With Antonio Conte\u2019s Inter steamrolling Serie A since the turn of the year, the race for the Scudetto is all but wrapped up. Below that the fight for European qualification is at its most intense. \u00a0Five teams are fighting for the three remaining places. The race is so tight that Napoli, Juventus, and AC Milan have the same points total.\u00a0 Below Prost <\/em>examines the contenders run in and predicts who will be playing in the Champions League next season and who will miss out.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Atlanta 68points<\/strong> \u2013 Remaining fixtures \u2013<\/strong>Sassuolo (A) , Parma (A), Benevento (H), Genoa (A), Juventus (Coppa Italia Final), AC Milan (H) Form WDWWW<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gian Piero Gasperini\u2019s men continue to delight and excite. The top scoring team in Serie A seized the initiative in the top four battle with a recent 1-0 victory over Juventus.\u00a0 Sassuolo will provide a tough challenge but after this Atalanta face three teams in the bottom half of the table. Parma are likely to be relegated by then, while Genoa should be safe and have nothing to play for. Win three of these four games and Champions League qualification for a third consecutive year ought to be secured. This would be a fantastic achievement for La Dea<\/em> cementing them as a powerhouse in Italian football. Second place in Serie A and a Coppa Italia win would be the most successful season in Atalanta\u2019s history. \u00a0Prediction 2^{nd<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n}

Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta could secure their best ever season. (Credit: Atalanta.it)<\/p><\/div>\n

Napoli 66points\u00a0 \u2013 Remaining fixtures \u2013\u00a0<\/strong>Cagliari (H), Spezia (A), Udinese (H), Fiorentina (A), Verona (H) Form WWDWL <\/strong><\/p>\n

Gennaro Gattusso is rumoured to be leaving at the end of the season but he has galvanised Napoli in recent weeks with a valuable point against table topping Inter followed up by a huge 5-2 win over top 6 rivals Lazio. Results elsewhere see Gli Azzurri<\/em> now sit in the box seat for Champions League qualification. On paper they have the easiest run in. Cagliari and Spezia are fighting for their Serie A lives whilst Udinese, Fiorentina and Verona are stuck in mid-table mediocrity. \u00a0Expect Napoli to pick up at least ten points from the remaining fifteen to return to Europe\u2019s elite competition after missing out last season. \u00a0Prediction 3^{rd<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n}

Gatusso’s future may be in doubt but Napoli look a good bet for the top four. (Credit SSCNapoli.it)<\/p><\/div>\n

Juventus 66points \u2013 Remaining fixtures \u2013 <\/strong>Udinese (A), AC Milan (H), Sassuolo (A), Inter (H), Atalanta (Coppa Italia Final), Bologna (A) Form DWLWW <\/strong><\/p>\n

Finishing outside the top four would be a disaster for Juve, whose gamble hiring Andrea Pirlo has not paid off. For all his titles, elegance and plaudits as a player, Pirlo is clearly still learning what it means to be a manager at the top level. This is worrying for I Bianconeri <\/em>considering their current position and remaining fixtures.\u00a0 A massive game against AC Milan awaits on May 9^{th<\/sup>, which could essentially be a winner takes all clash for fourth place.\u00a0 Juventus then have a tough trip to eighth place Sassuolo followed by Inter at home. Having likely been crowned champions by then, Antonio Conte\u2019s side and their fans would love nothing more than to deliver a killer blow to their bitter rivals\u2019 Champions League hopes. \u00a0The next six games will be the truest test of Pirlo\u2019s fledgling managerial credentials. Winning the Coppa Italia is unlikely to save him, with the rumours of Massimiliano Allegri returning to the Juve bench refusing to go away. \u00a0\u00a0Prediction 5th<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n}

Juve’s top four hopes and Andrea Pirlo’s job are at risk. (Credit: Juventus.com)<\/p><\/div>\n

AC Milan 66points \u2013 Remaining fixtures \u2013 <\/strong>Benevento (H), Juventus (A), Torino D (A), Cagliari (H), Atalanta (A) Form LLWWD <\/strong><\/p>\n

Milan topped the table in January, however maintaining the breakneck pace of their 27-game unbeaten following Serie A\u2019s resumption in June was always going to be a tough ask for the young Rossoneri. \u00a0<\/em>Long term injuries to experienced heads Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alessio Romagnoli haven\u2019t helped, and Stefano Pioli\u2019s side come into this crucial stretch in bad form. Milan will be looking to beat lowly Benevento comfortably next before a huge game against Juventus. Crucially, Ibrahimovic should be back by then. Win this and Pioli\u2019s side will be in a strong position and will be hoping to secure a top four finish before a tough trip to Atalanta on the final day. \u00a0Prediction 4^{th<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n}

Stefano Pioli’s young AC Milan side hope for positive end to the season. Credit: acmilan.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Lazio 61points \u2013 Remaining fixtures \u2013 <\/strong>Genoa (H), Fiorentina (A), Parma (H), Roma (A), Torino (A), Sassuolo (A) Form WLWWW <\/strong><\/p>\n

Simone Inzaghi\u2019s side have an outside change of gate-crashing the top four with last week\u2019s convincing 3-0 win over AC Milan keeping their hopes alive. A five-point gap and an inferior goal difference to their rivals is a tough handicap to overcome, however all of Lazio\u2019s remaining games are against sides below them in the table and they do have a game in hand. Le Acquile<\/em> are in great form, winning four out of their past five games with deadly striker Ciro Immobile back in form. The teams above them will drop points, with Milan facing both Juventus and Atalanta in the remaining games. However, Lazio will likely need five wins out of six to secure a back-to-back top four finishes. \u00a0Prediction 6^{th<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n}

Can Simone Inzaghi and Lazio force their way into the top four? (Credit SSLazio.it)<\/p><\/div>\n

Don\u2019t forget\u2026\u2026. Roma<\/strong><\/p>\n

Roma are all but eliminated from qualifying for the Champions League via Serie A. But are Italy\u2019s sole remaining representative in this season\u2019s European Club competitions.\u00a0 Should they overcome Man Utd in the Europa League semi-finals, they will face Arsenal or Villareal in Gdansk on May 26^{th<\/sup> for a chance to qualify for the Champions League.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"}

With Antonio Conte\u2019s Inter steamrolling Serie A since the turn of the year, the race for the Scudetto is all but wrapped up. Below that the fight for European qualification is at its most intense. \u00a0Five teams are fighting for the three remaining places. The race is so tight that Napoli, Juventus, and AC Milan<\/p>\n

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