On Saturday, Juventus Turin could not get beyond a 1-1 draw away from home. Once again, the Bianconeri lost two important points in the fight for the Scudetto. They are now ten points behind leaders Inter Milan. It is therefore all the more important that the Bianconeri do not let anything go to waste at home against Spezia Calcio and strive for maximum points in the remaining 15 league games.
In the run-up to the match between Juventus and Spezia, the odds of the bookmakers are clearly in favor of the Vecchia Signora, as the odds comparison of AFT shows.
It should be noted, however, that Spezia Calcio, a promoted team, has always been good for surprises in the current season. Just a fortnight ago, the Aquilotti celebrated a completely surprising 2:0 home victory over AC Milan – the current number two in the Serie A table.
So it is not out of the question that the underdogs will also take something worthwhile from Piedmont. In our opinion, the best bet for Juventus against Spezia is the Asian handicap of +1.5 on the guest from Liguria.
Our prediction for Juventus against Spezia is influenced by the fact that the Bianconeri have lost to comparatively small teams time and again, while the visitors from Liguria have been able to bring down many a Serie A heavyweight. Juve are, of course, the clear favorites. Nevertheless, a surprise cannot be ruled out in this duel.
Juventus – Statistics & current form
Juventus Turin are still the absolute benchmark in Italy, having won 36 championships. Most recently, the Zebre have won the Scudetto nine times in a row, have also won the Coppa Italia four times in the past decade and reached the final of the Champions League in 2015 and 2017.
However, the season is currently very much on the line for the serial champions, who are only in third place, ten points behind Inter Milan. Everything looks as if the championship title will not go to the Bianconeri, who are used to success, for the first time since the 2010/11 season.
Only 13 wins from 23 league games
Just last weekend, a Ronaldo goal at Hellas Verona was not enough for Andrea Pirlo’s side to claim another treble. The Zebre equalised 13 minutes before the final whistle and dropped the next two points in the fight for the Scudetto.
That means Juve has won just one of their last five competitive games. A 3-0 home win over bottom-placed Crotone. In league play alone, Juve have only won 13 of the 23 games they have played. Not enough to defend the title.
The best defence in Serie A
Nevertheless, the Vecchia Signora has the best defence in Serie A. Only 20 goals were conceded by the back line of the Piedmontese flagship team. However, since the offensive was too seldom effective and behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who has already scored 19 goals in the league, no other player has scored more than five goals, the stable defence alone has not won enough games.
Nevertheless, the Zebre are favorites going into the home match against a promoted team. Most of the bookmakers tested by us , offer odds of 1.25 for Juventus to win at home against Spezia, who have won eight of their eleven league games at home.
Predicted Juventus line-up:
Szczesny – Sandro – De Ligt – Demiral – Bernadeschi – Ramsey – Rabiot – Bentacur – Chiesa – Kulusevski – Ronaldo
Spezia – Statistics & Current Form
Spezia Calcio – founded in 1906 in the Ligurian city of La Spezia – has been in the top flight since last summer for the first time in the club’s long history. A curious fact is that the Aquilotti are unofficially listed as the Italian champions of 1944.
In the midst of the raging world war, a troop of soldiers stationed in La Spezia won the title in an elimination tournament held in Italy for the Scudetto, which, however, does not appear in the official rankings. For a long time, the club had the special status of having been the unofficial champions of its country without ever having played first-class football.
Seven points ahead of a relegation spot
In the meantime, however, the Aquilotti have reached the top and are currently making every effort to stay in Serie A for the time being after their surprise promotion in the summer of 2020. Vincenzo Italiano’s side are currently 14th in the table and already seven points clear of the first relegation spot.
The reason for this good standing is undoubtedly the fact that the team, also known as the Bianconeri because of their black and white club colours, had little respect for big names. In 2021 alone, they won against SSC Napoli and AC Milan in league play and against AS Roma in the Coppa Italia.
Fourth weakest defense in Serie A
There is room for improvement, however, especially in the defence, which has already conceded 43 goals. Only three other teams in the entire Serie A have been more susceptible to conceding goals than the Ligurians, who have at least scored offensively in six of their last eight games.
The promoted team travels to the Italian champions as underdogs. But the Aquilotti have nothing to lose at the Juventus Stadium. It is therefore all the more advisable to bet on the Asian handicap of +1.5 for Juventus against Spezia, which would be fulfilled not only with every point gained in Piedmont but also with every defeat by only one goal difference.
Predicted Spezia line-up:
Provedel – Bastoni – Erlic – Ismajli – Vignali – Maggiore – Ricci – Estévez – Saponara – Gyasi – Agudelo