Rome: Udinese will be looking to extend their unexpected run at the top of Serie A when they visit Parma this weekend, and second-place Lazio face a tough test at Napoli.
While many of his team-mates and opponents have been playing international matches, Serie A leading scorer Antonio Di Natale has had two weeks to rest after the Udinese captain was left out of Italy's squad.
Meanwhile, Parma's leading scorer Sebastian Giovinco is questionable after being sent home from Italy's training camp with a leg muscle injury last week.
Udinese and Lazio are level with 21 points each but Udinese hold the edge on goal difference.
Based in Udine near the Slovenian border, Udinese's best finish in Serie A was third in 1998 when former Germany international Oliver Bierhoff scored a league-best 27 goals.
Di Natale was also Serie A's leading scorer each of the past two seasons with a combined 57 goals, and he already has eight goals in 10 matches this season.
Udinese's defence has also been superb, with a league-low four goals allowed.
Success has been all the more surprising considering that Udinese sold three of their top players in the off-season — dealing forward Alexis Sanchez to Barcelona for euros 36.5 million ($50 million), midfielder Gokhan Inler to Napoli for euros 15 million ($21 million) and defender Cristian Zapata to Villarreal for euros 10 million ($13.5 million).
Smart spending has been a key for president Giampaolo Pozzo ever since he bought the small-market club in 1986. This past off-season, Udinese spent only euros 10.1 million ($14 million) and took in euros 66 million ($91 million).
Forward Antonio Floro Flores rejoined Udinese after a loan season at Genoa and has formed a potent attack tandem with Di Natale, while centre-back Danilo has become the anchor of the defence after being discarded by Palmeiras.
Pozzo is taking advantage of Udinese's success to launch plans for an overhaul of the Stadio Friuli, although he's not expecting a title run.
"This isn't our place, although we're happy to be here as long as we can," Pozzo said. "If we're able to get back into Europe, it will be another great season."
Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin fulfilled a promise to his players by dancing on the field when the squad clinched fourth place and a spot in the preliminary round of the Champions League at the end of last season. Although Udinese had to eventually settle for the Europa League after losing a play-off to Arsenal in August.
Lazio will also be missing its top scorer, with Miroslav Klose recovering from a bruise after scoring one goal and setting up two more in Germany's 3-0 win over the Netherlands on Tuesday.
With a key Champions League match against Manchester City looming three days later, Napoli may want to rest one or two starters.
"It's going to be four days in which a big part of our season could be decided," Napoli forward Edinson Cavani said. "But we're a great squad and we can aim for both objectives."
Defending champion AC Milan, who trail the leaders by one point, will be aiming for their sixth consecutive victory at Fiorentina, who are now under Delio Rossi's direction after Sinisa Mihajlovic was fired.
Milan also has a difficult Champions League match next week against Barcelona.
Fourth-place Juventus, who are two points behind with a game in hand, host fifth-place Palermo. Struggling Inter Milan, who are just one point above the relegation zone, host Cagliari, who have also made a coaching change — from Massimo Ficcadenti to Davide Ballardini.
Inter then visit Trabzonspor, the Turkish squad they lost to in their Champions League opener.
Also this weekend, it's Bologna vs Cesena, Catania vs Chievo Verona, Genoa vs Novara, Siena vs Atalanta and Roma vs Lecce.
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