This is Now the Ultimate Serie A Clash

Juventus vs Napoli

As Serie A clashes go, there have been none bigger in recent seasons.

SBOBET followers have seen drama and controversy along the way – not least towards the end of last season when the outsiders from Naples threatened to cause a title shock.

But there has been one major consistency – the heavyweights from Turin, the ‘Old Lady’ of Juventus, have always prevailed.

Can that really change this time around? Or are Juve destined for an eighth successive Scudetto?

Talking Points

Serie A 2018 news has been dominated by the arrival of the best player on planet football.

Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric may have picked up the top prize at the Best Awards in London this week. But, with full respect to the Croatian whizz, can anyone see him driving Real Madrid to three successive Champions League triumphs in the way his former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo just has?

Of course not.

While Ronaldo can give Juve the touch of genius they have lacked in recent seasons in European competition, there is also something in this side more familiar with great Italian sides of yesteryear.

Their superb backs-to-the-wall display against Valencia last week, when down to 10 men following the ridiculous dismissal of Ronaldo, showcased many of the defensive qualities often associated with Catenaccio and Bianconeri sides of the past.

With new club captain Giorgio Chiellini and the recently returned Leonardo Bonucci (after one season at Milan) at the heart of the rearguard, Max Allegri’s side showed they can still produce a defensive masterclass when they need one.

If Juventus remain the team to beat, and their six straight wins in the early stage of the new campaign suggest they are, Napoli remain, without doubt, their biggest rivals. Yet, they have no right to be.

Despite not being able to compete financially – including selling their talisman Gonzalo Higuain to their nemesis two seasons ago – they have constantly remained their nearest challengers (even when Roma pipped them to second place by a point in 2016/17).

They also now have one of the great Italian managers of all time in Carlo Ancelotti.

Serie A: First match-up of the season between Carlo Ancelotti's Napoli and Massimiliano Allegri's Juventus — The stage is set for another feisty clash between Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli and Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus

Although he is not afraid to drop senior players for youth when required, he is aiming to get the best out of the likes of Dries Mertens, Lorenzo Insigne and Marek Hamsik.

Wily Ancelotti almost certainly knows this is a period of transition for the club, especially following the summer departures of Jorginho and Pepe Reina and when up against the big hitters of Juve and free-spending Milan.

That will ensure experience is key for clashes like this, and Ancelotti will need all of his pragmatism and ruthlessness for the visit to the champions.

History

It’s been over three years since this game was won by more than one goal.

In that time, Juventus have won three of the six encounters, with Napoli successful in two and the other being a draw.

Last season saw both clubs record 1-0 successes on their opponents’ turf, thanks respectively to early and late goals.

The season before that saw Juventus edge out 2-1 winners at home and draw 1-1 in Naples.

The year before that, Napoli pushed Juventus all the way to the Serie A crown – at one point holding a healthy lead over the reigning champions. They won 2-1 at home before going down to a solitary goal in Turin.

There have been dramatic late goals in so many of those games, so this is certainly a fixture to watch.