The Serie A relegation race is heating up, as the Italian top flight kicks off round No. 13 this weekend.
Will it be unlucky No. 13 for the teams battling against the drop? Seven points currently separate last-placed team Salernitana and 15th-place Sassuolo.
Salernitana could finally go down this season. The Granata defied the odds of the last few seasons, remaining in Serie A. However, with just five points from 12 games, Salernitana could be on the way out of the league.
Lazio have stuttered this season, as coach Maurizio Sarri balances Serie A and Champions League play. The Biancocelesti took 10 points from the last six matches, scoring just six goals and conceding five. Sarri’s Lazio are struggling to score and look much different than the free-flowing scorers of last season.
Salernitana lost three of their last four games against Lazio in all competitions. Last season, the Granata did win in Rome, 3-1, in a shock result. Can they win again versus Lazio?
Cagliari and Monza will meet for the first time since 2020-21. That season saw Cagliari win at home, 1-0, but lose at Monza 2-1. Both teams are much different nowadays in Serie A, as the previous meetings came in Serie B.
Cagliari will start round No. 13 in 18th place. However, they found some form just before the international break, going unbeaten in three of their last four games. The Islanders conceded the joint-most goals in the opening 12 games, with 24.
Monza went unbeaten in five of their last six matches in Serie A. The Reds are up to ninth in the division and are just three points off the top five. Monza picked up 11 points from the last six games, scoring nine goals and conceding four.
Empoli and Sassuolo split their last six matches with three wins apiece. This is a pure relegation six-point match. Empoli are just one point above the relegation zone. Sassuolo are three points clear of danger.
A win for Sassuolo would give them some breathing space in the battle against the drop. The Neroverdi are in bad form, however. They took just three points from the last six games. Those three points all came from draws.
Empoli picked up seven points from their last 18 points on offer. The Azzurri shocked Serie A just before the international break, going to reigning champions Napoli and winning 1-0. The victory was the final straw for Rudi Garcia at Napoli. He was fired in the wake of Empoli’s win.
Genoa went unbeaten in five of their last six head-to-head matches versus Frosinone in all competitions. These teams met in Serie B last term, splitting the season series one win apiece. Frosinone won 3-2 at home and Genoa claimed a 1-0 home victory.
Frosonine are 12th in the standings but only six points above the relegation zone. The Lions took six points from the last six matches, scoring eight times and conceding 12 goals. Frosinone went unbeaten in their last five home matches.
Genoa are five points above the relegation zone ahead of the weekend. The Grifone only took seven points from the last 18 points on offer. They claimed a win over Hellas Verona just before the international break in a relegation six-point affair. Genoa scored just five times in the last six games.