Serie A preview: Milan struggling to keep pace

AC Milan face a tough task to keep pace with Juventus this weekend as they take on Siena in the Serie A, while Juve play second-bottom Novara.

Siena, who are 10th on the Serie A table, have lost just once in their last six matches and they will present a tricky test for Milan who are three points behind league-leaders Juventus at the top of the league.

Milan edged past Genoa 1-0 on Wednesday thanks to a goal from Kevin-Prince Boateng.

Massimo Allegri’s men are the best attacking side in Serie A this season with 64 goals from 34 games.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been the key with 24 goals in the league, but after the big Swede are a bunch of players who have chipped in at crucial times.

Boateng is one of those, having scored five league goals and a total of nine in all competitions this season, and has really proven himself as an important player for Milan as they chase back-to-back titles.

Allegri will know that a win on Sunday in Siena will be critical because Juventus is almost guaranteed to win against Novara.

Novara, who are from the north-west of Italy, are highly likely to be relegated having won just six games this season and sitting eight points behind 17th-placed Genoa, who occupy the last position outside the relegation zone.

The race for Italy’s third and final European Champions League spot faces an interesting twist on Sunday as Lazio, who are currently third, will travel to play Udinese, who are just three points behind.

A win for Lazio will give the capital club a decent buffer over one of their major Champions League rivals.

The two other contenders, Inter Milan and Napoli, take on Cesena and Roma respectively.

Down the bottom of the Serie A table, Lecce can move out of the relegation zone if they get at least a draw against Parma and Genoa lose to Bologna.

In other games this weekend, Cagliari host Chievo and Catania take on Palermo in a Sicilian derby, while on Sunday, Atalanta face Fiorentina.