Looking for the first win. Juventus and Atalanta are once again thinking about the Champions League after the successes of the championship, which has seen them advance forcefully in the standings. In Europe, however, it's another story, with the Bianconeri and Nerazzurri still stuck, respectively, at 1 and 0 points: a wake-up call is urgently needed, otherwise the race towards the round of 21 risks getting complicated. For the Lady this would be a big problem, especially in the year in which it was decided to close the Allegri cycle to open a more "international" one with Sarri. In all of this you have to beat Bayer Leverkusen in Turin (XNUMXpm), otherwise, as well as messing up the group, you risk ruining the week leading up to Inter.
“Already thinking about that match would be a sensational mistake, the Germans are strong – growled Sarri. – If one has clear ideas he cannot have his head elsewhere, Leverkusen are one point behind Bayern and have the best physical values in the whole Bundesliga. It's a team that surprised me with the quality of its dribbling, I repeat: it's such a difficult match that thinking of anything else would be truly unforgivable."
The attempt to cancel the Derby d'Italia has its own reason, yet it is unlikely that the environment, at least the external one, does not already have its sights set on San Siro. Also because the Germans, although very respectable, have technical values that are decidedly inferior to those of Juve, which is why tonight we must win at all costs. One of the most debated topics of the eve was the Dybala-Higuain-Ronaldo trident, invoked by fans and the press but, at least so far, remained only a fascinating hypothesis.
“For someone who sits at the bar, it's even beautiful – joked, but not too much, Sarri. – I have to think about balancing the team, that's why this solution can only be good for some parts of the game. Having said that, I hope the boys are prepared, it's something you can try."
In short, nothing to do, at least from the first minute. In fact, the Juventus coach has decided to confirm the 4-3-1-2 formation of the last few games, therefore Szczesny in goal, Cuadrado, Bonucci, De Ligt and Alex Sandro in defence, Khedira, Pjanic and Matuidi in midfield, Ramsey in the trocar, Ronaldo and Dybala in attack.
Classic 4-2-3-1 also for Bosz, who will respond with Hradecky in goal, L. Bender, Tah, S. Bender and Wendell in the back, Baumgartlinger and Aranguiz in the midfield, Volland, Havertz and Amiri behind the single wingtip.
For a Juve called to win, there is an Atalanta forced to do so, otherwise the Champions League dream could be almost over. The bad defeat in Zagreb still hurts, but the successes in Rome and Reggio Emilia have shown that the Goddess is there, and how if there is. The bet is to understand if Gasperini's football can also work in the European context, and in this sense the Shakhtar test (18.55 pm) is quite interesting.
“It's an important match and it's clear that the result in Zagreb forces us to look for points – said the Nerazzurri coach. – The margins of error are very small, after all, in a group of only six games it couldn't be otherwise…”.
In a Bergamo-style San Siro we will see an Atalanta dressed in the usual 3-4-2-1, with Gollini in goal, Toloi, Kjaer and Masiello in defense, Hateboer, De Roon, Freuler and Gosens in midfield, Gomez and Ilicic on frontline, Zapata in attack.
Castro, also zero points after the blowout against City, will try to win with a 4-2-3-1 formation that will see Pyatov in goal, Bolbat, Kryvtsov, Matviyenko and Ismaily in the back, Alan Patrick and Stepanenko in midfielder, Taison, Marlos and Konoplyanka behind lone striker Junior Moraes.
