Serie A preview: Milan face Napoli in blockbuster

AC Milan host Napoli on Monday in a top-of-the-table Serie A clash that could determine who wins this season’s Scudetto.

Massimiliano Allegri’s Milan side head the league by three points to Napoli, and will hold first place regardless of the result on Monday, given their superior goal difference.

But a win to Walter Mazzarri’s second-placed side would pile the pressure on Milan to retain first place, with 11 games to go after this round of fixtures.

Milan are also perceived to have lost significant momentum courtesy of their controversial 1-0 loss to Tottenham in the Champions League round-of-32 first leg last week, which saw Gennaro Gattuso handed a European suspension for gross unsportsmanlike conduct towards Spurs assistant coach Joe Jordan.

The defeat was their first in 11 matches in all competitions, but they have since beaten Chievo away from home to boost their confidence.

In the only match on Saturday, Juventus are at home to mid-table Bologna.

Juve coach Gigi Delneri will expect a response after the team suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat away to struggling Lecce last time out.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was sent off at the Stadio Via del Mare and will be suspended for the Bologna match.

Reserve shot-stopper Marco Storari – who covered in the absence of the injured Buffon in the first half of the season – will deputize once again.

In the pick of Sunday’s matches, defending champions Inter Milan – who lost 1-0 at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday – face a challenging return to league action away to Sampdoria.

Sixth-placed Roma are at home to struggling Parma, while fifth-placed Udinese play Palermo, three places and four points behind them in eighth.

All three teams in the relegation zone are at home, with bottom side Bari facing the toughest task when they take on visitors Fiorentina.

Second-bottom Cesena await the arrival of Chievo Verona and third-last Brescia host Lecce, who are just four points clear of the drop in 15th.

Catania are in even deeper trouble than Lecce, three points clear of the relegation zone in 17th.

They will be hard pressed to take anything from the visit of Genoa to the Stadio Angelo Massimino.

Fourth-placed Lazio are away to Cagliari.