Champions, last call. Juventus and Lazio, after the results of yesterday's advances, they face this Sunday with the awareness of necessarily having to win against Genoa (20.45 pm) to Sampdoria (18)otherwise the Champions League zone, respectively 10 and 12 points away after Atalanta's victory in Naples, will become just a mirage.
This is a delicate game for the Bianconeri and not just for the standings. In fact, everything that is happening off the field, with the Prisma investigation which is enriched with new chapters every day, makes the moment of the Lady particularly delicate, thus increasing the pressure on Allegri's team. Which, after beating Salernitana, must also repeat itself against Genoa, above all to continue to hope for a fundamental Champions comeback, even more so after the events mentioned above.
“The environment is peaceful, but we have to try to win a few games in a row – confirmed the Juventus coach -. I have nothing to comment on the rest, we only think about football. To take back the scene we need to take one step at a time starting with Genoa, we need to win again at home against a team that, since Sheva arrived, has come from two defeats and one draw".
There is therefore only one goal, moreover it could not be otherwise: the rossoblu, still without Destro, Caicedo and Criscito, are in great difficulty and certainly do not represent an insurmountable obstacle. Juve in these first months of the season, however, has accustomed us to disconcerting ups and downs, which is why it is good not to take anything for granted, not even in the face of a clearly inferior opponent. Allegri, after the successful experiment in Salerno, seems to have found a balance with the 4-2-3-1, which guarantees a mix of solidity and offensive quality, even if a counter-proof is clearly urgent. The coach will try to get it by deploying Szczesny in goal, Cuadrado, Bonucci, De Ligt and Luca Pellegrini in defense, Locatelli and Rabiot in midfield, Kulusevski, Dybala and Bernardeschi behind the lone striker Morata. Shevchenko, still in an emergency due to the many absences mentioned above, will respond with a 3-5-2 with Sirigu in goal, Biraschi, Masiello and Vasquez in the back, Sabelli, Behrami, Badelj, Hernani and Cambiaso in the midfield, Bianchi and Ekuban in attack.
The other delicate challenge on Sunday is undoubtedly the one between Sampdoria and Lazio (15 pm), with Sarri forced to win in order not to abandon European ambitions. If the Champions League, in fact, seems to be an almost unattainable goal at the moment, this is not the case for the other competitions, provided however that we find that hitherto unknown continuity. The Biancoceleste coach had been hired to combine play and results, but at the moment neither one nor the other has arrived, as demonstrated by the last three games, which have seen Lazio pick up just one point between Juventus, Naples and Udinese, even conceding 10 goals and scoring only 4.
In short, this is not the case and the Genoa race must serve as a turning point, worth the risk of straying too far from the top of the standings. Sarri, silent yesterday as after every midweek shift, was (is) on the verge of renewal, but it is clear that the latest results may have given Lotito some doubts: a success is urgently needed, even if Sampdoria, especially in Marassi, are not he is just the ideal opponent to meet. Compared to Thursday, Patric will be missing, expelled with Udinese and therefore disqualified, while Luiz Felipe will return, able and enlisted again. Sarri will confirm the canonical 4-3-3 with Reina in goal, Lazzari, Luiz Felipe, Acerbi and Hysaj in defense, Milinkovic-Savic, Lucas Leiva and Basic in midfield, Pedro, Immobile and Zaccagni in attack. D'Aversa, fresh from the defeat in Florence, will try to take advantage of the home advantage by relying on a 4-4-2 with Audero between the posts, Bereszynski, Yoshida, Chabot and Murru in the back, Candreva, Thorsby, Ekdal and Verre in the midfield , Quagliarella and Caputo offensive couple.
