Juventus need one win to return to Serie A
MILAN: Fallen giants Juventus will be promoted back to Serie A on Saturday with three games to spare if they win at Arezzo.
The Turin club were demoted from the top flight last season in Italy's match-fixing scandal but are ready to make an immediate return with several big name players including Alessandro del Piero still in the side.
Juve's possible promotion from Serie B takes centre stage this weekend with most of Serie A having already been decided.
Inter Milan ran away with the title, AS Roma will finish second while Lazio and AC Milan have wrapped up the Champions League qualifying spots.
Fiorentina can secure a UEFA Cup spot if they win at already-relegated Messina on Sunday, as can Empoli who host struggling Reggina.
Italy striker Luca Toni, again linked with Bayern Munich this week, is still out for Fiorentina with a foot problem.
Palermo, who brought back former coach Francesco Guidolin on Monday, are most in danger of dropping out of the three UEFA Cup spots.
The Sicilians entertain relegation-threatened Siena with Atalanta, just three points behind with two to play, hosting champions Inter.
Reinvigorated forward Christian Vieri will be itching to return to his former club and help Atalanta steal the last European place.
AC Milan will be looking to avoid injuries and may pick a second-string side against mid-table Udinese on Saturday ahead of the Champions League final with Liverpool in Athens next Wednesday.
Hotting up
The battle to avoid the last relegation place in Serie A also hots up on Sunday with doomed Ascoli visiting Chievo, who occupy third from bottom.
Eight sides are still in danger with only three points separating Livorno in 11th and Chievo.
In Serie B, a victory at Arezzo means Juventus will definitely finish in the top two and gain promotion irrespective of what rivals Genoa do at Bari or Napoli manage against Modena.
Juve would have 82 points with three games to go and only one of Genoa or Napoli could overhaul their total because the pair play each other in the final match of the season.
Didier Deschamps' side would be promoted as they have a better head-to-head record against Genoa, who could finish level with Juve if Napoli end up top.
The third-placed side, currently Napoli, will hope to maintain a 10-point gap over fourth as this would send them up alongside the top two without the need for a playoff between third, fourth, fifth and sixth.
Agencies
(China Daily 05/18/2007 page23)
