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Udinese Takes on Serie A Leader Juventus in Delayed ‘Battle for the League’
December 20, 2011

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Unfancied Udinese faces Serie A leader Juventus today in a top-of-the-table clash that could reveal much about the sides’ title chances.

Udinese lost ground to Juventus on Sunday when it was held to a 2-2 draw at Lazio while Antonio Conte’s men beat Novara 2-0 to move two points clear at the top of the league.

Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin recently said his main target is to avoid relegation, but striker Antonio Floro Flores, who scored his first of the season against Lazio, has loftier ambitions.

“The game against Juventus is a battle for the league and we want to fight for it right until the end,” Floro Flores said. “I’m glad I got the goal because the coach is putting a lot of trust in me. I want to score lots more now.”

The match, as well as the rest of the midweek’s fixtures, should have been played on the opening day of the season and now takes on added significance, coming just prior to the winter break.

The first round of the Serie A season was postponed because of a players’ strike.

Something has to give at the Stadio Friuli where Udinese has won all seven of its games this season but Juventus turns up as the league’s only team yet to lose a match this campaign.

Juventus missed several chances against Novara, and Conte is keen to see his players be more clinical in front of goal.

“We have worked and will work a lot on this aspect,” Conte said. “We’ll try to capitalize on out chances more in the next game, also so I can avoid heart problems.”

Juventus striker Mirko Vucinic and defender Leonardo Bonucci, who were both suspended for the victory over Novara, return to face Udinese.

Elsewhere, Inter Milan is looking to continue its recent revival. A drab 1-0 victory at struggling Cesena was Inter’s fifth win in six games, a run of results that has pushed Claudio Ranieri’s team up to fifth in the standings, 10 points behind Juventus.

It hosts another struggling team today as it entertains rock-bottom Lecce, which has just nine points from 15 games. 

Associated Press