Juventus vs. Frosinone: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Having finally returned to winning ways against Manchester City, Juventus followed that up with their first league victory, comfortably seeing off Genoa this past weekend. The Bianconeri do not have long to rest on their laurels, however, as they are pressed back into Serie A action with Frosinone's visit to Turin on Wednesday.
With that 2-0 victory over Genoa safely in the booksāand reviewed in depth hereāthe squad appeared much happier, with Giorgio Chiellini believing that their Champions League outing had helped immeasurably.
āAfter Tuesday, I was confident that a match like this could see us rekindle our spark,ā the defender told Sky Sport Italia (h/t Gazzetta World) shortly after the final whistle on Sunday, going on to insist it also would spur them on further.
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āI thought we played well, and this should be a starting point for us,ā Chiellini continued. āWe go into the Frosinone match knowingĀ what we are capable of and we will look to be at our best.ā
That is not good news for the Canarini, beaten again on Sunday by Bologna as the size of the task facing the top-flight debutants is fully revealed. Yet coach Roberto Stellone was left bemoaning his sideās misfortune after seeing them hit the crossbar twice in a 1-0 loss.
āToday we had a good game,ā Stellone notedĀ on Rai Sport after the game (h/t Forza Italian Football). āWe were just bad in attack, but in the second half we kept the ball in play and were betterāyet unluckyāin front of goal.ā
Sadly for Stellone and Frosinone, his Juventus counterpart was equally dissatisfied, believing there is also much more to come from the defending champions. āWeāve got time to improve and thatās precisely what we need to do,ā Massimiliano Allegri told reporters on Sunday, per the clubās official website.
That does not bode well for Wednesdayās visitors as Italian footballās grand Old Lady warms up for yet another title challenge.
Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Time: 7:45 p.m. BST (2:45 p.m. ET)
Venue: Juventus Stadium, Turin
TV Info: beINĀ Sports 6 (U.S.)
Live Stream: BT Sport app, Bein Sports Connect (U.S.)
Form Lines
Last 5 results (Serie A unless otherwise stated):
Predicted Formations
Juventus (4-3-3): Gigi Buffon; Stephan Lichtsteiner, Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli, Alex Sandro; Mario Lemina, Hernanes, Paul Pogba; Roberto Pereyra; Paulo Dybala, Simone Zaza
Unavailable: Alvaro Morata, Mario Mandzukic, Sami Khedira, Kwadwo Asamoah, Claudio Marchisio (all injured)
Frosinone (4-4-2): Nicola Leali; Aleandro Rosi, Leonardo Blanchard, Modibo Diakite, Daniel Pavlocic; Aleksandar Tonev, Yussif Chibsah, Paolo Sammarco, Danilo Soddimo; Federico Dionisi, Nicolas Castillo
Unavailable: Massimiliano Carlini, Robert Gucher (both injured)
Player to Watch
While Juan Cuadrado has shown he is a valuable addition for the Bianconeri, perhaps fellow new arrival Hernanes will be the man to watch against Frosinone. The Brazilian was rested against Genoa at the weekend but is likely to return for this next fixture, and his impact could prove telling.
Against both Chievo and Manchester City, the former Lazio man was at the heart of the Bianconeriās positive attacking play, and did so from two very different positions. For the clash with the former he was deployed just behind the strikers, and orchestrated some fine interplay, while also showcasing his set piece ability.
At the Etihad Stadium, Claudio Marchisio was unavailable, prompting Allegri to use Hernanes as a deep-lying playmaker in central midfield, and he was once again excellent. Showing a fine range of passing, the 30-year-old showed he is a versatile signing, one that allows Juventus to operate in a variety of styles.
Key Battle
Arguably the matchup that will most affect the outcome on Wednesday evening is between Frosinoneās Nicola Leali and the Juventus attack. Finally sparking into life over the past two games, the Bianconeri front line poses a daunting threat to any defence, with the likes of Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata needing little introduction.
Standing in their way will be Leali, a 22-year-old goalkeeper who is actually on loan from the Turin giants for the 2015/16 campaign. According to statistics courtesy of the Fox Soccer website, no player has faced more shots than the 22 fired in his direction thus far, a tally Juve will look to add to.
Asked if he was ready to move to Turin in the near future, Leali told Roma Talk Radio (per CalcioNews24, quotes in Italian) that for the moment all he is thinking of is doing well with Frosinone. If his new side are to take anything from this encounter, they will need their young shot-stopper at his very best and have him deliver the kind of performance that first attracted Juveās attention.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Away win: 454-25
Home win: 100-667
Draw: 611-100
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