Serie A returns this week as Juventus welcomes Spezia to the Allianz Stadium in the fourth round of the 2022/23 Serie A season.
Venue: Allianz Stadium (Turin)
Key Statistics
Juventus have conceded one goal in three league games this season.
They have not lost any of their last five home matches in the league (W2, D3).
Juventus have scored 2+ goals in ten of their last 20 matches.
Spezia have conceded 2+ goals in 12 of their last 20 league matches.
They have lost 11 of their last 20 matches.
Head to head
Juventus have won all four H2Hs since Spezia were promoted, with two of those arriving with a clean sheet.
Latest performances in all competition
Juventus: D-D-W-L-L
Spezia: D-L-W–W-D
Juventus
Juventus will look to get back to winning ways when they welcome Spezia to Turin this Wednesday.
The Serie A giants have won just one of their opening games of the season–a 3-0 win over Sassuolo in the first game of the season. So far, they have drawn the two subsequent games (0-0 against Sampdoria and a 1-1 draw with AS Roma).
Their most recent result has left them with just five points from their opening four games. That point tally represents a poor return for a team that is looking to compete for the title this season.
But having taken more points at this stage of the season than they did last time, there is some cause for optimism that this season can be different.
The hosts are preparing for their third home league match this season (W1, D1) and will aim to emulate their performance from the opening round when they beat Sassuolo here 3-0. And given that they have won all four head-to-head meetings since Spezia were promoted, they will fancy their chances of getting another win in this game.
Possible Juventus starting line-up
Wojciech Szczesny; Danilo, Federico Gatti, Daniele Rugani, Mattia De Sciglio; Denis Zakaria, Weston McKennie, Manuel Locatelli; Juan Cuadrado, Dusan Vlahovic, Filip Kostic.
Injured: Marley Ake, Leonardo Bonucci, Paul Pogba, Federico Chiesa, Kaio Jorge, Ángel di María
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Spezia
Spezia will also be looking to get back to winning ways when they travel to Turin on Wednesday to face Maximiliano Allegri’s Juventus side.
The visitors who opened their league campaign this season with a perfect defensive performance and a 1-0 win over Empoli come into this tie on the back of a 2-2 draw with Sassuolo in the last round.
The result which came after a 3-0 loss to Inter Milan in round two means that Luca Gotti’s men have conceded five goals in their last two league games.
They may be worried about seeing more of the same here given that they have conceded eleven goals against the Old lady in Serie A.
However, they will come into this tie confident of getting a result given that the four points they have accumulated after the first three matches, represents their best-ever top-flight start.
But one win across their last eight away league outings (D2, L5) doesn’t inspire much confidence that they can pull off a shock win here.
Possible Spezia starting line-up
Bartlomiej Dragowski, Mattia Caldara, Jakub Kiwior, Dimitrios Nikolaou, Emmanuel Gyasi, Arkadiusz Reca; Kevin Agudelo, Jacopo Sala, Simone Bastoni; David Sttrelec, M’Bala Nzola.
Injured: Salva Ferrer, Kelvin Amian, Aurelien Nguiamba, Aimar Sher
Doubtful: Janis Antiste, Daniel Maldini
Suspended: Albin Ekdal
Prediction
Juventus 2-0 Spezia