Crotone face Juventus backlash at the Olimpico
There are no two ways about it, Juventus must take all three points at home to Crotone this weekend to get their season back on track. After disappointing draws in their last two games, the Bianconeri have lost their advantage at the top of the table and now lie level on points with rivals Napoli. Desperate to compensate for the recent dropped points, both coach Deschamps and his team will be more aware than anyone that their form must improve if they are to shake off the chasing pack. Expect a merciless performance when they line-up against the Rossoblu at the Olimpico on Saturday afternoon.
Meanwhile Crotone currently sit fourth from bottom in the Serie B table on nineteen points. They haven’t won since November (1-0 at home against Lecce), one of just three all season, and come into the game on the back of a run of seven draws and three losses. Their last game ended in defeat at home to Cesena and saw Elio Gustinetti relieved of his coaching duties and replaced by Guido Carbone, brother of Valencia sporting director Amedeo and former coach of Viterbese and Bari.
Miroslav Sedevic (ex-Perugia) and Federico Giampaolo (who spent two seasons at Juventus in the late eighties) are the leading lights in an attack which has mustered seventeen goals this term. The team underwent dramatic changes during the January transfer window, with four departures (including captain Cardinale) and no fewer than seven new arrivals, from Pagotto in goal, to Dionigi and Bau up front. If the first half of the season (which included a 3-0 home defeat by the Bianconeri) is anything to go by the team will most likely line-up in a 4-4-1-1 formation, with a creative all-rounder (Giampaolo or Sedevic) playing off the shoulders of a physical lone striker (Dionigi or Lopez).
With victory a must, for once this season it’s Juventus who will be playing the game of their lives.
Juventus.com
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We will see about that....