Snow continues to disrupt Serie A schedule
Reuters - Friday 03 February 2012, 14:55
Brief news in Serie A ahead of this
weekend's matches:
AS Roma's clash with Inter Milan on Saturday has been
postponed until Sunday because of the snow and cold
weather gripping Italy, the club announced on Friday.
Cesena's home game with Catania on Saturday has been
postponed until a later date, the hosts said in a statement.
Play on Sunday looks impossible given the weather conditions in
Cesena.
Four midweek games were also postponed in a country not
normally used to so many matches being called off and Inter boss
Claudio Ranieri thinks a cut in the number of Serie A teams from
20 could help to reduce fixtures in cold months.
"I read some ideas in the papers about how we could make
changes to avoid such a long season and having to play in
freezing conditions. Reducing the number of teams in the league
would be an important first move," he told a news conference.
Inter playmaker Wesley Sneijder will miss the Roma game
with a knock if it goes ahead on Sunday, Ranieri added.
Italy's cold snap is also having an effect off the pitch
with Lazio forced to cancel the presentation of new loan
midfielder Antonio Candreva.
Second-placed champions AC Milan are due to host Napoli on
Sunday, weather permitting, but their long injury
list shows no signs of clearing up.
Kevin-Prince Boateng, Mathieu Flamini, Mario Yepes, Alberto
Aquilani and Gennaro Gattuso are set to miss out, alongside
long-term absentees Alexandre Pato and Antonio Cassano.
Napoli, in contrast, have fitness doubts only over centre
back Paolo Cannavaro.
Leaders Juventus are scheduled to entertain Siena on
Sunday with new signing from Atalanta, Simone Padoin,
in line for his debut.