Interestingly, round 10 of the 2015/2016 Serie A season proved to be a turning point for both Juventus and Roma. At that point, the Giallorossi were on top of the Serie A table, whilst the Bianconeri were sitting in 12th, with just 12 points versus Roma's 23. The reigning Scudetto champions were having a nightmare of a season as they attempted to make it a fifth straight league title, whilst the runners-up from the past two seasons were being touted as possible contenders to finally end Juve's reign as champions of Italy.
However, flash-forward 11 rounds later and the two sides' situations have virtually flip-flopped, with Juventus going from strength to strength. Meanwhile, Roma have floundered and are struggling to re-gain a foothold in the battle for the Scudetto, which all sets things up nicely for an interesting battle at the Juventus Stadium later today.
Juventus
Since losing to Sassuolo on October 28th, Massimiliano Allegri's men have not dropped any points in their past ten domestic fixtures. 30 points out of 30 have seen them rise from hovering above the relegation spots to effectively chasing down and overtaking Roma, Fiorentina, and Inter to sit just two points behind Napoli. And despite the Partenopei enjoying one of their most successive campaigns in decades, they will still be looking over their shoulders warily and will be feeling the pressure to keep Juve at bay for as long as possible.
Having downed Lazio 1-0 in a tough Coppa Italia quarter-finals match at the Stadio Olimpico last week, Juventus need just two more wins to match the 12 that they achieved under Antonio Conte during the 2013/2014 season, during which they became the first Italian side to break the 100 points mark. The hosts will also be keen on avenging their 2-1 defeat to Roma back in August and with the momentum firmly in their favor, Allegri's side are viewed as favorites to come out on top.
Historically, Juve have fared well against Roma, especially in Turin and have scored in each and every single one of their past 12 home games, with 26 goals so far. Here are some other interesting stats and facts ahead of Serie A's biggest game this weekend:
Allegri opted to rotate his squad for the Coppa Italia tie, especially in attack, but Paulo Dybala, who has been vital to the team's resurgence will definitely start as opposed to coming on as a late sub like he did in the Italian capital and will probably be paired with Croatian international Mario Mandzukic in attack. Although veteran defender Andrea Barzagli participated in training and was included in the squad list for this game it will remain to be seen whether Allegri will risk him or opt to give young starlet Daniele Rugani another chance to feature alongside Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, whilst Gianluigi Buffon will re-claim his position from Neto for this crunch clash. Both Sami Khedira and Patrice Evra, who were rested for the Coppa Italia match have also been included in the group for this evening's game.
Roma
Since beating Lazio in the Derby della Capitale on November 8th, Roma have only won one Serie A game - a 2-0 result over Genoa in their final match of 2015. This was not enough to save Rudi Garcia's position, especially after they were disgraced in the Coppa Italia by lower-tier side Spezia. As such, Luciano Spaletti now has the tough task of revitalizing the team after overseeing a disappointing 1-1 draw with bottom ranked Hellas Verona in his first game in charge.
Whilst Roma's attack has done quite well - their 37 goals are tied with Juve and only behind Napoli in terms of firepower - their porous defense has cost them time and time again. With three draws so far, Roma are still seeking their first win of 2016 and frustratingly for their fans, the stalemates with Chievo, AC Milan, and Hellas Verona saw the team throw away a lead - and a vital six points - each and every single time and they will need to improve on this if they want to have any chance of catching the top three sides in the league.
All in all Roma have won just one out of their past 11 games across all competitions. Many have earmarked this as a win-or-bust game for the Giallorossi and any title ambitions they may have harbored at the start of this season. In terms of personnel, they will be missing Salih Ucan and Maicon due to injury and should they win in Turin later today - their first time in six years - it could provide the spark the team desperately need after hitting a rough patch of form as of late.
Which channel is broadcasting Juventus vs Roma on TV or Online?
The Bianconeri have fully returned to the same form that saw them crowned champions of Italy for the past four consecutive seasons. Meanwhile, the Giallorossi have not appeared to have fully recovered, despite the change in manager and if you are in Turin, this will be indeed an interesting clash to behold at Juventus Stadium.
However if you live too far away, or elsewhere in Italy, no worries. LiveSoccerTV.com is here to make sure you do not miss out on what will be a tense match from start to finish with viewing choices via your TV, computer, phone, or tablet. Here are some selections for fans residing in the following countries:
- In the USA at 14.45 EST on: beIN Sports USA, beIN SPORTS CONNECT U.S.A., fuboTV
- In Italy at 20.45 CET on: Sky Supercalcio HD, Sky Sport 1 HD Italia, Sky Calcio 1, SKY Go Italia
- In the UK at 19.45 GMT on: BT Sport Europe
- In Canada at 14.45 ET on: beIN SPORTS CONNECT Canada, beIN Sports Canada
Live elsewhere? Simply check out our special Juventus vs Roma broadcast page for viewing times and options for wherever you are currently based.
*Note: Live broadcast data is subject to change*
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