Match point or everything reopened, we'll know tonight. Roma-Juventus (at 21) represents the day of judgment of the Italian championship, a sort of in or out for the fight for the Scudetto. It is useless to hide: a black and white victory would close any kind of discussion, more or less like a draw. Only a Giallorossi success would therefore put everything back into play, even if the points behind would still remain many. That's why the pressure is all on Garcia's team, the first to be sensationally exposed just one group ago.
“I made those statements to increase ambitions but I was punished for my pride – admitted the French coach. – Roma's destiny, however, is to fight for the Scudetto, this year and next year as well. We really want to win this match, the boys will give everything”.
The success in Rotterdam may have awakened the Giallorossi, who were really subdued in these first months of 2015. In fact, with the new year there were almost only draws: 6 in 8 games, which created a void in the standings. Hence the great advantage of Juventus, determined to close the games as soon as possible.
“It will be an important match but not decisive – Allegri glossed over. – After this there will be 13 more, plus Napoli is getting closer. However, it is clear that keeping the direct confrontation in favor would be a great advantage, but the important thing will be not to give up even an inch”. A lot of pre-tactics on both sides, hardly anyone really wanted the role of favourite. On the other hand, Roma-Juventus is a delicate match, one of those with a high level of inflammability.
How can we forget, for example, the furious controversies of the first leg? “They overshadowed a beautiful match” Allegri sighed, aware of the intrinsic pitfalls of the challenge. To which, paradoxically, the Giallorossi seem to get better, at least in terms of formations. In fact, Juventus will have to give up Pirlo (the difficult goal is to recover him for Dortmund) and even Vidal and Pogba, even if called up, are certainly not in the best of conditions.
If Allegri decides to risk both of them we'll see the usual 4-3-1-2 again, vice versa if he were to leave the Frenchman at rest there's a very good chance we'll see Conti's 3-5-2 again, with Lichtsteiner, Pereyra, Marchisio, Vidal and Evra at midfield, behind the strikers Tevez and Morata.
In the extreme hypothesis of playing even without the Chilean, the 3-4-2-1 is ready, with the Apache and Coman behind Llorente. The eve of Roma is less problematic, albeit much shorter than the black and white one. In fact, the Europa League commitment dates back to Thursday, two days after Juve victorious over Borussia Dortmund. Garcia will have to do without Maicon and Doumbia, for the rest, apart from "chronic" injuries, everyone will be there.
The Frenchman will bet everything on the usual 4-3-3 with De Sanctis in goal, Florenzi, Manolas, Yanga Mbiwa and Holebas in defence, Nainggolan, De Rossi and Pjanic in midfield, Gervinho, Totti and Ljajic in attack. The referee will be Orsato di Schio, called to direct a hot challenge as his colleague Rocchi knows well. Let's hope that, this time, the match director is only mentioned in the pre-match.
