Roma out to maintain Serie A charge

Giallorossi seek fifth consecutive win at home to Udinese

MILAN: Roma will seek to succeed where both Fiorentina and Inter Milan have failed by entrenching themselves at the top of Serie A when they go in search of a fifth consecutive win at home to Udinese on Wednesday.

Goals from Mohamed Salah and Gervinho in a 2-1 win over Fiorentina at the weekend fired Rudi Garcia’s men to the top of Serie A for the first time this season to underline their title credentials.

After a middling start, Roma have hit their stride but Frenchman Garcia played down any premature talk of the Giallorossi landing their first scudetto since 2001 when Fabio Capello was in charge.

Italian Serie A: Higuain on target as Napoli edge Fiorentina

“We can’t be favourites now just because we’re in first place. Not so long ago we were all rubbish, from the players to the coach and even the sporting director,” Garcia told media after his side’s victory saw them replace Fiorentina at the summit.

Garcia will be without suspended midfield general Daniele de Rossi as well as leading scorer Salah, who was sent off towards the end of Sunday’s victory in Florence.

Napoli are up to second having also reeled off four straight wins, the latest a Gonzalo Higuain-inspired 1-0 victory at Chievo, but the Argentine said he and his teammates were not looking too far ahead.

Inter fail to go top after being held by Juve at home

“We are sending a message to ourselves. We’re focusing only on what we do and not looking at what the other teams are doing,” Higuain told Sky Sport Italia.

Back-to-back defeats have dropped Fiorentina from first to third but a trip to winless Verona will give La Viola a chance to rediscover the form that enabled Paulo Sousa’s men to begin the season with six wins in seven matches.

Fifth-placed Lazio, one of four teams just two points behind leaders Roma, head to Atalanta vying for a fifth win in six, while AC Milan, who recorded a first win in four after beating Sassuolo 2-1 on Sunday, are at home to Chievo.

Juventus title defence on the line in trip to San Siro

Struggling champions Juventus appear to be finally finding some form with seven points from their last three matches. Massimiliano Allegri’s 12th-placed side will aim to continue their resurgence when they travel to Sassuolo. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2015.

Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.