Italian Football: Lazio leading the Juventus ambush

 

It's all happening in Italy with Juventus' supremacy being vigorously challenged by the sky blue threat of Lazio and Napoli, while AC Milan have woken from their slumber...

 

After last season's all-out Juventus domination, the Italian football landscape is taking on a much more diverse picture this term, with plenty to get fans and punters salivating in the big competitions.

 

Naturally, the big story at present is Mario Balotelli's return to his native shores, but the first thing to address is Juventus' lean streak.

 

Following a run of six straight wins before Christmas, the Old Lady have stumbled. The result is just one win inside 90 minutes in their last seven, a sequence culminating in a Coppa Italia semi-final exit to title rivals Lazio on Tuesday night.

 

Lazio once again proved that they are more than a match for the champions as they followed up their recent point at the Juventus Stadium in Serie A by dumping them out of the Coppa Italia, ruining the Turin giants' treble ambitions.

 

The Aquile will now face either capital rivals Roma or Inter in the final, where they can be backed as 2.2 favourites, a position strengthened by victories over both potential opponents in the league this season.

 

It's hard to put a finger on the exact reason for Juve's dip in form, though that won't concern their title rivals one bit, with just nine points now separating them from even Inter in fourth position.

 

Juventus can currently be laid at 1.51 to fail in their title defence with Napoli breathing down their necks, just three points off the pace, and Lazio three further back.

 

Antonio Conte's search for strikers indicates that he is not happy with the various options at his disposal, despite having four fit centre-forwards to choose from.

 

Nicolas Anelka's arrival until the end of the season can be viewed as a stop-gap measure with Fernando Llorente due in the summer. However, it does make you wonder why they didn't try harder to secure Balotelli's services having been linked in the window.

 

As it is, AC Milan stuck their neck out to secure the boyhood Rossoneri fan, improving their already increasing chances of making it into those hallowed Champions League positions.

 

And after a terrible start, Milan have stealthily climbed into fifth position, using that November win against Juventus as a springboard for seven wins in nine in the league.

 

It remains to be seen what impact Balotelli will have at the San Siro, though he could end up being the difference between gaining Champions League or Europa League football for next season.

 

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