Outside90’s Joshua Scarcella breaks down the major talking points to come out of Serie A matchday 34.
The King of Rome does it once again
The 2015-16 Serie A campaign will be a memorable one for AS Roma, not for the wrong reasons or for their fantastic form over the New Year period, but for being the last season their captain will grace the pitch of the Stadio Olimpico.
Francesco Totti has unfortunately been the cause of all the wrong the headlines in his last hurrah, a public disagreement with current manager Luciano Spalletti regarding respect for the 39-year-old could have been the distraction that no one at the club was after. However, at the point of the season that matters most, Totti rolled back the clock to show the reason why he is a legend of Italian football.
Not only was the forward able to snatch a draw in Bergamo over the weekend, he then backed it up when substituted on with just five minutes remaining and his team on the brink of defeat to level the match with Torino and also win it with his first and second touches of the ball.
2 – Francesco Totti has found the net in back-to-back Serie A games for the first time since October 2014. Eternal. #RomaTorino
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) April 20, 2016
Napoli record their biggest win in nearly 30-years
With just five matches remaining and Juventus on a record run, I Partenopei are relying on a miracle if they are to lift the Scudetto at the conclusion of the Serie A season. The only power they possess is to continue winning, and that is certainly what was achieved in front of a rather disappointing crowd at the Sao Paulo.
Surprisingly, the match was the first time Bologna had conceded in the opening 15 minutes of a match for the entire season, but Napoli all but happy to break the trend and put six goals into the back of the net. It was something the club had not done in the Serie A since October 1987, just shy of 29 years. The clash was also the first time Manuolo Gabbiadini had scored a brace in his top-flight career, which contributed to the record 14 shots on target the home side produced on the night, more than any other side this season.
Lazio become bogies
There is something about the Juventus Stadium that makes opposition fear their journey to the venue in order to take on the Turin giants. It may be due to the fact that statistically there is a more than likely chance they will not walk away with any points at the conclusion of the match.
Unfortunately for I Laziale, this is not only the case for their matches played in Turin, but also the games held in the Stadio Olimpico. Despite an heroic performance from their number one Federico Marchetti, making nine crucial saves for the night, Lazio could not handle the quality in the Bianconeri side and succumbed to yet another defeat. December 2003 was the last time the blue side of Rome took all three points away from a clash against Juventus, the Old Lady winning 16 and drawing six times in their 22 matches since.
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Sassuolo stamping their authority on Serie A
I Neroverdi are known and appreciated by many as the club who are proud of their town and their squad, the majority of these being of Italian heritage. The little team from the North have impressed many after their three seasons in the top-flight, narrowly avoiding relegation in 2013-14, finishing mid-table the year after and on track to finish just below the European places on offer this season.
This growth is the most apparent when considering that the three points earned against Sampdoria this week now has Sassuolo equalling their 49 points gathered last season with four matches remaining, all winnable fixtures for the talented group.
Chievo make it two in-a-row
It has been a campaign of what could have been for the small club in the region of Verona, starting so positively and at one point heading the table. Chievo have now fallen away and now currently sit in eighth position on the table.
They have been able to take four wins from the last five appearance though, including a dominating performance against strugglers Frosinone. The 5-1 win was the second time this season that the club from Verona have put five goals past I Canarini, a record which will not sit to well considering how precious points are to their survival in Serie A.
Udinese to feature in Serie A for 2016-17
Despite an upgrade to their home stadium, a topic in which has divided opinion, I Bianconeri have impressed on very few occasions over the course of the season, even the little game time given to club legend Antonio Di Natale can sum up year quite well.
However, the club has managed to collect eight points from a possible 15 and will need Frosinone to win all of their last four matches for Udinese to lose their place in the top division next season.
The biggest question could be however if Di Natale will continue to be a part of the squad, or if it may finally be a curtain call on a fantastic Serie A career.
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