1) Can Juventus end the season unbeaten?
The recently crowned Serie A champions will be looking to end the season unbeaten when they entertain Atalanta in the final round of the Italian championship on Sunday. Having clinched a record 28th Scudetto last weekend, with a straightforward 2-0 win over Cagliari in Trieste, the Bianconeri have now set their sights on extending their extraordinary season-long unbeaten run to 38 games. Juve, who under the guidance of Antonio Conte, ended a nine-year wait to become Italian champions again, will be hoping to end the season in style in front of their home fans, and it seems that rivals Atalanta will have little chances of spoiling the party of one of the strongest Juventus sides in recent history.
If the Bianconeri manage to end the season unbeaten they will equal the invincible Perugia team of 1978-79 and Milan of 1991-92, who went a full season without tasting defeat. If Juve achieve this, which seems more than likely, they will write a new chapter in their history books. Perhaps what is most astonishing about Juve's season is the fact that after spending the 2006-07 season in the Serie B, following the Calciopoli max-fixing scandal where they were stripped of two titles, they seem to have returned to their all-time best. Next season, the Bianconeri will be hoping to make their mark on the European stage.
2) Inter Milan battle with Lazio for the third and final Champions League spot
With only one match-day left to play in the Serie A, four teams will still be vying for Italy's third and final Champions League spot: Udinese (61 points), Lazio (59 points), Napoli (58 points) and Inter (58 points). Udinese appear to be the favourites to clinch the berth but they must be at their very best because they travel to mid-table Catania in a game which could possibly be very difficult for them. Napoli, who trail Udinese by three points, also have a good shot at qualifying for Europe's maximum club competition for consecutive years, as they take on lowly Siena at the Stadio San Paolo.
But in arguably the biggest game of the round, Lazio entertain Inter Milan and will be looking to inflict a defeat upon the Nerazzurri, and pray that Udinese lose to assure themselves of a place in the Champions League. Lazio were everyone's favourites to earn third place, but a sudden lapse where they had won only two out of ten games until last weekend, changed this somewhat.
Italian giants Inter reignited their Champions League hopes with the arrival of interim coach Andrea Stramaccioni, but after a painful slip-up at Parma their chances were significantly boosted with last weekend's 4-2 come-back victory over arch-rivals Milan at the San Siro stadium. Inter are well aware of the fact that they will have to beat Lazio at all costs, and wait for a miracle from the Catania-Udinese game. But as well as this they will have to rely on Napoli dropping points at home to Siena. In all it seems that Inter will fall short in their attempts of playing Champions League soccer next season.
3) Nesta, Gattuso and Inzaghi to say farewell to Milan after several years at the San Siro
On Thursday aging Milan defender Alessandro Nesta announced that he will depart from the Rossoneri at the end of the season, after a decade at the club where he won two Scudettos, two Champions League titles, the Coppa Italia, the Italian Super Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. Nesta, 36, admitted that he had been struggling to keep up with the pace of the Serie A, and although it was rumoured that he might switch to Italian champions Juventus, he prefers to continue his career outside of Europe, with the MLS being a strong possibility.
"Italian and European soccer are too fast for me now. If I don't feel important, I prefer to stay at home. I have won so many things, but out of respect for the club and my team-mates I have decided to try a different experience at a club in which I can do something good," Nesta affirmed to reporters.
Meanwhile, following Nesta's announcement, two other experienced former Italian internationals have also announced that they will leave Milan at the conclusion of the season, these being Gennaro Gattuso and Filippo Inzaghi. Both player had received limited playing time at the San Siro this season, and like Nesta have decided to continue their careers elsewhere.
When Milan play hosts to Novara at the San Siro on Sunday the Italian trio will surely receive a grand farewell from the Rossoneri faithful.
