Match Previews

country flag Serie A Round 2
Sat 25 August 2018 17:00
Referee
Massimiliano Irrati
Weather at KO
Travel Info
Distance

Juventus

Last updated: Sat 25 August 2018 09:46
In Brief

Breathtaking last-minute 3-2 come-back win over Chievo Verona on the road. Scoreless debut for Ronaldo. Expected by a tough home clash against Lazio. Spinazzola out injured. De Sciglio still absent.

Looking Back

Juventus played a 3-faced game against Chievo Verona on the road. They scored and dominated first but failed to kill the match off. Then, they started making several mistakes both in the midfield and at the back, thus letting the Flying Donkeys overturn the result. And, then, they succeeded reacting towards the end when, lining all their firepower, they eventually managed to score twice.

Ronaldo first played as a centreforward and then, much better, as a left winger: he created several dangerous opportunities but failed to score. Bernardeschi made the difference when he came on: he caused the equaliser and then scored the winner. Cancelo was disastrous at right-back, also causing the penalty kick that put Juventus down. Chiellini holds some responsibility for Chievo's first goal.

Looking Ahead

After taking their first three-pointer of the season, Juventus are expected by a potentially tough home clash against Lazio, who beat them at home in the last campaign.

Spinazzola is recovering from a serious knee injury and he should return in November. De Sciglio had to sit the last game out due to muscular fatigue and he resumed regular training but he did not make the 21-man squad.

Coach Allegri has a few doubts regarding what system adopting, a 4-3-3 formation should be preferred to the usual 4-2-3-1, and what players lining up. Cuadrado could be considered instead of Cancelo at right-back or Mandzukic as a winger. Bernardeschi represents the alternative to Douglas Costa. Dybala would be starting in a 4-2-3-1.

Points of Interest

Juventus hosted the Eagles 74 times: they won 47, drew 18 and lost 9. On the whole, they scored 163 goals and conceded 74.

Lazio

Last updated: Sat 25 August 2018 13:26
In Brief

Lazio lost 2-1 at home to Napoli despite taking the lead. Expected by another tough clash against Juventus on the road. Patric still banned. Lukaku and Berisha will miss out. Luiz Felipe also absent. Marusic overcame a doubt.

Looking Back

Lazio started well at home to title-chasing Napoli but, after scoring and dominating for a half hour, they eventually run out of physical and mental energies. Thus, they were reached to a draw just before the break. Had to concede also in the second half, thus remaining empy-handed.

Immobile scored the first Lazio goal of the season for the third time in a row. He also tried to revitalise a team that seemed without any energies. Luis Alberto and Milinkovic-Savic played a very poor game as if they were somewhere else with their minds (Sevilla and Real Madrid respectively)...

Looking Ahead

Lazio will aim at a reaction against Juventus on the road but it will be far from easy.

Lukaku will be missing out, as he is recovering from injury and was not included in the 25-man squad for the season. Berisha will also miss out. Luiz Felipe picked up a muscular problem and he is unavailable. Radu should be fine despite sustaining minor issues. Marusic has been suffering from a knock but he should be fine.

Patric will still be absent because of suspension. Leiva and Lulic will be back from ban, though.

Wallace should be preferred to Bastos in the back three.

Points of Interest

Since November 2000, Lazio won only once away to Juventus, last season, in October 2017.

Suspended
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Unavailable
Doubtful (chance of availability)
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Rested
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Doubtful (chance of availability)
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Rested
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Transfer in
  • Mattia Perin (gk)(Genoa); Mattia Caldara (def)(Atalanta, end of loan); Leonardo Spinazzola (def)(Atalanta, end of loan); Emre Can (mid)(free agent); Joao Cancelo (def)(Valencia); Marko Pjaca (att)(Schalke, end of loan); Moise Kean (att)(Hellas Verona, end of loan); Rolando Mandragora (mid)(Crotone, end of loan); Rogerio (def)(Sassuolo, end of loan); Alberto Cerri (att)(Perugia, end of loan); Andrés Tello (mid)(Bari, end of loan); Alberto Brignoli (gk)(Benevento, end of loan); Luca Marrone (mid)(Bari, end of loan); Luca Clemenza (mid)(Ascoli, end of loan); Dario Del Fabro (def)(Novara, end of loan); Emil Audero (gk)(Venezia, end of loan); Stefano Beltrame (att)(Go Ahead Eagles, end of loan); Andrea Favilli (att)(Ascoli); Cristiano Ronaldo (att)(Real Madrid); Douglas Costa (mid)(Bayern); Leonardo Bonucci (def)(Milan).
Transfer out
  • Gianluigi Buffon (k)(gk)(released); Benedikt Howedes (def)(Schalke, end of loan); Kwadwo Asamoah (sp)(mid)(released); Stephan Lichtsteiner (sp)(def)(released); Rolando Mandragora (mid)(Udinese); Alberto Cerri (att)(Cagliari); Arnel Jakupovic (att)(Empoli, end of loan); Emil Audero (gk)(Sampdoria, on loan); Mattia Caldara (def)(Milan); Gonzalo Higuain (r)(att)(Milan); Marko Pjaca (att)(Fiorentina, on loan); Stefano Sturaro (sp)(mid)(Sporting CP, on loan)
Transfer in
  • Ricardo Kishna (att)(ADO Den Haag, end of loan); Ravel Morrison (mid)(Atlas, end of loan); Lorenzo Filippini (def)(Pisa, end of loan); Luca Germoni (def)(Perugia, end of loan); Danilo Cataldi (mid)(Benevento, end of loan); Franjo Prce (def)(NK Istra, end of loan); Mauricio (def)(Legia Varsavia, end of loan); Cristiano Lombardi (att)(Benevento, end of loan); Joseph Marie Minala (mid)(Salernitana, end of loan); Mattia Sprocati (att)(Salernitana); Silvio Proto (gk)(Olympiakos); Riza Durmisi (def)(Real Betis Sevilla); Valon Berisha (mid)(Red Bull Salzburg); Francesco Acerbi (def)(Sassuolo); Joaquin Correa (mid)(Sevilla); Milan Badelj (free agent)
Transfer out
  • Federico Marchetti (gk)(released); Filip Djordjevic (att)(released); Stefan De Vrij (k)(def)(released); Nani (att)(Sporting Lisbon via Valencia, end of loan); Simone Palombi (att)(Lecce, on loan); Mamadou Tounkara (att)(Schaffhausen, on loan); Felipe Anderson (r)(mid)(West Ham); Alessandro Rossi (att)(FC Luzern, on loan); Franjo Prce (def)(Omonia Nicosia)
Transfer in
  • Mattia Perin (gk)(Genoa); Mattia Caldara (def)(Atalanta, end of loan); Leonardo Spinazzola (def)(Atalanta, end of loan); Emre Can (mid)(free agent); Joao Cancelo (def)(Valencia); Marko Pjaca (att)(Schalke, end of loan); Moise Kean (att)(Hellas Verona, end of loan); Rolando Mandragora (mid)(Crotone, end of loan); Rogerio (def)(Sassuolo, end of loan); Alberto Cerri (att)(Perugia, end of loan); Andrés Tello (mid)(Bari, end of loan); Alberto Brignoli (gk)(Benevento, end of loan); Luca Marrone (mid)(Bari, end of loan); Luca Clemenza (mid)(Ascoli, end of loan); Dario Del Fabro (def)(Novara, end of loan); Emil Audero (gk)(Venezia, end of loan); Stefano Beltrame (att)(Go Ahead Eagles, end of loan); Andrea Favilli (att)(Ascoli); Cristiano Ronaldo (att)(Real Madrid); Douglas Costa (mid)(Bayern); Leonardo Bonucci (def)(Milan).
Transfer out
  • Gianluigi Buffon (k)(gk)(released); Benedikt Howedes (def)(Schalke, end of loan); Kwadwo Asamoah (sp)(mid)(released); Stephan Lichtsteiner (sp)(def)(released); Rolando Mandragora (mid)(Udinese); Alberto Cerri (att)(Cagliari); Arnel Jakupovic (att)(Empoli, end of loan); Emil Audero (gk)(Sampdoria, on loan); Mattia Caldara (def)(Milan); Gonzalo Higuain (r)(att)(Milan); Marko Pjaca (att)(Fiorentina, on loan); Stefano Sturaro (sp)(mid)(Sporting CP, on loan)

Lazio

Last updated: Sat 25 August 2018 13:26
In Brief

Lazio lost 2-1 at home to Napoli despite taking the lead. Expected by another tough clash against Juventus on the road. Patric still banned. Lukaku and Berisha will miss out. Luiz Felipe also absent. Marusic overcame a doubt.

Looking Back

Lazio started well at home to title-chasing Napoli but, after scoring and dominating for a half hour, they eventually run out of physical and mental energies. Thus, they were reached to a draw just before the break. Had to concede also in the second half, thus remaining empy-handed.

Immobile scored the first Lazio goal of the season for the third time in a row. He also tried to revitalise a team that seemed without any energies. Luis Alberto and Milinkovic-Savic played a very poor game as if they were somewhere else with their minds (Sevilla and Real Madrid respectively)...

Looking Ahead

Lazio will aim at a reaction against Juventus on the road but it will be far from easy.

Lukaku will be missing out, as he is recovering from injury and was not included in the 25-man squad for the season. Berisha will also miss out. Luiz Felipe picked up a muscular problem and he is unavailable. Radu should be fine despite sustaining minor issues. Marusic has been suffering from a knock but he should be fine.

Patric will still be absent because of suspension. Leiva and Lulic will be back from ban, though.

Wallace should be preferred to Bastos in the back three.

Points of Interest

Since November 2000, Lazio won only once away to Juventus, last season, in October 2017.

Doubtful (chance of availability)
  • ---
Rested
  • ---
Transfer in
  • Ricardo Kishna (att)(ADO Den Haag, end of loan); Ravel Morrison (mid)(Atlas, end of loan); Lorenzo Filippini (def)(Pisa, end of loan); Luca Germoni (def)(Perugia, end of loan); Danilo Cataldi (mid)(Benevento, end of loan); Franjo Prce (def)(NK Istra, end of loan); Mauricio (def)(Legia Varsavia, end of loan); Cristiano Lombardi (att)(Benevento, end of loan); Joseph Marie Minala (mid)(Salernitana, end of loan); Mattia Sprocati (att)(Salernitana); Silvio Proto (gk)(Olympiakos); Riza Durmisi (def)(Real Betis Sevilla); Valon Berisha (mid)(Red Bull Salzburg); Francesco Acerbi (def)(Sassuolo); Joaquin Correa (mid)(Sevilla); Milan Badelj (free agent)
Transfer out
  • Federico Marchetti (gk)(released); Filip Djordjevic (att)(released); Stefan De Vrij (k)(def)(released); Nani (att)(Sporting Lisbon via Valencia, end of loan); Simone Palombi (att)(Lecce, on loan); Mamadou Tounkara (att)(Schaffhausen, on loan); Felipe Anderson (r)(mid)(West Ham); Alessandro Rossi (att)(FC Luzern, on loan); Franjo Prce (def)(Omonia Nicosia)

Key

Key players
Regular players
Support players
75% - Chance of availability
Artificial Pitch
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Squad Confirmed
Played in Cup fixture
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Team Strength*

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Good
Satisfactory
Just Adequate
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*Based on Available Players