Italian giants Juventus will resume their Serie A campaign post the international break with a home game against Genoa. The Old Lady suffered a blow to their hopes of securing a top finish prior to the break, and they will be eager to return to winning ways here.
The Turin-based outfit are fifth in the Italian top flight with 54 points in their 30 outings. They have won 15, drawn nine and lost six games so far. Luciano Spalletti’s team have been far from convincing in the ongoing campaign.
They have only won two out of their last five league games and are heading into this fixture on the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw against Sassuolo. After a lengthy break, they will not be eager to get things back on track, as they are three points behind fourth-placed Como and dropping any more points could seriously dent their chances of playing in the Champions League next season.
Meanwhile, the visitors are 13th on the table with 33 points in their 30 outings. While they have only won eight games so far, three of those wins have come in their last five outings. They are in no immediate danger of getting dragged into the relegation battle, as they are six points clear of the drop zone.
However, they still can’t afford to relax with eight games left. Genoa lost 2-0 to Udinese prior to the break, and they will certainly look to get back to winning ways. But going up against one of the most stacked teams in the country won’t be easy. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
With Arkadiusz Milik and Dusan Vlahovic back fit, Luciano Spalletti should have a fully fit squad to choose from this time around.
The Old Lady will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Mattia Perin is expected to take charge in goal. Pierre Kalulu and Andrea Cambiaso are expected to be the full-backs, while Gleison Bremer should partner with Lloyd Kelly in central defence.
In the centre of the park, Khephren Thuram and Manuel Locatelli will form the double pivot. They will shield the backline and look to control the tempo of the game.
Francisco Conceicao and Boga are expected to feature on the flanks, providing much-needed width to their attacks. Weston McKennie will take up the number ten role, while Kenan Yildiz could be the one leading the line despite the presence of a number of options up top.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Perin; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Thuram, Locatelli; Conceicao, McKennie, Boga; Yildiz
Daniele De Rossi could be without the duo of Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Maxwel Cornet, as both of them are struggling with muscle injuries.
Genoa will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, where Justin Bijlow will take charge in goal. In the heart of the defence, Leo Ostigard will partner with Alessandro Marcandalli and Johan Vasquez.
The trio will look to keep things tight at the back, and they will receive significant support from Mikael Ellertsson and Aaron Caricol, who will feature as the wing-backs.
In the centre of the park, Morten Frendrup will partner with Ruslan Malinovskyi. The two central midfielders will look to create opportunities to hit Juventus on the break.
Junior Messias and Vitinha will feature as the two attacking midfielders behind Lorenzo Colombo, who will continue to lead the line for Genoa against Juventus on Monday.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Bijlow; Marcandalli, Ostigard, Vasquez; Ellertsson, Frendrup, Malinovskyi, Martin; Messias, Vitinha; Colombo
The Portuguese international certainly seems to be enjoying his time in Turin. He has established himself as a key figure at Juventus under Luciano Spalletti. In the ongoing campaign, the 23-year-old has been involved in 34 matches across competitions and has racked up over 2,000 minutes.
He has also contributed towards seven goals. While the majority of his appearances have come on the right flank, he has also been deployed as a second striker and an attacking midfielder when needed. He has started each of their last four league games and has contributed towards three goals. Conceicao is in form and will look to add to his tally against Genoa.
Juventus will head into this fixture under pressure, given their recent inconsistency and the importance of securing a top-four finish. Playing at home, they are expected to take control of the game, dominate possession, and create better chances as they look to get their campaign back on track.
Genoa, however, have shown signs of improvement in recent weeks and could look to make things difficult with a compact setup and quick transitions. While they do have the ability to trouble the hosts, especially on the counter, Juventus’ superior quality and depth should eventually make the difference in what could be a competitive encounter. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the home team.
