Juventus begin their 2026/27 Serie A campaign on Sunday with a trip to newly-promoted Frosinone at the Stadio Benito Stirpe.
The hosts return to Italy’s top flight hoping to make an immediate impression, but they could hardly have been handed a more demanding opening assignment.
Frosinone arrive with momentum following promotion and an emphatic Coppa Italia victory, while Juventus enter the new campaign with a reshaped squad but familiar expectations of competing towards the top of Serie A. Frosinone earned their place back among Italy’s elite following an impressive 2025-26 Serie B campaign and will be determined to make their latest stay in Serie A more successful than previous attempts.
Their competitive season has already begun encouragingly and the Canarini produced an excellent attacking display to defeat Juve Stabia 4-1 in the Coppa Italia, providing a substantial confidence boost before facing Juventus. Frosinone have now won six of their last 10 matches and scored in every game during that sequence.
That attacking consistency offers some encouragement against considerably stronger opposition. One player Juventus must monitor carefully is Giacomo Calò. Across Serie A and Serie B last season, his assists directly contributed more points to his team than any other player, with 13 assists and 15 key passes highlighting his creative importance.
New arrival Romano Schmid should also add quality and experience in attacking areas and could become an important figure as Frosinone attempt to establish themselves in the top flight. However, their opening-day history makes uncomfortable reading as Frosinone have lost all three of their previous Serie A Matchday One fixtures, suffering defeats against Torino in 2015-16, Atalanta in 2018-19 and Napoli in 2023-24.
However, Juventus arrive in Lazio with significantly greater expectations as the Bianconeri have undergone several squad changes during the summer, but their objective remains to challenge at the top of Italian football and potentially fight for the Scudetto.
One of their most important pieces of business was completing the permanent signing of Randal Kolo Muani. The French forward has already demonstrated his suitability to Serie A, averaging a goal every 146 minutes for Juventus in the competition. That represents his best goals-per-minute ratio for any club he has represented across Europe’s top five leagues. His importance has increased following the departure of Dusan Vlahovic to Besiktas.
Juventus have also strengthened defensively with the arrival of Jhon Lucumí, providing another established option at centre-back as they attempt to maintain the defensive solidity traditionally associated with the club. Kenan Yildiz will have particularly positive memories of the Stadio Benito Stirpe. The Turkish international scored his first-ever Serie A goal against Frosinone on December 23, 2023, announcing himself as one of Juventus’s brightest young talents. He has since developed into a major attacking influence.
The head-to-head numbers strongly favour the visitors as Juventus have won their last five Serie A meetings with Frosinone, having drawn the clubs’ first top-flight encounter 1-1 in September 2015. Across those five victories, the Bianconeri have outscored Frosinone 12-3 and found the net at least twice in every match. Their defensive record is equally impressive. Juventus have kept clean sheets in six of their nine meetings with Frosinone across Serie A, Serie B and the Coppa Italia, equivalent to a 67% shutout rate. The numbers become even more daunting for Frosinone when focusing on this venue.
Juventus have won all three of their Serie A visits to the Stadio Benito Stirpe, scoring exactly twice on every occasion. Frosinone therefore hold a 100% home loss rate against the Bianconeri in the top flight. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Frosinone begin their return to Serie A with confidence after an emphatic 4-1 Coppa Italia victory over Juve Stabia, but Massimiliano Alvini will know that Juventus represent a significant step up in quality. The newly-promoted side have strengthened during the summer, with Romano Schmid and Patrizio Masini among the arrivals who could immediately feature in the starting XI.
In terms of injury and suspension news, the outlook is encouraging. Florian Grillitsch and Aleksa Terzić missed the Coppa Italia victory, but the latest broader Serie A availability update reports no unavailable Frosinone players for Matchday One, with Alvini expected to have his squad available. Seydou Fini is also back in contention after completing his suspension, meaning Frosinone have no suspension concerns for the Juventus match.
Giorgi Kvernadze should retain an important role following an outstanding performance against Juve Stabia, when he scored twice and provided an assist. His direct running could be one of Frosinone’s most effective weapons when Juventus commit players forward.
Frosinone are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Lorenzo Palmisani starting in goal. Anthony Oyono should operate at right-back, with Gabriele Calvani and Ilario Monterisi forming the central defensive partnership and Davide Bracaglia occupying the left-back position.
Patrizio Masini and Giacomo Calò should form the midfield double pivot. Masini can provide greater defensive protection, while Calò will be responsible for helping Frosinone progress possession and supplying the attacking players ahead of him.
In the attacking midfield line, Farès Ghedjemis should operate from the right, with Romano Schmid as the central number 10 and Giorgi Kvernadze starting from the left. Schmid’s creativity will be particularly important if Frosinone spend long periods without possession, while Kvernadze’s excellent early-season form makes him their most obvious threat on transitions.
Antonio Raimondo should lead the line as the centre-forward. He will have the difficult task of occupying Juventus’s centre-backs while providing a target whenever Frosinone need to play more directly.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Palmisani; Oyono, Calvani, Monterisi, Bracaglia; Masini, Calo; Ghedjemis, Schmid, Kvernadze; Raimondo
Juventus begin the new Serie A campaign with a noticeably reshaped squad following another active summer. The departure of Dusan Vlahovic leaves Luciano Spalletti with a major decision at centre-forward, although the permanent return of Randal Kolo Muani provides the Bianconeri with a proven option to lead the attack. Jonathan David and the fit-again Arkadiusz Milik provide further competition for the position.
In terms of injury and suspension news, Jeff Ekhator is expected to miss the opening fixture because of a thigh injury that has disrupted his preparations. Federico Gatti is also considered doubtful and will need to be assessed before the trip to Frosinone. There are no major suspension concerns affecting the expected starting XI, leaving Spalletti’s principal selection issues fitness-related.
Juventus have strengthened several areas during the summer. Zeki Çelik has arrived from Roma to provide another option at right-back, while Bosnian youngster Kerim Alajbegović adds further attacking depth. One of the most significant changes comes in goal, where Guglielmo Vicario is expected to replace Michele Di Gregorio as Juventus’s first-choice goalkeeper.
The Bianconeri are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Vicario starting between the posts. Pierre Kalulu should occupy the right-back position, while Gleison Bremer and Lloyd Kelly are expected to form the central defensive partnership. Andrea Cambiaso should start at left-back, although his versatility will allow him to advance into midfield areas whenever Juventus dominate possession.
Manuel Locatelli and Douglas Luiz should form the midfield double pivot. Locatelli can provide positional discipline and dictate possession from deeper areas, while Luiz offers greater freedom to advance and connect with the attacking players. Their ability to control the centre of the pitch should allow Juventus to establish territorial dominance against the newly-promoted hosts.
Further forward, Francisco Conceição is expected to start from the right wing, with Weston McKennie occupying the central attacking-midfield position and Kenan Yıldız operating from the left. Conceicao can provide direct dribbling and width, while McKennie’s energetic movement should help Juventus press Frosinone high up the pitch.
Yıldız could be especially dangerous when drifting inside from the left. The Turkish international has particularly fond memories of the Stadio Benito Stirpe, having scored his first Serie A goal against Frosinone in December 2023. His ability to carry possession and attack defenders individually should make him one of Juventus’s primary creative outlets.
Randal Kolo Muani is expected to lead the line as the centre-forward. His pace and intelligent movement behind the defence should complement Yıldız and Conceicao, while his impressive Serie A scoring rate makes him the natural favourite to start ahead of David and Milik.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Luiz; Conceicao, McKennie, Yildiz; Kolo Muani
Kenan Yıldız is the player to watch as Juventus begin their Serie A campaign at the Stadio Benito Stirpe. The venue carries special significance for the Turkish international, as he scored his first Serie A goal against Frosinone there on December 23, 2023.
Expected to operate from the left of Juventus’s attacking midfield, Yıldız offers a major threat when carrying possession inside. He covered 6,826 metres with the ball at his feet last season, more than any other forward in Serie A, highlighting his ability to progress attacks through direct running.
His combination with Randal Kolo Muani could be particularly difficult for Frosinone to contain. While Kolo Muani stretches the defensive line, Yıldız can exploit the resulting spaces between the full-back and centre-back.
Against newly-promoted opposition likely to spend long periods defending, Juventus may need individual quality to unlock a compact block. Yıldız’s dribbling, creativity and ability to produce something unexpected make him the leading candidate to do exactly that.
Frosinone’s excellent Coppa Italia performance and recent scoring record suggest Juventus should not expect a completely comfortable evening. The promoted side should approach their home opener with enthusiasm, and players such as Schmid and Calò give them enough creativity to cause occasional problems.
However, the difference in individual quality and Serie A experience remains substantial. Juventus have historically controlled this matchup, while Kolo Muani and Yildiz provide the visitors with enough attacking quality to exploit any mistakes from a newly-promoted defence.
Frosinone should remain competitive, particularly during the opening stages, but Juventus’s greater experience and quality should gradually take control. A professional away victory accompanied by another clean sheet looks the most likely outcome.
