No distraction. After the great night in Seville, Juventus plunges back into the championship and does so with a tricky match, certainly not the ideal way to sober up the Champions League. Juric's Genoa requires physical and mental commitment, especially within Marassi's friendly walls: this is why this afternoon (15 pm) a hungry Juve will be needed, almost as if the standings were decidedly more open. The 7-point lead over Roma (but since yesterday Milan are minus 4), in fact, would allow for much more than one misstep, but woe to tell Massimiliano Allegri.
“I remember that I have already lost a championship with 8 points on the second – explained the coach in the press conference. – In Serie A it's quick to make up ground, 7 points seem like a lot but they aren't. This month we're playing for part of the Scudetto, between now and March we'll only have to think about this. Genoa, Atalanta, Turin and the direct clash with Roma: a lot of our championship passes through these 4 matches". The tactic of keeping everyone on the ropes continues undaunted, in defiance of the balance of power which sees Juve clearly favored for the final victory.
However, the results prove Allegri right: his players never give up and face matches with anger and determination. At Marassi, the coach will be able to count on Gonzalo Higuain, called up again after last week's break, although it remains to be seen whether from the start or only during the match. In the first hypothesis (the most probable) it will be 3-5-2 with Buffon in goal, Rugani, Bonucci and Evra in defence, Lichtsteiner (or Dani Alves), Khedira, Marchisio, Pjanic and Alex Sandro in midfield, Mandzukic and, of course, Pipita in attack, vice versa will be 4-3-3 along the lines of what we saw in Seville. Juric, back from the defeat against Lazio and without victories for over a month (the 3-0 over Milan dates back to 25 October), will attempt the feat by relying on a 3-4-3 with Perin between the goalposts, Izzo, Burdisso and Munoz in the backline, Lazovic, Rincon, Ntcham and Laxalt in the midfield, Rigoni, Simeone and Ocampos in the offensive trident.
Much easier, at least on paper, the match of Roma, engaged in the postponement of the Olimpico against Pescara (20.45 pm). But the Giallorossi, as we know, are unpredictable and often subject to sensational drops in tension: an almost atavistic vice, yet to be resolved as soon as possible if you really want to pursue glorious goals. “Sometimes when you make things too easy then they become dangerous – commented Luciano Spalletti. – Pescara should not be underestimated, they are an insidious team capable of exploiting dead balls, an aspect on which we need to improve instead”.
On paper, however, there really doesn't seem to be a game: Oddo's team, last in terms of points won on the field (the only victory is the 3-0 at the table against Sassuolo), scores little and suffers a lot. Roma could get married, even if the hardships of the Europa League could make themselves felt. Spalletti will line up the classic 4-2-3-1 with Szczesny in goal, Bruno Peres, Rudiger, Fazio and Juan Jesus in defence, De Rossi and Strootman in midfield, Salah, Nainggolan and Perotti in the trocar behind lone striker Dzeko. Oddo will respond with a 3-4-2-1 with Bizzarri in goal, Vitturini, Zuparic and Biraghi in the back, Zampano, Memushaj, Brugman and Crescenzi in the midfield, Benali and Caprari in support of Bahebeck.
