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Back in the day, life was much simpler. On Sunday afternoons, you'd settle down to watch Serie A, either choosing one match or opting for a simulcast showing the important events from around the league. There might be a marquee match that evening, but for the most part, standings were decided in that block of space after Sunday lunch.
But Italy has gone and complicated things, nowhere so as much as this weekend's Round 10 schedule. The games kick off on Saturday at 3 p.m. (why, God?) and keep going until Monday at 9 p.m., with six different matches getting the highlighter treatment. Hey, at least you can watch plenty of calcio. That diretta gol is going to be awfully boring, though.
If you need a focus, check out these three matches:
Napoli vs. Roma
The Derby del Sole is usually a must watch, anyway: two teams that formerly had a strong friendship, attempting to prove that the calcio of the south could challenge the big established clubs in the north. In recent years, that alliance has gone by the wayside -- so much so that last season's Coppa Italia final, held in Rome, was overshadowed by the news that a Roma ultra had shot a Napoli supporter. Ciro Esposito eventually died from his wounds.
Tensions are so high that Roma fans won't be let into the San Paolo, so Napoli will take advantage of this opportunity to chip away at the visitors. The giallorossi are currently tied for first, and Rafa Benítez knows the only way he'll keep his job is to take them down a notch.
Sampdoria vs. Fiorentina
After an impressive 3-0 win over Udinese midweek, Fiorentina might feel that they're finally, finally getting themselves back on track. Then again, they also beat Inter 3-0, only to lose to Lazio and draw with Milan. Building on this win is crucial -- and it'll be even better to do it at the expense of Siniša Mihajlović. Mihajlović has done wonders with Samp this season, with their only loss coming midweek, thanks to Inter's last-minute penalty. But in Florence, he's remembered as the man that nearly dragged them down to Serie B a few seasons back.
Lazio vs. Cagliari
Lazio haven't scored the most number of goals in Serie A, but they're certainly up there, with Stefano Pioli emphasizing free-flowing football. Of course, when it comes to attacking play, the new Lazio coach is nowhere near as notorious as his counterpart on the Cagliari bench. Zdeněk Zeman has built his reputation on ignoring defensive duties, and while the isolani have yet to hit a decent run of form, they're definitely fun to watch.
Schedule
*results updated at the conclusion of fixtures*
**North America falls back on Sunday, November 1. Adjust your soccer-watching clocks accordingly**
Saturday
Napoli 2-0 Roma -- full match report here
Parma 2-0 Inter Milan
Sunday
Sampdoria 3-1 Fiorentina
Monday
Cesena 1-1 Hellas Verona