Genoa vs Juventus
Italian Serie A
Tuesday, 30 June 2020.
Kick off 20:45 UK/ 21:45 CET
Stadion Luigi Ferraris.
Match preview
Genoa has not played outside of Serie A for the 2006-07 season, but they relegation last season just survived - finishing 17th place - and are in another battle to stay in the league this term.
The Red and Blues have only won six of their 28 league games during the 2019-20 campaign, picking up 26 points to hold 17, a point clear of Lecce placed 18 on the same number of games.
Davide Nicola side suffered a 4-1 defeat at home to Parma on their return to action June 23 before drawing 2-2 at Brescia Saturday as they say this could be an important point on the map.
Genoa recent form is actually quite strong, having lost only two of their last eight in the league, picking up victories over Cagliari, Bologna and AC Milan in the process.
A clash with the defending champions and current leaders are not quite what the supporters would have wanted on Tuesday night, but during a very important stage of the season.
Juventus lost to Napoli in the Coppa Italia on 17 June, but they picked up two wins from their two Serie A matches since the resumption of their campaign earlier this month.
Indeed, a 2-0 win over Bologna on June 22 was followed by a 4-0 success at Lecce, which means that the side Maurizio Sarri could consolidate their place at the top of the division.
Juve have now won their last five top flight in Italy and sit four points for second place Lazio, who will take the Torino immediately before that particular match occurs.
Lazio could be one point behind the leaders when the game starts, and it is certainly not inconceivable that the team could lose points Sarri Tuesday night.
Genoa take missed 2-0 winners in the corresponding set during the 2018-19 campaign, with Stefano Sturaro and Goran Pandev both in scoring the last 20 minutes.
Team News
Genoa
Manager Nicola does not have many injury problems with only two players set to miss when Juventus come to visit. Captain Domenico Criscito and the middle of the main defensive midfielder Ivan Radojanovic are the two that will not be available for selection.
Nicola is likely to slightly adjust the configuration 3-4-1-2 he used against Brescia last time, adding another midfielder to add side.On-loan goalkeeper steel more Juventus Mattia Perin set to start between the sticks.
Another loanee Juventus Cristian Romero, should start in the back lines of three men alongside Adama Soumaoro and Cristián Zapata, though Arthur Masiello is an option. Davide oblong Biraschi as the rear wing on the right side at the last and should continue in the same position before Paolo Ghighlione. Antonio Barreca should be on the left side in the absence of Criscito.
Lasse Schöne, signed from Ajax last summer, is expected to be in the side, scoring as the deepest of the three central midfielders. the partnership of each side must be Valon Behrami and Stefano Sturaro who seek to disrupt the play of the accumulation of Juventus and push forward when in possession.
Andrea Pinamonti, who scored in the last game against Brescia, scheduled to begin Tuesday. Antonio Sanabria partner could the young, although 36 years Goran Pandev is also an option for the manager.
Probable composition (3-5-2): Perin; Zapata Romero Soumaoro Biraschi, Behrami, Schone, Sturaro, Barreca; Pinamonti, Sanabria
Juventus
Juventus boss Maurizio Sarri not be able to appeal to three players from the first team like Sami Khedira, Alex Sandro and Mattia De Sciglio everyone missing with injuries. Danilo is back racing after serving his one-match suspension.
The big title ahead of the game, however, is that star midfielder Miralem Pjanić signed for Barcelona with Arthur Melo to Juventus move. Both players will continue to play for their current clubs until the season is over. Sarri should continue with his preferred 4-3-3 system with Wojciech Szczesny aligning between the sticks for the champions.
Juan Cuadrado is expected to continue at right-back, while Danilo return should walk back right into the starting lineup, slotting into the left side of defense. Matthijs de Ligt, who scored in the last game, should continue to pair with Leonardo Bonucci in the heart of the backline.
Pjanic, despite his current situation is expected to continue at the base of the midfield three men and try to dictate the tempo of the game. Rodrigo Bentancur must be kept probably the center of the park, while Blaise Matuidi should return to midfield after starting at the back left of the last. Adrien Rabiot drops to the bench.
Paulo Dybala and Cristiano Ronaldo were both on the scoresheet against Lecce in the previous match and should start against Genoa. The former will operate the center, with Ronaldo on the left while Federico Bernardeschi should be on the side of right.
Probable composition (4-3-3): Szczesny; Cuadrado de Ligt, Bonucci, Danilo; Bentancur, Pjanic, Matuidi; Bernardeschi, Dybala Ronaldo
Genoa vs Juventus: head-to-head (H2H)
Juve has three wins and one loss in the last 5 clashes with the opposition.
Four of the five games had under 2.5 goals in total.
The local team has three wins and two defeats against Juventus this field.
Three of the five games have seen them under 2.5 goals at the final whistle.
Juventus is a series of five match wins in the league.
Genoa is a series of defeats 2 home game in the league.
Prediction
Genoa 0-2 Juventus
Genoa did well to come back from two goals down to rescue a point against Brescia last time. However, Il Grifone were quite vulnerable at the back of the end, after conceding six goals in his last two games and seven in their last two home games.
Juventus on the other hand, are not quite free flowing too go ahead, but are a solid unit at the back, offering the best defense in the league. They kept three clean sheets in their last three league games, while the form of Paulo Dybala scorer Cristiano Ronaldo is a good omen for them.
The Hard Tackle, therefore, predicts it to end in a 2-0 win for the defending champions, with another clean sheet in the bag.
