LIVE streaming: Napoli vs AS Roma - Watch on March 9, 2014

Topics: Napoli, Roma, Serie A, Live Stream, Live Scores, TV schedules, beIN Sports

With the Scudetto seemingly already set to remain in Turin, Roma and Napoli will battle it out to try to secure second place and automatic Champions League qualification

Preview: Giallorossi and Partenopei look to close gap on runaway leaders Juventus

Last time these two sides met, it was billed as a clash between two high-flying sides in which Roma was enjoying their best Serie A start to date. Fresh off trouncing Inter 3-0, the Giallorossi, inspired by talismanic captain Francesco Totti were on top of Serie A after winning their first seven matches.

They were to make it eight after powering past the Partenopei thanks to a Miralem Pjanic double but it was also in that game that Totti suffered an injury, thus nullifying his side's creative threat. As a result, Roma ground out tough 1-0 victories over Udinese and a determined and defensively minded Chievo before being held to four consecutive draws--the most surprising being with Serie A debutants Sassuolo.

Reigning Scudetto holders Juventus needed no further introduction to capitalize on their rivals' slip-up to move ahead, and haven't looked back since. Still, whilst Rudi Garcia's men are relatively comfortably resting in second place, six ahead of Rafa Benitez's troops, they will be keen to defeat again the side that knocked them out of the Coppa Italia last month.

The capital club have only lost once so far this season--by three goals to nil to Juventus--but they still boast the best defensive record in the league with just 11 goals conceded so far. And with 49 goals, they are the third-strongest offensive outfit, only behind Napoli's 51 and Juventus's 62.

Their coach is refusing to give up on his side's Scudetto ambitions, stating that "there are many more games to go" despite Juve's 11 point gap, but they will have to count on a little luck from their opponents and hope to get a positive result against Napoli.

Which won't be easy. The Partenopei, led by Gonzalo Higuain, will be keen to get back to winning ways ahead of their Europa League clash with Porto next week. Moreover, having been dumped out of the Champions League they certainly won't want to try to qualify for the tournament through the play-offs, something that can be avoided if they can pip Roma into second place.

And whilst Benitez has admitted that the Scudetto race is "an uphill battle", he is refusing to wave the white flag of surrender. Besides, Napoli did come from behind to beat Roma in the second leg of the Coppa Italia at the Stadio San Paolo, something that will certainly be of comfort to their fans and perhaps worrying to Giallorossi supporters.

For the Serie A follower without allegiance to either side, expect to see two sides keen to outdo the other, both with the faint glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe Juventus will slip up. After all, there are a dozen games remaining and given football's unpredictable nature, certainly anything can happen between now and May.