After an indisputable great transfer window in January with the signings of striker Dušan Vlahović and midfielder Denis Zakaria, Juventus are now called to show that the hopes of the fans can be justified on the pitch. Juventus are currently fifth in Serie A with 42 points through 23 matches and need to climb the table in the second half of the season in order to qualify for next season’s Champions League. Points are a necessity and matches such as Sunday against Hellas Verona are crucial to avoid losing ground against the rivals.
Verona are unbeaten in their past four Serie A matches against Juventus (W2, D2) and could become the first team since Sampdoria in 2013 to remain unbeaten in five consecutive matches against the Bianconeri in the competition. Verona are ninth in Serie A with 33 points through 23 matches. Igor Tudor’s side have proved to be a tough team to beat this season but will miss Argentinian striker Giovanni Simeone, the top scorer of the club, who is suspended.
Here’s what you need to know:
Viewing information
Date: Sunday, Feb. 6 | Time: 2:45 p.m. ET
Location: Allianz Stadium — Turin, Italy
TV and live stream: Paramount+
Odds: Juventus -175; Draw +305; Hellas Verona +500 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Featured Game | Juventus vs. Verona
Storylines
Juventus: Massimiliano Allegri was asked during the pre-match press conference about if Dušan Vlahović, Paulo Dybala and Alvaro Morata can play together and coexist. That will be the main thing to watch for Bianconeri fans, especially while Federico Chiesa misses the rest of the season due to an ACL injury. Allegri’s response: “They can, yes, but they need to run also for the others since we need to keep a balance.” Juventus are unbeaten in all 30 home Serie A matches against Verona (W25 D5). In the history of the Italian top-flight, no team has ever played more home games without ever losing against a single opponent.
Hellas Verona: Tudor can’t count on Simeone since he’s suspended after last match. He has scored 28% of Verona’s goals in Serie A this season (12/43); the Gialloblu have started five league matches without the Argentinian striker and they have never won (D2 L3). Former AC Milan striker Nikola Kalinic, the Croatian player with the most goals scored against Juventus in Serie A, is expected to replace him in the starting XI.
Prediction
Looks like Juventus are entering a new era after the January transfer window and Allegri is asked to prove results on the pitch with new signings Vlahović and Zakaria expected to be part of the match. It would be a big disappointment for the fans not to see Juventus winning this game. PICK: Juventus 2, Hellas Verona 0
