Milan derby on cards as Roma in uphill Fiorentina task: Serie A Femminile Week 9 Preview
• Inter will be looking to rebound from a humiliating 5-0 defeat to former champions Juventus when they host AC Milan in the first Milan derby of the season at the Arena Civica Gianni Brera on Saturday
· Roma host tricky Fiorentina on Sunday
· Juventus travel to Napoli on Sunday
Rita Guarino’s Inter will be looking to put behind them a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Juventus last weekend when they host cross-town rivals AC Milan in the first Milan derby of the term at the Arena Civica Gianni Brera on Saturday afternoon.
The defeat last weekend was Inter’s third of the term, having recorded other losses to Roma and Como.
Milan, on the other hand, will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing one-all draw with Sampdoria at home last weekend, which was their third of the term.
Inter will be hoping that midfielder Henrietta Csiszár and forward Haley Bugeja, who scored in their 2-1 win over Pomigliano a fortnight ago, rediscover their form against Milan whilst the latter will turn to the services of former Real Madrid striker Kosovare Asllani, who is club top scorer with three goals, as they seek to navigate around their city rivals.
Inter are fourth on the Serie A standings on 13 points from four wins and a draw in eight ties whilst Milan are sixth on nine points from two wins and three draws in the same number of outings.
Meanwhile, a marauding Roma side have an uphill task to maintain their 100% start to the season when they host an in-form Fiorentina at the Stadio Tre Fontane on Sunday afternoon.
Effervescent following a comfortable 3-0 win over Ajax of Netherlands in a UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) Group C matchday two clash on Thursday evening, Le Giallorosse will be looking to go all out on Patrizia Panico’s side.
The defending champions are also coming from a 2-0 league win over Sassuolo away in Reggio Emilia last weekend whilst Fiorentina are also coming from a 3-0 win over Como last weekend.
Alessandro Spugna will deploy his in-form troops led by forwards Evelyne Viens and Valentina Giacinti. Giacinti scored a brace in their crucial 3-0 win over Ajax in the UWCL on Thursday and Viens is joint-top scorer in the current Serie A Femminile campaign alongside Juventus forwards Cristiana Girelli and Lineth Beerensteyn, with five goals.
He will also bank on the form of midfielder Manuela Giugliano and defender Elena Linari, who are the second top scorers for the club with three goals apiece, to steer the team around the Viola challenge.
Fiorentina, on the other hand, will expect the trio of Verónica Boquete, Mirian Longo and Zsanett Kaján, who scored in their 3-0 win over Como last weekend, to replicate the feat as the Florence side desperately seek to remain among the leading teams on the log.
Roma sit at the apex of the Serie A standings on 24 points from eight wins in eight encounters whilst Fiorentina are third on 19 points from six wins and a draw in the same number of contests.
Former champions Juventus will be looking to make it three wins in a row when they travel to Napoli on Sunday afternoon.
Buoyant following their 5-0 demolition of Inter in the ‘derby d’Italia' last weekend, Joe Montemurro’s side will be looking to keep pressure on reigning champions Roma with a win as they seek to reclaim the title.
Napoli, on the other hand, are yet to record a win this season after eight matches. The league returnees' latest defeat was a 2-1 result away to Pomigliano last weekend.
Offensive duo of Cristiana Girelli and Lineth Beerensteyn, who are joint-top scorers in the current Serie A campaign with five goals apiece, will be tasked with the job of steering the Turin side to a crucial victory.
Montemurro will also rely on the form of former AC Milan forward Lindsey Thomas and midfielders Arianna Caruso and young Julia Grosso who are club joint-second top scorers with three goals apiece.
Juventus are second on the Serie A standings on 21 points from seven wins in eight outings whilst Napoli are at the bottom of the log on zero points from the same number of ties.
Sassuolo will be looking for their second win of the season when they travel to fellow strugglers Sampdoria on Sunday evening.
The visitors will be looking to bounce back from a 2-0 defeat to Roma last weekend whilst the hosts will be looking to rebound from a nil-all draw away to AC Milan last weekend.
Sassuolo are eighth on the standings on five points from one win and two draws in eight contests whilst Sampdoria are seventh on seven points from two wins and a draw in the same number of encounters.
Como will be looking to bounce back from two consecutive defeats when they entertain Pomigliano on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts’ latest defeat was a 3-0 bashing at the hands of Fiorentina last weekend whilst Pomigliano recorded their first victory of the season with a 2-1 result at home to Napoli last weekend.
Como are fifth on the Serie A standings on 13 points from four wins and a draw in eight ties whilst Pomigliano are ninth on four points from one win and one draw in the same number of outings.
FIXTURES: Saturday 25 November, 2023 (13:30) Como vs. Pomigliano
FIXTURES: Saturday 25 November, 2023 (14:45) Inter vs. AC Milan
FIXTURES: Sunday 26 November, 2023 (13:30) AS Roma vs. Fiorentina
FIXTURES: Sunday 26 November, 2023 (16:00) Napoli vs. Juventus
FIXTURES: Sunday 26 November, 2023 (19:00) Sampdoria vs. Sassuolo
All Times are Central European Time (CET)