[Primavera] Final 16 set for Scudetto battle

The regular league phase of the 2009-10 Primavera championship concluded on Saturday, finalising the 16 teams that will battle for the Scudetto in the end-of-season knockout phase.

The Campionato Nazionale Primavera, the highest youth league in Italy, consists the Under-20 team's of the 42 Serie A and Serie B clubs. They are split into three regional groups, formed of 14 teams each.

The top five teams in each group, and the overall best sixth-placed team qualify for the last 16 qualifying round.

Sampdoria topped Girone A ahead of Viareggio tournament winners Juventus, but both qualify for the last 16 stage along with Genoa, Empoli and Parma. However, Fiorentina and last year's surprise grand finalists Siena failed to make the final cut.

Inter beat Coppa Italia winners Milan to pole position in Girone B. The Milanese rivals will be joined by Chievo, Atalanta and Brescia in the qualifying round, while Udinese also qualified from this section as the best sixth-placed side of all three sections.

Palermo are holders of the "Trofeo Giacinto Facchetti" and they will be hoping to defend that title after they qualified for the last 16 again this year.

The Sicilians qualified as runners-up from Girone C, as Roma won the Southern section. Lazio, Catania and Bari were the other qualifiers after 26 weekly rounds, but Napoli miss out after a disastrous league campaign.

The draw for the last 16 qualifying round was held on Monday afternoon at the Lega Calcio's headquarters in Milan. The three group winners (Sampdoria, Inter, Roma), runners-up (Juventus, Milan, Palermo) and two best third-placed sides (Genoa, Lazio) were seeded for the draw, meaning they were kept apart and will have the advantage of playing the first leg matches away-from-home on 8 May, with the return matches on home soil on 13 May.

The Final Eight mini-tournament - which consists of the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the grand final - will this year take place in the province of Macerata from 1 to 8 June.

Last 16, First Leg
Saturday 8 May 2010
Atalanta v Sampdoria
Bari v Genoa
Brescia v Juventus
Catania v Milan
Chievo v Roma
Empoli v Inter
Parma v Lazio
Udinese v Palermo

Last 16, Second Leg
Thursday 13 May 2010
Genoa v Bari
Inter v Empoli
Juventus v Brescia
Lazio v Parma
Milan v Catania
Palermo v Udinese
Roma v Chievo
Sampdoria v Atalanta

PRIMAVERA 2009-10:
[Supercoppa] - [Torneo di Viareggio] - [Coppa Italia]

Source: Lega Calcio