Stadium: Allianz (Torino)
The central match of round 8 or maybe the entire first half of the season in Serie A, will take place in Turin where Massimiliano Allegri's Juventus will take on Jose Mourinho's Roma. Who will win in this exciting confrontation? There are several options to consider.
Juventus is shaping up as an Allegri's team
Since the season started, it was clear that sooner or later Juve would start to win consistently. We did not have to wait long. Before the international break, the Bianconeri won four games in a row. And if victories over Spezia and Sampdoria with the same score of 3-2 left questions about the Turin side's defensive performance, the 1-0 victory over Chelsea in the Champions League and the 1-0 victory over Torino in the derby were proof enough that Allegri's Juventus is back.
In both encounters, Allegri seems to have finally decided how exactly his favorite 4-4-2 will function. Oddly enough, it was injuries that helped. Dybala and Morata absent, the coach had to remove Chiesa from the flank and put him in the position of a suspended forward. It turned out great. Chiesa paired with both Bernardeschi and Kean looked fresh and unpredictable for the opposition. Paulo Dybala is said to be healthy for the meeting with Roma. His attacking combination with Chiesa looks even more promising. It will be interesting to watch.
Roma began to slump
While the Romans were fresh and the calendar was favorable to them, Jose Mourinho had no problem getting a result. Then, however, fatigue set in, and Roma played a lot of games in the Conference League, and victories were no longer as easy to earn. In the 5 games before the international break, the Giallorossi lost twice. 2-3 away to inferior Verona and most importantly 2-3 in the derby at the hands of Lazio. Maurizio Sarri's side had already managed to tear their arch-enemy to pieces with a two-goal lead by the 19th minute. The rest was a matter of technique.
It seems that Roma does not always have enough performers. Especially in the central zone, where there are good attacking midfielders like Pellegrini, Veretout, and Cristante, and almost no one who can be really effective closer to their own possession: Diawara and Darboe clearly do not live up to the level that Mourinho and the Giallorossi fans would like to see in this crucial position.
Head-to-head encounters
Juventus won 11 of the last 12 home games against Roma.
Expert Betting Tips
To be honest, Roma's chances of scoring at least 1 point in the upcoming game are elusive. Mourinho's team, given the bias in the recruitment of performers, is forced to play on the attack, and this is the best thing Juventus could imagine. Allegri's Bianconeri were playful against attacking teams in the era of the two Champions League finals, and now they are finally returning to that style, with concrete defense and stabbing counterattacks. Success against Roma will be another step up for the Turin side.
Prediction: Juventus will win.
Betting options:
- Juventus To Win for 1.88;
- Handicap Juventus (-1) for 2.77.
Other predictions
