Serie A Week 4 - 23/9/07 (14.00 UK)
Stadio Olimpico
vs. http://www.bianconeri.pl/news/Shifty*gs/juventus.jpg
Even after Juventus’ defeat left them three points off the top, this is still a leadership battle between potential Scudetto winners. Above all, it is their first real meeting since the Calciopoli scandal.
Roma felt they were among the most affronted clubs by disgraced former Bianconeri director general Luciano Moggi and Francesco Totti even suggested they were able to reinforce their squad over the summer only because Big Luciano was no longer pulling the transfer market strings.
Decades of bad blood between the clubs have always made this a tense and keenly felt encounter. Juve have won on their last two trips here, including a humiliating 4-1 result in November 2005, but the memory of their 4-0 defeat 18 months earlier still stings too.
It’s the first time in almost four years that the Giallorossi have topped the table on their own. The only side with a 100 per cent record and three consecutive clean sheets, they are the form team in Serie A. Juan, Simone Perrotta, David Pizarro and Christian Panucci seem to have put their injury worries behind them, so only Marco Andreolli is thought to be a doubt for this game. Luciano Spalletti faces his first huge challenge this week with the Champions League opener against Dinamo Kiev followed by this showdown with Juventus.
Claudio Ranieri could be tempted to tinker after the disappointing 1-0 home loss to Udinese. It was their first defeat in Turin in Serie A for two years and highlighted once again the lack of cohesion between defence and midfield. Mauro Camoranesi’s right thigh injury changed that game and Juve may be forced to do without him for quite some time.
With Jonathan Zebina sitting out a four-match ban and injuries to Marco Marchionni, Jean-Alain Boumsong, Zdenek Grygera and Hasan Salihamidzic, it looks as if youngsters Giorgio Chiellini, Domenico Criscito and Antonio Nocerino must man the fort. The latter is in doubt though too after he was run over by a car earlier this week, but fortunately suffered only minor injuries. Tiago Mendes continues to struggle and is set for the bench again unless Nocerino is ruled out, while Alessandro Del Piero is tipped to partner David Trezeguet.
Keep an eye on: Francesco Totti (Roma) – Nobody feels the pressure and excitement of this match more than the captain, who has netted in the last two consecutive games.
Last season: Not played
Roma (probable): Doni; Panucci, Mexes, Juan, Tonetto; De Rossi, Pizarro; Taddei, Perrotta, Giuly; Totti
Juventus (probable): Buffon; Birindelli, Andrade, Criscito, Chiellini; Nocerino, Almiron, Zanetti, Nedved; Trezeguet, Del Piero
Stadio Olimpico
Even after Juventus’ defeat left them three points off the top, this is still a leadership battle between potential Scudetto winners. Above all, it is their first real meeting since the Calciopoli scandal.
Roma felt they were among the most affronted clubs by disgraced former Bianconeri director general Luciano Moggi and Francesco Totti even suggested they were able to reinforce their squad over the summer only because Big Luciano was no longer pulling the transfer market strings.
Decades of bad blood between the clubs have always made this a tense and keenly felt encounter. Juve have won on their last two trips here, including a humiliating 4-1 result in November 2005, but the memory of their 4-0 defeat 18 months earlier still stings too.
It’s the first time in almost four years that the Giallorossi have topped the table on their own. The only side with a 100 per cent record and three consecutive clean sheets, they are the form team in Serie A. Juan, Simone Perrotta, David Pizarro and Christian Panucci seem to have put their injury worries behind them, so only Marco Andreolli is thought to be a doubt for this game. Luciano Spalletti faces his first huge challenge this week with the Champions League opener against Dinamo Kiev followed by this showdown with Juventus.
Claudio Ranieri could be tempted to tinker after the disappointing 1-0 home loss to Udinese. It was their first defeat in Turin in Serie A for two years and highlighted once again the lack of cohesion between defence and midfield. Mauro Camoranesi’s right thigh injury changed that game and Juve may be forced to do without him for quite some time.
With Jonathan Zebina sitting out a four-match ban and injuries to Marco Marchionni, Jean-Alain Boumsong, Zdenek Grygera and Hasan Salihamidzic, it looks as if youngsters Giorgio Chiellini, Domenico Criscito and Antonio Nocerino must man the fort. The latter is in doubt though too after he was run over by a car earlier this week, but fortunately suffered only minor injuries. Tiago Mendes continues to struggle and is set for the bench again unless Nocerino is ruled out, while Alessandro Del Piero is tipped to partner David Trezeguet.
Keep an eye on: Francesco Totti (Roma) – Nobody feels the pressure and excitement of this match more than the captain, who has netted in the last two consecutive games.
Last season: Not played
Roma (probable): Doni; Panucci, Mexes, Juan, Tonetto; De Rossi, Pizarro; Taddei, Perrotta, Giuly; Totti
Juventus (probable): Buffon; Birindelli, Andrade, Criscito, Chiellini; Nocerino, Almiron, Zanetti, Nedved; Trezeguet, Del Piero
Don't like Roma. 
), and don't forget Juve has the best keeper of the world, Bufffon.