Italian Serie A preview: Juventus FC – AS Roma (Part 1)
Bianconeri regaining momentum
Luigi Del Neri’s side are on a good run of form, the side recorded consecutive victories over AC Milan and Cesena before being held to a 1 – 1 draw by a lowly Brescia outfit. Bianconeri are undefeated since 23rd September
when they were defeated 1 – 3 at home by Palermo. However, having said that, Bianconeri need to get maximum points against lower oppositions; Juve have dropped points against Brescia, Bologna and Sampdoria.
If Juve manage to win this game and rest of the results go in Bianconeri favour, Del Neri’s side will go second in the league. As things stand at the moment, Juve stand fifth in league with 19 points from eleven games; a single point behind
fourth placed Inter Milan and four points off the summit. With numerous key players returning from injuries, Del Neri will be confident of his side registering a victory.
However, Del Neri is not counting his chickens yet and has called on his squad to perform.
“We have a compact group and recent situations have gone to stimulate the team. We are working well, but we have to carrying on improving. Are Roma stronger than us? If you base that on the fact their group of players has been the same
for years then I would say yes"
Battling With Roman Spirit
With a 3 – 2 victory over a struggling Fiorentina outfit, Gilarossi have completed a dramatic turnaround to their season. Roma made a truly disastrous start to the season. Gilarossi woes were no secret, if anything as they have been well
documented and the fans are bound to remember it. The victory was third on the trot for Ranieri’s team and fourth in all competitions.
Roma are now sixth in the league with 18 points from opening 11 rounds, just a single point behind Juventus. The victory over Viola has kept Gilarossi’s slim Scudetto hopes alive but Roman gladiators must improve further if they are to
stay in the Scudetto race. Ranieri’s side have a woeful away record with just a single victory on their travels. Lupi defence has conceded nine goals away from home and have scored a miserly four.
Apart from being a titanic battle between two of Serie A’s greatest sides, the game would present Claudio Ranieri with an ideal opportunity to get one over his former employees. Ranieri was shown the door last season following a disastrous
start to the season with Bianconeri. However, Ranieri will have to leave his personal grudges aside when his team lines up against Juve.
Gilarossi have the ideal opportunity to break into the Calcio top four with a victory and a positive result will also catalyse Gilarossi campaign for the rest of the season.
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