AS Roma vs. Juventus: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
The past two seasons have seen AS Roma and Juventus clearly establish themselves as Serie A’s leading clubs, with the Giallorossi blossoming into the closest challenger to the dominance enjoyed by the Turin giants.
Rudi Garcia’s side have struggled to make the title race a genuine contest, however, finishing 17 points behind the Bianconeri each time.
On Sunday, the duo go head-to-head once again, the fixture list providing an early test of where each club stands almost before the 2015/16 campaign has truly begun.
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Each struggled in their opening fixture; Roma held to a 1-1 draw away to Hellas Verona last Saturday, with Juventus suffering a surprise defeat at home to Udinese just 24 hours later. Both will be seeking to bounce back and kick-start what they hope will be yet another season among the division’s top sides.
La Madama boasts an excellent recent record against the team from the capital, winning two of their last three meetings, with the other encounter ending in a draw. The matches have not been without controversy, with three red cards in their two clashes last term while October’s game in Turin saw the sides share no fewer than three penalties in a hotly contested affair.
They have also delivered goals, finding the back of the net on seven occasions over the two fixtures in 2014/15, games that truly set the tone for the entire season. Massimiliano Allegri will hope to welcome a number of important players back from injury but is likely to be without Claudio Marchisio and Sami Khedira.
Date: Sunday, August 30, 2015
Time: 5 p.m. BST (12 p.m. ET)
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV Info: BT Sport Europe (UK), beIN Sports (US)
Live Stream: Bein Sports Connect (US)
Form Lines
Last five results:
| Sporting CP 2-0 AS Roma (Friendly) | Lechia Gdansk 1-2 Juventus (Friendly) |
| Barcelona 3-0 AS Roma (Friendly) | Marseille 2-0 Juventus (Friendly) |
| Valencia 1-3 AS Roma (Friendly) | Juventus 2-0 Lazio (Super Cup) |
| AS Roma 6-4 Sevilla (Friendly) | Juventus A 1-0 Juventus B (Friendly) |
| Hellas Verona 1-1 AS Roma | Juventus 0-1 Udinese |
Predicted Formations
AS Roma (4-3-3): Wojciech Szczesny; Douglas Maicon, Kostas Manolas, Leandro Castan, Lucas Digne; Miralem Pjanic, Seydou Keita, Radja Nainggolan; Mohamed Salah, Edin Dzeko, Iago Falque
Unavailable: Kevin Strootman (injured) , Antonio Rudiger (injured)
Juventus (3-5-2): Gigi Buffon; Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Martin Caceres; Stephan Lichtsteiner, Roberto Pereyra, Stefano Sturaro, Paul Pogba, Patrice Evra; Mario Mandzukic, Paulo Dybala
Unavailable: Sami Khedira (injured), Claudio Marchisio (injured), Kwadwo Asamoah (injured)
Player to Watch
Edin Dzeko arrived amid much fanfare at AS Roma this summer and would appear to be the ideal striker to feature in the central attacking role of the 4-3-3 formation used by the Giallorossi. The former Manchester City man combines pace and aerial prowess with a keen eye for goal, making him a perfect fit for the creative midfield selected by Rudi Garcia.
Yet the problem for the French coach is that the front man occupies the only position where Francesco Totti slots in, too, putting both the player and his boss under pressure immediately. Each will need to regularly deliver if the captain—and his adoring fans—are to remain content with seeing their hero sitting on the bench.
Dzeko did not get on the scoresheet last week and faces the toughest defence in the league on Sunday needing to open his account on the peninsula. Should he draw another blank, he and Garcia may face some difficult questions over the international break, which begins next week.
Key Battle
While the decision over who starts in attack is a difficult one for the Roma coach, it is no less pressing for his opposite number. Allegri has a plethora of attacking options at his disposal as Alvaro Morata returns from injury to vie for a spot in the starting XI alongside Kingsley Coman.
New signings Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala will also hope to face the Giallorossi, while their coach also has issues to address in midfield. Still missing both Claudio Marchisio and Sami Khedira to injury, Allegri might once again opt to use the 3-5-2 formation that has served Juventus so well in the past.
Whatever choices they make, it is the battle on the sidelines that could well decide this encounter, and Garcia failed to beat Allegri in either of last season’s meetings.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Home win: 19/10
Away win: 71/50
Draw: 231/100
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