Rock-bottom Monza and Parma are separated by three places in the Serie A table heading into Saturday's relegation six-pointer at the U-Power Stadium.
Alessandro Nesta's return has not led to an improvement in results, with the Biancorossi picking up one point from 12 since the centre-back's reappointment, while their opponents enter gameweek 29 after twice fighting back from one-goal deficits to draw against Torino last weekend.
Match preview
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If the plan following Nesta's reinstatement was to provoke a turnaround in Lombardy, that desire has fallen flat on its face, with the Brianzoli losing three of four since the former centre-back returned.
The only point was a goalless encounter with Lecce in mid-February, a tie that snapped the bottom-placed club's four-match losing sequence in Serie A.
However, three losses against Roma (4-0), Torino (2-0) and Inter Milan (3-2) leave Monza on the brink of another four-game losing run in the top flight, which they could experience for the third time this term, having fallen to five consecutive losses between December 2024 and January 2025 and four on the bounce from January to February 2025.
The latest disappointment, the cellar-dwelling club's 18th of 2024-25, saw Nesta's side lose a two-goal advantage at San Siro before Marko Arnautovic, Hakan Calhanoglu and a Georgios Kyriakopoulos own goal turned the game on its head for Monza's ninth away loss.
That outcome left them on 14 points after round 28, eight points behind third-bottom Empoli and 10 adrift of this weekend's visitors, whom they hope to defeat for their third top-flight triumph this term to close the deficit to seven points.
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However, Parma, who sit two clear of 18th-placed Empoli, could end the weekend in the bottom three if they fall in Lombardy and Azzurri Empolesi secure maximum points at Torino, hope to avoid that aftermath.
Cristian Chivu has lost just once in three matches in charge of the Emilians, a 1-0 reverse at Udinese, but has avoided defeats in both home fixtures, defeating Bologna (2-0) and securing a 2-2 draw against Torino.
Last weekend's tie against the Turin outfit was an undoubted point gained for the Crusaders, who needed a Mateo Pellegrino brace to pull level at 1-0 and 2-1 down after Eljif Elmas and Che Adams twice put the Granata ahead.
Following that draw and Empoli's loss to Roma, the Emilians went one point clear of Azzurri Empolesi in 18th and moved to within one of 16th-placed Lecce, who fell to a third consecutive loss and 14th overall after a 3-2 defeat by AC Milan.
Entering this weekend on a four-match losing run on their travels, Chivu, who has seemingly found a balance in home games on the evidence of notching four points from six, now aims to improve Parma's miserable away record, which has seen them win just one, draw five and lose seven in 13 outings on the road.
Team News
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Nesta is sweating over the fitness of Andrea Carboni, Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro and Luca Caldirola, while Patrick Ciurria, Roberto Gagliardini and Stefano Sensi are not expected to be involved.
Although Dany Mota could not add to his four Serie A goals last week, the top-scoring man's two assists in the loss at Inter saw him overtake Kyriakopoulos's five direct goal involvements (two goals, three assists) this term, and he aims to be decisive for the bottom club.
The away side have several injured or suspended players for Saturday's visit to Monza: Simon Sohm and Alessandro Vogliacco picked up bookings in the draw with Torino to rule both out for one match, while Adrian Benedyczak, Alessandro Circati, Gabriel Charpentier and Mateusz Kowalski are not anticipated to feature.
While Adrian Bernabe, Milan Djuric, Valentin Mihaila and Yordan Osorio are not definitely ruled out, the quartet will be assessed before gameweek 29's fixture.
Even though Ange-Yoan Bonny could not add to his five top-flight goals in round 28, the forward's two match-winning efforts better his colleagues, and the 21-year-old aims for more decisive contributions in Lombardy.
Monza possible starting lineup:
Turati; Pereira, Izzo, D'Ambrosio; Birindelli, Castrovilli, Bianco, Zeroli, Kyriakopoulos; Balde, Mota
Parma possible starting lineup:
Suzuki; Prato, Leoni, Valentini, Valeri; Keita, Estevez, Hernani; Almqvist, Bonny, Cancellieri
We say: Monza 0-0 Parma
With Monza winless on home turf in three, firing blanks in each game, and Parma unable to win on their travels since November's success at Venezia, there is no seeming favourite ahead of Saturday's encounter in Lombardy.
Thus, the spoils could be shared when both relegation-threatened sides tussle this weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
