Juve face the Parma test

MILAN, Jan 7: Juventus may have waited more than a year to go top of the Serie A, but they risk losing their place after just three days when they travel to Parma on Sunday, reports AFP.

Juventus are setting the pace in Italy for the first time since November 1998 after defeating Verona 1-0 at home on Thursday.

But Parma away is a very different proposition for coach Carlo Ancelotti, who has progressively hauled the club out of a crisis since taking over last February in the wake of Marcello Lippi's resignation.

"A lot of people didn't expect to see us top of the table at the start of 2000, and that's something the players should be proud of," he said. "It's a fair reward for all the work they've done.

"And I think that being top will give us something extra, another source of motivation," he said. "Obviously, it's a big responsibility but I'd always rather be a pacesetter than a pursuer."

With the top six clubs separated by just six points, Ancelotti was aware of the stakes against his old club: "This season, the matches against direct rivals for the title will be very important."

Parma's resurrection after an expectedly poor start has been one of the highlights of the season so far.

Beaten by Scottish champions Rangers in the Champions League qualifying round and down in the relegation zone at the start of October, they are now third in the table, just one point behind Lazio and two behind their Turin rivals, after winning nine and drawing one of their last 11 games.

And now, in a match starting at 1200 GMT, they want Juventus for lunch.

"We've been preparing for playing at one o'clock in the afternoon, which is something totally new," said coach Alberto Malesani. "But I'm not worried about the time. My team are ready.

"We are a balanced side and we know how to soak up punishment. Rather than fortunate, I'd say that we are ruthless, and that we've been like that for at least the last 11 games in the league."

Sunday's match is set to be a battle of wills with the Serie A's top scorer, Argentinian Hernan Crespo of Parma, coming up against Ciro Ferrara's defence, the best in Italy with just seven goals conceded in 15 games.

A draw would certainly suit Lazio down to the ground.

A 2-0 upset to Venezia may have been the worst way to start the new year, but with just one point to make up on Juventus and a home game against Bologna, Lazio fans have every reason to be optimistic.

Juve-Parma is not the only clash though between title rivals this weekend, with fourth placed AS Roma away to fifth-placed AC Milan.

Roma looked convincing in their 3-1 win over Bari, while Milan struggled after having midfielder Demetrio Albertini sent off as they edged relegation candidates Piacenza 1-0 on Thursday.

But home advantage at San Siro - Milan are unbeaten here this season - will improve the odds on the champions.

"Now we've got to try and win two matches on the trot - that's something we haven't managed to do yet, and which will be difficult to do now," said Milan coach Alberto Zaccheroni.

"But I saw a team which behaved like the Milan who won the league last season, one that played for 90 minutes without any fear of losing."

Inter Milan will take on Fiorentina hoping for another blabbing session from their new 24-million-dollar midfielder Clarence Seedorf, who was overcome as he guided them to a 5-0 win over Perugia on his debut.

"It's true, I cried," the Dutchman confessed after scoring Inter's second goal at San Siro. "It was such an emotional moment after all the difficulties I've been through at (Real) Madrid."

However, Fiorentina have an enviable home record as Manchester United found out to their cost in November, being unbeaten last season and losing only twice this season; and on Sunday, Seedorf could be crying for a very different reason.

Serie A fixtures on Sunday (1400 GMT unless stated): 
Parma v Juventus (1200 GMT), Bari v Venezia, Cagliari v Piacenza, Lazio v Bologna, Perugia v Udinese, Torino v Lecce, Verona v Reggina, Fiorentina v Inter Milan (1930 GMT), AC Milan v AS Roma (1930 GMT).