3 things to look forward to on Serie A's resumption

After a two-week interlude, Serie A is set for a full schedule of fixtures on Thursday, with all 20 sides expected to play for the first time in 2022. 

It will be the start of the second half of the season as the league reached its halfway point before the hiatus. 

As is often the case in Italy’s top division, the endless narratives mean this week’s encounters carry interesting storylines. 

Irrepressible Inter look to pick up where they left off

Serie A’s defending champions ended 2021 on a high after initial struggles under Simone Inzaghi.

The Nerazzurri racked up seven wins on the trot to open a four-point lead over AC Milan which saw them overtake the Rossoneri and Napoli, the early-season high flyers.

Luciano Spalletti’s team now trail Inter Milan by seven points, a scenario that was unthinkable even when the side from Naples lost their first game of the season at San Siro in late November.

Inzaghi’s team travel to mid-table Bologna on Thursday looking to claim their eighth win on the trot to begin the year with maximum points. 

With their challengers facing tricky fixtures, the gap could widen after gameweek 20. 

Roma, Juventus aim to strengthen top four hopes

Massimiliano Allegri’s team took advantage of a favorable run of games to close out the year with 13 points from 15, but they begin the year with a tricky clash with third-placed Napoli.

Success for Juventus could take the Old Lady within two points of the side from Naples, and they will look to capitalize on their impressive home record against the Partenopei.

Nine of their 10 games against Napoli at the Allianz Stadium have ended in victories, so the Turin outfit go into this week’s encounter looking to make it 10 wins from 11.

As for Roma, seven points from their final three games of 2021 saw them keep a reasonable distance from the top four, aided massively by a 4-1 defeat of fourth-placed Atalanta in Bergamo. 

Jose Mourinho’s team travel to Milan where a victory keeps them in contention whereas dropped points further complicates the Giallorossi’s chances of finishing in the Champions League positions.

The aforementioned games not only impact the title race, but they also strengthen or weaken Juve and Roma’s CL hopes. 

Prolific Dusan

The young Serb ended the first half of the season with 16 strikes, leaving him top of the scoring charts before the hiatus.

Dusan Vlahovic is now five goals behind last season’s return and, with 19 games to play in the second half of the year, the forward will back himself to surpass that tally in 2021/22.

Fiorentina’s opening game of 2022 sees them face off with 14h-placed Udinese, a side he already netted against in the reverse fixture in September.

The Viola, level with Roma on 32 points, have an outside chance of ending in one of the European spots, but their final position is dependent on their top man sustaining his form in the New Year.