Serie A Week 3 - 16/9/07 (14.00 UK)
Juventus-Udinese: Stefano Farina di Novi Ligure
Juventus - Udinese
Stadio Olimpico
When Udinese travel to Turin’s Stadio Olimpico to face Juventus they will be hoping for a massive improvement on their opening performances. In contrast, the home side are one of only two sides to have earned maximum points at this early stage.
Juve have started their return to Serie A in fine form and have earned six points from their two matches, scoring an impressive eight goals in the process. Admittedly Livorno and Cagliari didn’t seem to put up too much of a fight, particularly at the back, but those triumphs will have given Coach Claudio Ranieri and his newly assembled squad plenty of confidence ahead of this fixture. If they can continue to pose the attacking threat they have shown so far, the Udinese defence could find itself being overrun.
The big team news for the Turin-based Bianconeri is the four-match suspension that has been imposed on defender Jonathan Zebina for his red card against Cagliari and the resulting altercation with a television cameraman. That should see veteran Alessandro Birindelli take his place at right-back, while Jean-Alain Boumsong’s absence due to the muscle strain he picked up in his left leg in the friendly against Real Zaragoza leaves Ranieri with little choice but to stick with his central defensive pairing of Domenico Criscito and Jorge Andrade. Similarly, Marco Marchionni’s long-term injury means Mauro Camoranesi’s place on the right-wing is secure.
Udinese boss Pasquale Marino will be rueing the misfortune that sees him without several key players for the tough trip to the Stadio Olimpico. Christian Obodo, Dias Felipe, Giampiero Pinzi and Raffaele De Martino are all injured and highly unlikely to play any role in the game, leaving Marino worryingly short of options, especially in midfield. The good news for Zebrette fans is that the end of Italy international Antonio Di Natale’s contract dispute should see him return to the starting line-up in attack, with Antonio Floro Flores likely to make way.
The Friuli outfit will need to return to the mentality that saw them grind out a crucial point against Inter in Week 1 for this difficult fixture. Just as important will be blocking out the memory of the humiliating 5-0 thrashing they suffered at the hands of newly-promoted Napoli in their first home game of 2007-08. If they produce another performance of that ineptitude then Udinese could find themselves in real trouble against a Juve side that has hit the ground running.
Keep an eye on: David Trezeguet (Juventus) – The Frenchman has continued where he left off in Serie A following a year in the Second Division. He may not be bursting with flair but he knows how to find the net, as shown by the four League goals he has to his name already this season.
Last season: Not played
Form guide: Juventus (- - - W W) Udinese (- - - D L )
Juventus (probable): Buffon; Birindelli, Andrade, Criscito, Chiellini; Camoranesi, Almiron, Zanetti, Nedved; Trezeguet, Del Piero
Udinese (probable): Chimenti; Mesto, Coda, Zapata, Dossena; Inler, D’Agostino, Sivok; Quagliarella, Asamoah, Di Natale
channel 4
Juventus-Udinese: Stefano Farina di Novi Ligure
Juventus - Udinese
Stadio Olimpico
When Udinese travel to Turin’s Stadio Olimpico to face Juventus they will be hoping for a massive improvement on their opening performances. In contrast, the home side are one of only two sides to have earned maximum points at this early stage.
Juve have started their return to Serie A in fine form and have earned six points from their two matches, scoring an impressive eight goals in the process. Admittedly Livorno and Cagliari didn’t seem to put up too much of a fight, particularly at the back, but those triumphs will have given Coach Claudio Ranieri and his newly assembled squad plenty of confidence ahead of this fixture. If they can continue to pose the attacking threat they have shown so far, the Udinese defence could find itself being overrun.
The big team news for the Turin-based Bianconeri is the four-match suspension that has been imposed on defender Jonathan Zebina for his red card against Cagliari and the resulting altercation with a television cameraman. That should see veteran Alessandro Birindelli take his place at right-back, while Jean-Alain Boumsong’s absence due to the muscle strain he picked up in his left leg in the friendly against Real Zaragoza leaves Ranieri with little choice but to stick with his central defensive pairing of Domenico Criscito and Jorge Andrade. Similarly, Marco Marchionni’s long-term injury means Mauro Camoranesi’s place on the right-wing is secure.
Udinese boss Pasquale Marino will be rueing the misfortune that sees him without several key players for the tough trip to the Stadio Olimpico. Christian Obodo, Dias Felipe, Giampiero Pinzi and Raffaele De Martino are all injured and highly unlikely to play any role in the game, leaving Marino worryingly short of options, especially in midfield. The good news for Zebrette fans is that the end of Italy international Antonio Di Natale’s contract dispute should see him return to the starting line-up in attack, with Antonio Floro Flores likely to make way.
The Friuli outfit will need to return to the mentality that saw them grind out a crucial point against Inter in Week 1 for this difficult fixture. Just as important will be blocking out the memory of the humiliating 5-0 thrashing they suffered at the hands of newly-promoted Napoli in their first home game of 2007-08. If they produce another performance of that ineptitude then Udinese could find themselves in real trouble against a Juve side that has hit the ground running.
Keep an eye on: David Trezeguet (Juventus) – The Frenchman has continued where he left off in Serie A following a year in the Second Division. He may not be bursting with flair but he knows how to find the net, as shown by the four League goals he has to his name already this season.
Last season: Not played
Form guide: Juventus (- - - W W) Udinese (- - - D L )
Juventus (probable): Buffon; Birindelli, Andrade, Criscito, Chiellini; Camoranesi, Almiron, Zanetti, Nedved; Trezeguet, Del Piero
Udinese (probable): Chimenti; Mesto, Coda, Zapata, Dossena; Inler, D’Agostino, Sivok; Quagliarella, Asamoah, Di Natale
channel 4
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Flores-Flores can be lethal too! I don't like him...well, I do, but not when he plays against Juve. I agree that Nocerino-Zanetti is the best midfield choice for this game. 
