Serie A Matchday 9: Heavyweights meet in Milan as Juve visit San Siro

Reigning Serie A champions AC Milan take on fellow giants Juventus at the San Siro this weekend.

Elsewhere, Udinese host Atalanta in a tantalising clash, while leaders Napoli visit winless Cremonese.

Inconsistent Inter Milan face a tough test at Sassuolo, with Jose Mourinho's Roma hosting Lecce on Sunday night.

Game of the week: AC Milan vs Juventus (Saturday, 5pm)

Two of Italy's biggest clubs meet in what should be a titanic clash in Lombardy.

Milan (two) and Juventus (four) are among the three teams that have lost the fewest Serie A matches in 2022, alongside Napoli (three).

However, the Bianconeri have been underwhelming on the road this term, managing just two points from their three away games.

The Rossoneri, meanwhile, have been strong on their own patch — but their six-match Serie A winning streak at the San Siro was ended in their last home match against Napoli.

They will hope Ante Rebic can maintain his positive record of scoring against Juventus — he has four goals in all competitions against them since joining Milan in 2019-20, the joint-most of any player in that period.

Udinese vs Atalanta (Sunday, 2pm)

Third-place Udinese host unbeaten Atalanta hoping to jump above their table.

The visitors are unbeaten in their last nine Serie A meetings with their hosts (seven wins, two draws) and will hope to keep it that way by extending that record to 10 in a row.

Games between these two outfits are usually entertaining and 30 goals have been scored in their last six clashes.

Both sides are in excellent form, with Udinese having won each of their last six matches, while Atalanta have won their last four on the road without conceding.

If preserving their unbeaten status was not enough motivation, Gian Piero Gasperini's 300th game in charge of Atalanta certainly will be — and they will be keen to mark the occasion appropriately.

Cremonese vs Napoli (Sunday, 5pm)

Cremonese are one of just two clubs yet to record a win in this season's Serie A — while league leaders Napoli are one of only two that remain unbeaten.

The Partenopei are heavy favourites and will certainly set out on the front foot — no side in the competition has attempted more shots than their 150, while no team has faced more than the hosts' 138.

Cremonese will do their utmost to put Napoli off their passing game. Luciano Spalletti's unit have racked up the highest number of pass sequences that involve 10 or more passes in the league (112), while their opponents have made the most interceptions (99).

It seems highly likely that Napoli will extend their 12-game Serie A unbeaten streak (10 wins, two draws) against a struggling side, whose wait for a first league win of the season is expected to go on.

Sassuolo vs Inter Milan (Saturday, 2pm)

Inter sit a disappointing ninth with four wins and four defeats from their first eight games — one place below Sassuolo on goal difference.

The hosts have kept five clean sheets so far, with only Barcelona (six) managing more in Europe's top five leagues this season.

The Nerazzurri will be relying on Edin Dzeko and Robin Gosens to continue their strong individual records against Sassuolo, in the hopes of breaching their stubborn rearguard.

Dzeko has only scored more times in Serie A against Atalanta and Bologna (seven) than he has against Sassuolo (six), while Gosens (four) has not netted more against any other team in the competition.

Roma vs Lecce (Sunday, 7.45pm)

Roma will expect to get a result against Lecce based on recent history between the two teams.

The Giallorossi have won eight of their last nine Serie A meetings with this week's opponents (one defeat) and have won 13 of the previous 15 clashes at home (two draws).

Mourinho's men have been strong at the Stadio Olimpico, losing just one of their last 11 at home in the Italian top flight (six wins, four draws).

But they have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their previous four league outings — and Lecce will hope to capitalise on those recent deficiencies at the back.

The weekend's other games

Bologna vs Sampdoria (Saturday, 7.45pm) 

Torino vs Empoli (Sunday, 11.30am) 

Monza vs Spezia (Sunday, 2pm) 

Salernitana vs Verona (Sunday, 2pm) 

Fiorentina vs Lazio (Monday, 7.45pm)

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