Juventus vs AS Roma
There is a reason Juventus have won nine Serie A titles in succession.
It’s not just their total dominance of the Scudetto over the past decade but their ability to win when it matters most.
That was evident again in midweek when they travelled to the San Siro to face their former manager and big-spending Inter Milan and won 2-1 in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final.
On paper, the side they were facing were better equipped to win the match but Juve showed many of their usual qualities and traits as they came from behind to secure victory and take an advantage into the second leg of the tie.
Games like that show why they are the best team in Italy and why they can’t be ruled out of this season’s title race, despite currently being seven points adrift of the summit (albeit with a game in hand).
Talking Points
This weekend they host the side which is one point and one place above them in the table.
As we await Serie A highlights, football fans envious of Juve’s success would tell you this is a battle for third spot. It isn’t.
That may be a fine achievement for the Roma class of 2021 but it is the very minimum Juventus would expect.
Especially when their attack is spearheaded by none other than Cristiano Ronaldo who, fresh from breaking one record in midweek, is now setting his sights on another.
You won’t be surprised to hear the matchwinner in midweek was none other than the Portuguese genius whose double (the 762nd and 763rd goals of his career) ensured he became the highest scorer in top-level footballing history.
That won’t stop him chasing records, of course, indeed he could still become the fastest player in the club’s illustrious history to reach 100 goals.
On saying that, he will need 13 in the next 11 games to break Omar Sivori’s record. Sivori, who spent eight years with Juventus between 1957 and 1965, needed 124 games to reach a century of goals.
According to reports, Ronaldo has scored 87 times in 112 Juventus games.
Will he able to get one of those this weekend?
Apart from the injured Franco Israel and Paulo Dybala. although the Argentine could make the bench as is reportedly back in training, the home side go into this clash at near full strength and on a mission to close the gap at the top.
AS Roma, meanwhile, travel with clear differences of opinion behind the scenes.
How else could you explain why the Giallorossi have relinquished the captaincy from Edin Dzeko?
AS Roma coach Paulo Fonseca giving tactical instructions from the touchline during their match against Hellas Verona
The Bosnian reportedly had disagreements and trained separately from the rest of the group last week when he came close to joining Inter in a swap deal with Alexis Sanchez.
The episode has left both the striker and coach Paulo Fonseca’s Roma futures in doubt and that uncertainty is evident as they make the trip to Turin.
Furthermore, they will likely be without Chris Smalling (sidelined with a thigh strain), long-term absentee Nicolo Zanioli and Pedro Rodriguez this weekend.
The perfect time for Juventus to leapfrog their opponents then?
History
While Roma have three victories over Juventus in their last 10 meetings, their most recent two came at the end successive campaigns in which Juventus had already clinched the Scudetto.
Last season, with the title very much up for grabs, Juventus won 2-1 in the Stadio Olimpico courtesy of two goals inside the opening 10 minutes.
Roma won the return in August but by then the title celebrations were in full swing.
Earlier this season, Juventus twice fought back – despite being down to 10 men – as Ronaldo (who else) earned the champions a 2-2 draw.
Overall, Roma have won on 41 occasions in Serie A, there have been 51 draws and 83 Juve triumphs.
Betting Tip
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Juventus vs AS Roma | Juventus Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.38 |
| February 7, 01:00 (GMT+8) |
It’s Juventus all the way for me and the SBOTOP Serie A betting odds concur. The ‘old lady’ of Turin are available to tip 1X2 @ 1.77 and with Asian Handicap odds – 1.00 @ 2.38 – that is my prediction incidentally.
Elsewhere, Roma can be backed 1X2 @ 4.00 – not bad odds when you consider they recently held Inter Milan – or Asian Handicap +0.50 @ 2.19.
For goals, how about over 3.00 goals @ 2.00, total goals 2-3 @ 2.06 and 4-6 @ 2.75?
Of course, Italian football is known for its defensive style and total goal 0-1 will pay out @ 4.70.
A repeat of the 2-2 draw from earlier in the campaign is om offer @ 13.50 and the 1X2 draw @ 3.90.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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The post Serie A: Roma Strife as Champions Await appeared first on SBOTOP.
