus have all but wrapped up an eighth successive Scudetto there is still plenty to play for in Italy’s top-flight 

TITLE RACE 

It’s over. Despite suffering a first league defeat of the season ahead of the international break against Genoa - denying them an invincible campaign - Juventus are 15 points clear of Napoli in second. 

Prediction: Juventus 

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 

Carlo Ancelotti’s side are all but assured a Champions League finish once more with a huge 14-point gap on Roma in fifth, but the final two spots are certainly still up for grabs. Milan rivals Inter and AC occupy third and fourth in the table respectively as things stand after the former won the derby ahead of the break, though Roma missed the chance to close the gap with a shock defeat at SPAL. 

With Napoli, Fiorentina, Sampdoria and Inter all to play in their next five matches, Eusebio Di Francesco would probably be happy if his side are still within four points of the top four by the time that run comes to an end. It’s a tricky spell for Roma that may well ensure Inter have enough to stave off any threat of dropping out, given that the Nerazzurri’s fixtures aren’t kind either.

Luciano Spalletti’s side still have to play Lazio, Atalanta, Roma and Juventus before a trip to Napoli in the penultimate gameweek of the season, so they could drop below their fierce cross-city rivals again yet. 

Prediction: Juventus, Napoli, AC Milan and Inter 

EUROPA LEAGUE 

As things stand Roma and Atalanta occupy the two Europa League berths in fifth and sixth respectively but neither are by any means safe in those spots. Lazio, Torino and Sampdoria are all within three points of a European finish, and the former have a game in hand against struggling Udinese and are just two points behind their capital city rivals in fifth. 

Where Sampdoria sit after their next three games - against AC Milan, Torino and Roma - will determine whether they are still in the hunt, while it’s even tougher for Atalanta on paper. They are still to play Inter, Napoli, Lazio and Juventus, and to make matters worse all four of said matches are away from home. 

It’s Lazio that should be confident then, though there is the prospect of a potential Europa League shootout on the final when they travel to Torino if the latter can stay in the hunt. 

Prediction: Lazio and Roma 

RELEGATION 

When you’ve only won one game all season, the last thing you need is a points deduction thrown into the mix, so it’s fair to say Chievo are doomed, and have been for some time. They are 14 points off survival - a shorter gap, despite their woeful record, than Juventus’ lead at the top - and look increasingly likely to be joined by Frosinone. 

Having seemingly given themselves hope the latter have picked up just one point from the last 15 available and are now eight from safety, so it looks likely to be one of four teams fighting to avoid that final spot in the relegation zone. 

Said quartet - from Bologna in 18th to SPAL in 15th - are separated by just two points, so the matches against one another in that time may well prove decisive. It is, however, Empoli - two places but just one point above the drop - that arguably face the toughest remaining fixtures. 

They face relegation rivals SPAL, Bologna and Udinese before the season’s end but play the top two back-to-back next and finish with a run of games against Fiorentina, Sampdoria, Torino and Inter. 

Prediction: Chievo, Frosinone and Empoli