Return of Serie A

The Italian top flight will make its return on the 20th of June with Torino facing Parma and Verona hosting Cagliari. The Serie A was suspended in early March following the coronavirus outbreak, which hit Italy hard as the country was the first in Europe to be affected by the pandemic. Now, after the resumption and conclusion of the Coppa Italia, Serie A return with a title race for the Scudetto and the race for the Champions League next season. Here's where we left off.

Battle for Survival 

It looks grim for the likes of Brescia and SPAL. Brescia, returning from Serie B, are rooted at the bottom of the table with only 16 points. Nine points away from safety. SPAL are 19th with just 18 points from 26 games as both sides looking more than likely to go down this season. Lecce round off the bottom three sitting in 18th with 25 points. Genoa sit above Lecce just on goal difference while the likes of Sampdoria, Torino and Udinese are not safe with the gap between Udinese to Lecce just three points. Fiorentina and Cagliari have a buffer from the other relegation threatened teams as they look safe to be in Serie A next season.

Battle for Europe



Following Napoli's Coppa Italia triumph, seventh place is now an European place which is occupied by AC Milan. However, Verona and Parma are just behind with one point as both teams have a game in hand. Napoli sit in sixth, nine points behind 4th place Atalanta as the Partenopei have endured a poor league campaign, sacking Carlo Ancelotti before appointing former Milan manager Gennaro Gattuso. AS Roma have a good shout on qualifying for the Champions League sitting in fifth just three points behind Atalanta but La Dea have a game in hand and have continued where they left off last season, having the best attack in Italy with 70 goals, ten more than next best Lazio.

The Title Race



The Serie A is experiencing another title race in a few years with Juventus looking to defend their crown. The Old Lady are top of the table with 63 points but have struggled to win games this season under Maurizio Sarri, who was appointed before the season started. They have relied on Cristiano Ronaldo to win them games, which the Portuguese has been doing scoring 21 goals in the league. Lazio have mounted a strong title challenge this season, only behind Juventus by a point. Le Aquile boast the best defence with 23 goals conceded and the best striker in Ciro Immobile, who is the best goalscorer with 27 league goals. Inter Milan sit third but are an outside chance of winning the title with nine points behind Juventus albeit with a game in hand. Antonio Conte's looked to be building a title challenge with Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez leading the line but losing twice to Juventus and dropped points have put Inter's chances quite slim.

There are twelve games remaining in the 2019/2020 Serie A season with the Scudetto still in sight for Juventus but can Lazio finish above Juve and win their first league title since 2000?