MILAN. Nov 10: I (dinese may lead Serie A but the favy of the jungle dictates that two of the biggest
beasts of the Italian First Division - ailing giants Juventus and defending champions Lazio - take centre stage in this weekend's programme when they clash at the Stadio delle Alpi on Saturday, reports AFP.
Juventus coach Carlo Ancelotti is one of three coaches -Napoli's Zdenek Zeman and Fiorentina's Fatih Terim are the others - who know their futures may hinge on this weekend's
At home Juve and Lazio are botli just off the pace, three points behind the minnows from the Friuli region in fourth and fifth place respectively.
But domestic success is all that can help Ancelotti now who along with his players will not need to dig his passport out of the draw for some time now.
The Turin club will be de-termined to put their midweek European nightmare behind them after a 3-1 setback in Athens at the hands of Panathinaikos ensured they will not only not compete in the Champions League but also the UEFA Cup.
Lazio. meanwhile. are showing no sign of being disturbed by the imjiending departure of their coach Sven Goran Eriksson and if anything have returned to form since the Swede revealed he was England-bound.
Meanwhile. Udtnese travel to Parma Sunday evening determined to continue the unbeaten run that has seen them take a surprise early lead in the Italian First Division.
But the side from the northeast of Italy near the Slovenian border know that only a victory' against the resurgent Parma is
likely to be good enough to ensure they still hold pole position after the weekend.
AS Romh lead a posse of fqur clubs that are within three points of Udinese - in Roma's case the gap is a single point -and with a relatively' easy home game against Reggina for the capital side Udinese know that only a win is likely to see them stay at the summit.
. Parma have suddenly hit form after a poor start to the season and consecutive victories over AC Milan and Bari have put Alberto Malesani's men in good heart with Cameroonian Patrick Mboma scoring all three goals in those two matches.
But Udinese have already turned over Inter Milan and Juventus on their march to the summit and will not fear Parma.
It will be an interesting return to the Stadio Ennio Tardini for Udinese playmaker Stefano Fiore who has become a mainstay of the Italian international team since Parma showed him the exit door and Udinese picked him up.
Roma, meanwhile, are undoubtedly the flair team of the season so far - hardly' surprising with the likes of Gabriel Batistuta. Francesco Totti and Cafu on their books.
But Batistuta believes their most recent 4-2 win at Brescia illustrates the club have steel as well as style.
"The truth is that if we want to stay in the running with the teams that are contenders for the Scudetto (Championship) we must play the way we did after the interval.
in the second half we played well, determined, we were nasty." said the Argentinian.
Apart from Udinese the only-other unbeaten team in Serie A are the equally unfashionable Bergamo side Atalanta, who host Brescia on Saturday.
Bottom club Napoli, meanwhile. visit Perugia with their .Czech co^cIi Zeman considered to be lucky to be still in a job after one point in five games.
The media vultures, their appetites whetted by apparently damning remarks made by Napoli board members on Sunday night after the 2-1 defeat by Vicenza, were circling over Ihe emergency boardroom .meeting called Monday but to most people's surprise Zeman was given a reprieve.
Vicenza arc in fine fettle after ending their three-game losing streak with two consecutive wins and a home match against Verona provides a chance to continue in winning
AC Milan make the trip to Bari while it is Inter Milan's turn to play7 host at the San Siro with Lecce the visitors.
Christian Vieri may play the full 90 minutes in that match alongside Turkish forward Hakan Sukur who is beginning to settle to life in Italy.
Bologna host Fiorentina in a match that many are billing as the encounter that could .herald the departure of the Florence-club's Turkish coach Fatih Terim in the event of a victory for the home side.
Terim had a rollercoaster day last Saturday which started with him mending his fences with club president Vittorio Cecchi Gori who has slapped a media ban on the Turk since words were exchanged at the start of the season.
FIXTURES
Saturday! 14:00 GMT unless stated): Atalanta v Brescia. Juventus v Lazio (19:30)
Sunday: Bari v AC Milan. Bologna v Fiorentina. Inter Milan v Lecce. Perugia v Napoli. AS Roma v Reggina, Vicenza v Verona. Parma v Udinese (19:30 GMT)