Last Day Deciders: Part 3 of 3 - Serie A Survival - Saturday, 17 May 2008

The battle at the bottom of Serie A has been fascinating this season, with 6 teams separated by ony 5 points at mid-April. Since then, Cagliari have continued good form and avoided the drop, and Reggina have made a great escape too. These being at the expense of Empoli and Livorno. Those two are now relegated, and one of Parma and Catania will be joining them on Sunday.

Parma are currently in 18th place, 2 points behind Catania and relying on them losing at home to Roma, who have their own motives for victory. Ahead of Parma's must-win gameat home to Inter Milan, their coach, former Nerazzurri man Hector Cuper, has been sacked by club preseident Tommasso Ghirardi, after being in the job only 2 months. He has been replaced by Caretaker boss Andrea Manzo, but this is hardly good preparation, and it will require a massive performance to give them hope.

Catania go into their game with Roma having collected only one win in the last six in all competitions, under the new manager Walter Zenga. Their season was going very successfully until February when they started a fall that saw them go from 10th place, to 18th. They now face a tough game with the Giallorossi, but have the extra boost in the knowledge that they would have to lose, and Parma would have to win against the Champions. A draw would suffice, and is a possibility having held Roma to a 1-1 result in the Copa Italia final second leg the other week. Their safety is in their own hands, but it might not come to that.

Serie A Survival verdict: Catania

Tim D