AS Roma have endured difficult times of late. The capital-based club are down in 14th place in Serie A after winning just two of their first seven matches and suffering the humiliation of a 4-0 thumping at home to Inter Milan last weekend.

And while they showed good signs in their UEFA Champions League clash at Chelsea on Wednesday, they still lost that game 1-0, their second defeat in three European matches.

In the last half hour we were afraid, I don't know why. Maybe it's a psychological problem
AS Roma defender Philippe Mexes on his side's loss to Chelsea in midweek

Roma's French centre-back Philippe Mexes, who is suspended for the trip north to Udine, said after the Chelsea defeat that Roma's problems were mental. "," he said. "Despite everything, we're on the right path. We played well in the first half but after the break we were too neagtive. This is a bad moment but we have a lot of belief, and after a first half such as that we can only believe."

Roma did play well before the break against Chelsea but they have played well in fits and bursts all season. Their problem has been largely at the back, where they can't keep the ball out of their own net. Only rock-bottom Reggina have conceded more goals than them in Serie A.

It is still unthinkable that Roma coach Luciano Spalletti would be replaced after guiding his team to second in the table and Coppa Italia success in each of the last two seasons, despite having no money to spend. But Roma need to start producing some results, quickly. They are already nine points off champions and leaders Inter and look unlikely to produce a championship challenge.

Not so their hosts Udinese, though, who sit second in the table, just two points off Inter and looking strong in both attack and defence. They warmed up for the match with a 2-0 win over Tottenham in the UEFA Cup on Thursday.

Minefield
Another struggling team desperate for three points is Juventus, who host Torino in the Turin derby on Saturday. Juve have not won in four matches in Serie A, but earned a highly impressive 2-1 success over Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday. Torino, for their part, have lost their last three league matches and sit only a point above the drop zone.

Under-fire Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri insists that he can guide his side through the minefield despite them sitting down in 12th in Serie A. "The lads believe in their coach even in difficult times," he said. "I know the club and the players are behind me, together we can get out of this situation."

Meanwhile, an unlikely top-of-the-table clash takes place in Rome on Sunday as fourth-placed Napoli visit fifth-placed Lazio, with either side capable of taking top spot with victory. Lazio would be top but for a 3-1 defeat at lowly Bologna last time out, while Napoli are coming off a stunning comeback 2-1 win over Juve.

"The beauty of football is that on Sunday there's another opportunity," said Lazio's Macedonia striker Goran Pandev. "We're disappointed (with the Bologna defeat) but now we have Napoli coming up and we're not afraid of them."

In other games, Inter host Genoa while AC Milan travel to Atalanta.