The Italian Serie A offers a series of classic matches on the weekend after a break that saw the national team qualify for the 2010 World Cup.
Traditional rivals Juventus and Fiorentina lie joint-second on 14 points, two adrift of Inter Milan and Sampdoria, when they open the league's eighth round on Saturday in Turin.
A good figure before their home crowd is badly needed by Juve after two draws and a 2-0 defeat at Palermo made them lose the leading position.
The troubled knee of goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, plus the absences of Alessandro Del Piero and Claudio Marchisio risk to weaken the hosts, while the Florence visitors have Alberto Gilardino in great form, with four goals scored in two games with Italy.
The good news for Juve is the return, possibly for part of the game, of Mali midfielder Mohamed Sissokho, who spent seven months recovering from a foot fracture.
"When you are out and you see your teammates at work, it is tough," Sissokho told Juve Channel.
"My family and the club helped me a lot. Now I'm back and I find a strong, competitive Juve, whose goal is and remains the scudetto."
The champions Inter can expect a tough time later Saturday at Genoa, a team often praised for their fast and spectacular game who have one less point than Juve and Fiorentina.
Argentina striker Diego Milito, who moved from Genoa to Inter this summer, is out with a pulled muscle, while there seems to be hope for recovering Brazilian Thiago Motta, also at Genoa last season.
"I feel rather well," Motta said, "I'm almost ready to be back on the pitch. Maybe I play Saturday in Genoa. We must be careful because it's a muscular damage, but I want to be back and I hope to do it Saturday."
The other Genoa side, Sampdoria, are the season's surprise so far and play away Sunday to Lazio, who lie on nine points next to Palermo, playing away to lowly newcomers Livorno, and struggling giants AC Milan.
The Milanese Devils notched two meagre points from three games and close the weekend late Sunday with a classic tie against Roma.
After a poor start, the Rome side have gradually improved with the arrival of new coach Claudio Ranieri and sit now on 11 points alongside Chievo, Udinese and promoted Parma.
Chievo take on newcomers Bari, Udinese host troubled Atalanta and Parma welcome lowly Siena.
In remaining action, Napoli's new coach Walter Mazzarri makes his debut against Bologna and Catania entertain Cagliari.
.jpg)
.jpg)
