Juventus take on the visitors Como in the round 1 match of Italian Serie A. The match will be played on Monday, August 19th at Allianz Stadium (Turin).
Juventus have decided to undergo a major overhaul. Last season, the "Old Lady" made significant strides, at least in terms of results. In Serie A, they climbed to third place—only the two Milan giants finished higher. Moreover, they added to their trophy collection by winning the Coppa Italia. However, Juventus struggled in the second half of the season, with poor performances. Their cup victory against Atalanta was a surprise. Right after the match, Allegri threw a fit and was fired before the summer break. He was replaced by Thiago Motta, who led Bologna to the Champions League. A major squad overhaul followed: Szczesny, Kostić, McKennie, De Sciglio, Melo, Rugani, Moise Kean, Kaio Jorge, and Chiesa were all told they were not needed. Soulé was sold to Roma for €25 million after failing to secure his place. There are some new signings—De Gregorio, Khephren Thuram, Cabal, and talks are ongoing with Nico Gonzalez and Sterling. However, at the start of the season, the squad is still lacking in numbers.
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Como once made it to Serie A two decades ago—for a very short stay. After that, the club almost went bankrupt, but was saved thanks to powerful investors, the "tobacco barons" Hartono brothers. They became seriously invested in football and maintained their enthusiasm, leading to a second-place finish in Serie B last season. At that point, the coach—though not yet officially—was Cesc Fabregas, who had recently retired as a player. Now, he is the full-time head coach, and among his players are Moreno and Varane (there are also talks of signing Arnautović and Sergi Roberto). Less well-known players like Kone, Browneder, Gabriel Strefezza, Audero, and Engelhardt have also bolstered the squad. However, in the Coppa Italia against Sampdoria, even with all the new signings, they failed to win in regular time and lost on penalties.
The last time these teams played was in the 2002/2003 season. Back then, Como managed to secure a draw in Turin but lost at home to the giants. The "Old Lady" plays at home against a newcomer with an inexperienced coach and a half-assembled squad. Juventus should win with a "-1.5 goal" handicap.
Prediction for the match: Juventus to win with -1.5 handicap.
