In the previous parts of the Series we discussed about the battles going on in the different segments of Serie A. There is the tussle between Juventus and AC Milan for the Scudetto. Then there are the teams, each of which has abundant quality, but unfortunately just one UEFA Champions League qualification spot left in the league. All the teams are hungry for an European exposure in the next season, but the fight is sure to turn even more bloody with the games running out. This arena includes teams like http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Roma-c31603 and Udinese, and one will beat the rest to play the next year’s edition of the European tournament.
However, there is one Serie A battle that is different from all others, and that is the fight to get out of the relegation zone before the season runs out.
The battle in and around the relegation zone is fundamentally unique for one very strong reason. Where the other clubs are fighting for glory and hunting accolades, a primitive and much more fundamental instinct is to work to drive these clubs, the survival instinct. Many football enthusiasts will remain uninterested in the matches of this mania, however, these are the clubs that will deliver some of the most pure footballing sensations in the Italian league, as the season nears its close.
The matter at the bottom of the points table tells a compelling tale. Cesena stand at the bottom of the table with just 21 points. 19th and 18th spot is held by Novara (25 points) and Lecce (34 points). Fiorentina and Genoa stand just at the mouth of the demotion alligator, and their pace suggests that they could soon be gulped mercilessly by the relegation animal.
The bottom of the pit, Cesena recently earned their right to play in the top flight, and seems like they are headed back to where they came from. Although the team has shown some vivid signs of beautiful free flowing football, the club has failed to deliver when it mattered, and is head deep into the relegation swamp. With just a handful of games left until the end of the season, the relegation is almost given for the club fifteen points below the safe zone.
Moreover, Novara also seem destined to follow Siena back into Serie B after a dismal season. Their recent performances although includes an upset win over Udinese, yet the club’s season history is teemed with too many defeats and draws to give much hope for the side’s revival. The team has shown signs of improvement and seems likely to grab a few more points in the upcoming matches, however, if the points will be adequate to see the club through seems unlikely.
Interestingly, that leaves the first relegation spot that will be a matter of much tussle between the team’s close by, and the scenario that emerges is almost a complete mirror image of the battle for the final UEFA Champions League spot in Serie A. The battle for this final relegation spot is between Lecce, Genoa and Fiorentina with Parma and Cagliari also in close ‘chase’.
While the teams in the relegation zone has a lot to repent, there is little to take away from the fact that the teams around them have not exactly been masters of their game either. In the next part we will discuss in detail the higher candidates that are most likely to drop into the red zone.
To be continued...
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