Juventus face a stern test in battling invincible Roma, after two matches, at home in the third game of the 2022/23 Serie A season. The game’s major storyline is Paulo Dybala returning to Turin to face his former teammates.
The Old Lady played out an entertaining but scoreless draw against Sampdoria whereas Roma edge out a stubborn Cremonese team with a 1-0 in their last game in the league.
JUV vs ROM Match Details
Date: Saturday 27 August 2022
Time: 18:30 (CET) / 22:00 (IST)
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Turin
JUV vs ROM Match Preview
Max Allegri’s men created a flurry of chances in the 0-0 draw away at Sampdoria but couldn’t find the back of the net and when they did it was ruled offside. The home team had their chance to rob the points out of the Turin giants but for Mattia Perin to come up with an excellent save off the crossbar to deny Mehdi Leris attempting to chip the shot-stopper. Perin’s opposite number Emil Audero was involved more in the game and stood against efforts from Juan Cuadrado and twice from Filip Kostic. Overall, Allegri will be happy with the performance and the clean sheet but the lack of clinical edge in their attack again is an issue. In the first game, Angel Di Maria provided the spark in the attack and combined with Dusan Vlahovic in a destructive fashion as Sassuolo fell victim to a 3-0 score line. The Argentinian was missed greatly in the game. Midfielder Paul Pogba’s absence also opened the existing cracks in the middle of the park as a lack of creativity from the area caused Vlahovic to do everything on his own devoid of the service the Serbian requires to score goals. Juventus’s next game is a far more challenging one with Jose Mourinho’s Roma arriving at Turin winning the first two games of the new season and staying unbeaten in the last five games in all competition including their Europa Conference League final win against Feyenoord. Although, Juventus enjoy a fruitful record in this clash especially at home dropping points just once in eleven total meetings at the Allianz Arena. This will be a special reunion for Paulo Dybala taking the familiar pitch on Saturday where he once gave joy to Juventus supporters by scoring stunners. He failed to agree on a contract extension leading him to cut ties with the club he spent eight years in his career bidding a tearful goodbye last season. The 28-year-old also contributed to five goals against Roma in his time there. Emotions won’t get better of him as Dybala now looks to open his scoring chart for Roma against his former side.
If he does score and Roma holds on to a win which will be their first since 2019 in this meeting, Jose Mourinho’s joy will last longer. The Portuguese coach would then relish his chances for a top-four battle knowing they will play three winnable games on paper next with Monza, Udinese and Empoli although they could be tricky encounters. Confidence is building for the capital club after a healthy start to their season with two 1-0 wins over Salernitana and Cremonese. Roma had comfortable victories in both keeping clean sheets too but couldn’t score more than once. The goals came from Bryan Cristante in the first game and Chris Smalling heading in the solitary goal for the win last weekend. The forwards are yet to have a sight of goal with their last season top-scorer Tammy Abraham trying to get into the scoresheet. As mentioned, Dybala is settling down and now has extra spaces to fill in the absence of Nicolo Zaniolo withdrawn at half-time citing a shoulder injury. Roma has jointly attempted more shots on goal with 17 in the last two games of the season while Juventus have half of that total. It means the team’s conversion rate has been low. Mourinho won’t be making a big fuss about it unless the drought from his forwards last long and the team struggles to have finishing touch to their play. The match against Juventus is a big test for them as well as the last two opponents, with due respect, could not have provided a stellar challenge like the Black and Whites do even in the days of their doldrums. The Old Lady’s injury to key members of the squad can also elevate Roma to have a better say in proceedings and disrupt the poor record they carry in this encounter. Hence, the Giallorossi are optimistic to gain the upper hand in this tie to continue their impressive run in the league.
Recent Form (all competitions)
JUV: DW
ROM: WW
JUV vs ROM Team News
Juventus have two injury boost ahead of this fixture from the long list of absentees that is hitting them hard. Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and defender Leonardo Bonucci have been passed fit after both were absent from the first two games of the season. The former Roma keeper is in line to face his old side and will replace Mattia Perin while Bonucci has a chance to start in place of Daniele Rugani. Star winger Angel Di Maria remains out until next month with a groin injury he sustained in the season’s opening game against Sassuolo. Paul Pogba remains sidelined for the same timeline as he recovers from his knee injury, while Federico Chiesa is also expected to return in September. Juventus wants to offload Arthur Melo with Valencia interested but the midfielder is currently out of action through an ankle injury. Youngsters Kaio Jorge and Marley Ake are the other injured players.
Roma, meanwhile, will miss Georginio Wijnaldum fracturing his tibia in training after only playing eleven minutes in the new Serie A season since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain on loan. Attacker Nicolo Zaniolo is nursing a shoulder injury which will keep him out for weeks with Ebrima Darboe also out through a knee injury. Nemanja Matic is expected to start this pivotal clash for solidity in midfield after making only substitute appearances in the last two games. Paulo Dybala will return to the stadium where he is the outright top scorer with 68 goals while facing his former team whom he left to join Roma on a free transfer.
JUV vs ROM Predicted Lineups
JUV: Wojciech Szczesny; Danilo, Leonardo Bonucci, Gleson Bremer, Alex Sandro; Weston McKennie, Manuel Locatelli, Adrien Rabiot; Juan Cuadrado, Dusan Vlahovic, Filip Kostic
ROM: Rui Patricio; Gianluca Mancini, Chris Smalling, Roger Ibanez; Rick Karsdorp, Nemanja Matic, Bryan Cristante, Leonardo Spinazzola; Lorenzo Pellegrini, Paulo Dybala; Tammy Abraham
JUV vs ROM Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Patricio
DEF: Danilo, Smalling, Bremer, Spinazzola
MID: Cuadrado, Locatelli, Dybala, Pellegrini
FW: Abraham, Vlahovic
Captain: Dusan Vlahovic
Vice-captain: Lorenzo Pellegrini
