Juventus - Messina
Stadio Delle Alpi
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Juventus are very much the form team in Serie A at the moment while Messina are still searching for their first win. The Sicilian outfit are flirting with relegation at this early stage and no side has conceded more goals than the Giallorossi. Many fans will already be resigned to another defeat as they come up against the early pace setters and, unless Messina can shore up their defence, it is hard to see them getting a result. After conceding four goals at home in their last match, ‘keeper Marco Storari could be kept very busy at the Delle Alpi.
Juve on the other hand still have their 100 per cent record intact. Even more impressive, they have conceded just two goals on their way to opening up a five-point lead at the top of the table already. Considering they have done this in the middle of a defensive injury crisis, many of the top flight’s strikers must be shaking with fear at the thought of what they will be like now that many of their missing players are starting to return to full fitness. Add to this David Trezeguet’s early form that has seen the French striker hit the back of the net four times already, and even a surprising three goals from Patrick Vieira, and this encounter could see a repeat of the Bianconeri’s 4-0 demolition of Empoli.
Both sides will go into this game missing important defensive players through long-term injury. Messina are once again without Alessandro Parisi, while Alessandro Birindelli, Jonathan Zebina and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon are all out for Juve. The Giallorossi will also be without Marco Zanchi as he is suspended as a precautionary measure after he tested positive for a banned substance. The teams do have players returning from injury though as Gianluca Pessotto is back for La Vecchia Signora and Messina’s influential striker Riccardo Zampagna is available again, although there are still concerns over their fitness.
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Juventus (probable): Abbiati; Blasi, Thuram, F Cannavaro, Zambrotta; Camoranesi, Emerson, Vieira, Nedved; Del Piero, Ibrahimovic
Messina (probable): Storari; Zoro, Rezaei, Cristante, Aronica; Coppola, Donati; Giampà, D’Agostino, Di Napoli; Zampagna