Juventus vs Lazio

Allianz Stadium forms the backdrop for a mouth-watering Serie A encounter between Juventus and Lazio.

Despite largely struggling to reinforce their squad during the summer transfer window, Juventus have enjoyed an impressive start to the new Serie A season, racking up seven points from the opening three rounds (W2, D1). After successfully avenging last season’s 4-1 mauling at Empoli with a cruising 2-0 triumph on the eve of September’s international break, Massimiliano Allegri’s men are looking to open a new top-flight campaign with a four-game unbeaten streak for the first time since 2018/19. In other circumstances, the lack of European football would be a blow for Juventus, but it could be a blessing in disguise in this case as they bid to return to the Champions League after a year-long absence. Lazio’s visit to Turin could put more wind into their sails, with ‘I Bianconeri’ emerging victorious in four of their last five competitive H2Hs at home (D1).

On the other hand, Lazio couldn’t have imagined a worse start to the 2023/24 campaign than losing their opening two league games to below-par Lecce and Genoa via single-goal margins. But when it looked like Maurizio Sarri’s men could hit a new low, they defied the odds to beat reigning champions Napoli 2-1 on the road last time out, setting themselves up perfectly for this trip. ‘I Biancocelesti’ won their most recent top-flight meeting with Juventus 2-1, yet you’d need to go back to 2017 for their last Serie A triumph at the Allianz Arena. Sarri will have an added motive to upset his former employers after only winning once in his five competitive games against Juventus as the Lazio manager (D1, L3).