With the Coppa Italia returning on Friday, and the league set to resume next weekend, Goal analyses how each and every squad is shaping up
Getty Images20Brescia
The build-up to Brescia's Serie A restart has been dominated by two individuals at very different stages of their respective careers: Mario Balotelli and Sandro Tonali.
The enigmatic Balotelli, who will turn 30 in August, has once again found himself at the centre of controversy, having become embroiled in a rather unseemly spat with his employers that is almost certain to lead to him leaving his hometown club.
Tonali, meanwhile, is the subject of a transfer tug-of-war between Juventus and Inter, with the latest reports suggesting that the gifted 20-year-old playmaker has decided to move to San Siro.
Amid all of this transfer talk, Brescia must somehow try to focus on saving themselves from relegation. Their task looks close to impossible, given they currently sit bottom of the table, nine points from safety with just 12 games remaining.
Given Brescia still have to play four of Serie A's top five, Diego Lopez's side look bound for Serie B.
AdvertisementGetty Images19SPAL
SPAL were involved in one of the most bizarre stories of the lockdown, with striker Andrea Petagna posting a video on Instagram featuring basketball legend Dennis Rodman. Subsequently, it transpired that the former Chicago Bulls star had been paid to send it.
It was all rather strange but Petagna and SPAL need all the support they can get right now, with the Ferrara-based side currently sitting 19th in Serie A, seven points adrift of Genoa in 17th.
A great escape looks unlikely for a team that struggles terribly to score goals. Indeed, were it not for Petagna, SPAL would already been doomed.
They have netted just 20 times in 26 Serie A games, with their on-loan Napoli forward accounting for more than half of their tally (11), while their lack of strength in depth is underlined by the fact that not a single substitute has scored for SPAL this season.
Relegation, therefore, looks a formality, although three consecutive wins over fellow strugglers Sampdoria, Udinese and Genoa in early July would significantly boost their hopes of survival.
Getty18Lecce
It's easy to understand why Lecce president Saverio Sticchi Damiani would favour relegating just two teams from Serie A should Serie B be unable to run the end-of-season play-offs it usually uses to determine its third promotion place.
The Pugliese presently occupy 18th spot in the top-flight standings.
However, Lecce may not need extraordinary circumstances to bail them out of jail, as they are only separated from 17th-placed Genoa by goal difference.
Fabio Liverani's side also have enough about them going forward to secure the wins they need to avoid an immediate return to the second division, having scored 34 goals this season – which is six more than AC Milan in seventh.
Lecce, though, will need to sort out the most porous defence in Serie A – they've conceded a whopping 56 times – if they are to get themselves out of the drop zone.
Getty Images17Genoa
Genoa only sit outside the drop zone because of their superior goal difference to Lecce yet club president Enrico Preziosi said earlier this week, "We do not fear relegation."
In fairness, there are legitimate grounds for optimism at the Luigi Ferraris. The Ligurians may be on their third coach of the season already but current incumbent Davide Nicola was doing a fine job before the suspension of play.
Indeed, when Nicola took over, Genoa were rock bottom but they are now 17th after winning three of their last four fixtures.
The worry, of course, is that the break will have ruined their momentum but with the likes of Domenico Criscito and Goran Pandev on board, they should have the experience and quality to stay up.