Serie A: Saturday Night Showdown in Rome as Two Giants Seek Return to the Top

Juventus vs AS Roma

Two of the giants of the Italian game are set for an early season collision this Saturday night and it’s one which should prove a handy barometer to their fortunes in Serie A this term.

Just three games in, the contest should help inform us if either Juventus – the domestic force in Italian football for a decade until last year – or AS Roma – the club from the capital which has flattered to deceive for so long – are actually ready to mount a title charge.

Whatever happens, no quarter will be given.

Talking Points

Let’s start with the hosts who have four points from their first two fixtures after a comfortable win over Sassuolo was followed by a goalless draw at Sampdoria.

The Bianconeri have been busy since then with Arkadiusz Milik brought in on loan from Olympique Marseille – the former Napoli centre-forward had his medical today – while reports refuse to disappear linking the club with a move for Leandro Paredes.

He would be the second player to move from Paris Saint-Germain to Juve this summer – the clubs have actually been drawn against each other in the Champions League group stages – joining his good friend Angel Di Maria.

Paredes is no stranger to Serie A, having already played for Roma and Empoli before leaving for Zenit St Petersburg in 2017.

While he won’t be signed in time to play his former club, there will be one man on the opposing side who very much will.

Serie A: Paulo Dybala moved to AS Roma after playing for Juventus — Paulo Dybala during AS Roma’s pre-season friendly against Tottenham Hotspur

For this fixture represents a quick return for Paulo Dybala whose signing had Roma fans in a frenzy earlier this summer after seven years in Turin, during which time he won five Italian titles.

It will be fascinating to see what kind of response he receives from the home faithful in a match bound to deliver Serie A highlights one way or the other.

Roma, who are reportedly closing on a move for Andrea Belotti as a free agent, arrive two points ahead of their rivals after two wins out of two.

An opening weekend 1-0 win at Salernitana was followed by exactly the same scoreline at home to Cremonese on Monday.

In that match, Chris Smalling headed home the only goal and promptly sent a message of support to injured teammate Georginio Wijnaldum.

Wijnaldum only joined on loan from PSG a few weeks ago but fractured his tibia during a training session last weekend.

There was a further injury blow for Jose Mourinho’s side in the match when Nicolò Zaniolo was carried off on stretcher with what appeared to be a serious shoulder injury, although it’s hoped he may be able to return within a month.

Either way, both players will obviously miss this encounter for the club from the capital who have been linked with Mady Camara of Olympiacos as a replacement for the Dutch midfielder.

At the end of last season, I said the jury was still out on Mourinho and Roma, even if the campaign ended in silverware as his team held off a spirited comeback from Dutch side Feyenoord, who were twice denied by the woodwork, to ensure he became the first manager to win a European trophy with four different clubs.

That’s because Roma’s entire campaign was one of inconsistency: never losing more than two matches in a row and, only on two occasions, winning three consecutive games.

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However, I also said the club from the Eternal City now have something to build on and it will be interesting to see where they are placed among the SBOTOP Serie A betting odds when next season arrives.

That has now happened and it is fixture like this which will prove exactly how much they are progressing.

History

Roma have only three victories over Juventus in their last 13 meetings and the most recent two came at the end of successive campaigns in which Juventus had already clinched the Scudetto.

I remember a few years ago when Juve were in their pomp and, with the title very much up for grabs, they won 2-1 in the Stadio Olimpico courtesy of two goals inside the opening 10 minutes.

Roma won the return but by then the title celebrations were in full swing.

Overall, Roma have won on 41 occasions in Serie A, there have been 51 draws and 86 Juve triumphs.

That included a league double last term, such as in the corresponding fixture when Moise Kean netted the only goal of the game last October.

The return match in Rome in January was a seven-goal thriller and one which left Mourinho’s men kicking themselves.

With 20 minutes remaining, they led 3-1, thanks to goals from Tammy Abraham, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Lorenzo Pellegrini.

Then, in the space of seven minutes, Juve scored three times through Manuel Locatelli, Dejan Kulusevski and Mattia De Sciglio to produce a remarkable turnaround and they held on, even after Matthijs De Ligt was sent off shortly afterwards.