Juventus will aim to maintain their winning start to the Serie A season when they face Bologna, who come into this one in contrasting form.
Massimiliano Allegri entered the new season with renewed pressure on his shoulders after another summer of drama at Juventus, who face Bologna this weekend. With the team being stripped of their UEFA Europa Conference League place, the manager will lend his focus on domestic matters and will want a strong response from his side.
During the summer, the players responded to the manager’s message by emphatically starting the season by beating Udinese with three goals. The main story focused on some specific stars berated for their loss of form throughout the summer.
Pumped 🆙 for #JuveBologna 💪 pic.twitter.com/VPVhy82PzD
— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) August 25, 2023
Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa, in particular, will have seen their task cut out as both scored against Udinese. Now, Allegri must keep up the mood within the camp and start churning out results consistently, starting with the game between Juventus and Bologna at the Allianz Stadium.
Bologna and manager Thiago Motta would not have wanted to enter this game in their current form. A terrible start to the domestic campaign saw this team concede defeat to AC Milan, who managed to score twice and take the game on its head.
Motta and his side have lofty ambitions to break into the top six. But they could severely find the reality as they travel to Turin to take on Juventus. Bologna have managed a single victory over the Bianconeri in their last 41 attempts and do not seem in the vein of form to change that.
However, they were the better attacking side against AC Milan, registering 17 shots in the game and with the larger share of the possession. With the departure of striker Marko Arnautovic, the team may find it challenging to finish off chances, but they are generally playing well as a unit.
Team News & Tactics
Juventus
Massimiliano Allegri has a near-fit squad, with Mattia De Sciglio the only absentee with a long-term injury. Even Paul Pogba has returned from injury without any further complications, with the midfielder likely to get a place on the bench against Bologna.
🗣 Coach Allegri talks #JuveBologna, our first home game of the 2023/24 season: ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/jLoEvwABfi
— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) August 26, 2023
However, Allegri is unlikely to change the side that comfortably won against Udinese last time. Hence, there is a keen emphasis on Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic, as the manager will hope for a similar result.
Allegri will again place his trust in the midfield trio of Manuel Locatelli, Adrien Rabiot and Nicolo Fagioli. Timothy Weah and the in-demand Andrea Cambiaso will continue at wing-backs, while a well-marshalled backline of Danilo, Gleison Bremer and Alex Sandro will want to keep things quiet at the back.
In the attack, Dusan Vlahovic will continue to lead the line for Aleegri’s side alongside Chiesa. The pair combined to good effect last week against Udinese, and the manager will hope for a repeat of that performance while facing Bologna.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Szczesny; Danilo, Bremer, Sandro; Weah, Fagioli, Locatelli, Rabiot; Cambiaso; Vlahovic, Chiesa
Bologna
Thiago Motta will look to shuffle his pack in vital areas to give the team a better balance. The AC Milan game showed flashes of their talent, but somehow, they lacked cohesion and the ability to finish off chances. Adama Soumaoro is missing from action, and so is Musa Barrow.
🎙️ | CONFERENZA
Le parole di Thiago #Motta in vista di #JuventusBologna ⤵️#ForzaBFC #WeAreOne
— Bologna Fc 1909 (@Bolognafc1909) August 25, 2023
Motta might deploy a midfield double pivot to strengthen things in the middle while continuing with a back four and an attacking intent. Nicola Moro and Nicolas Dominguez could be that midfield pairing, with Sam Beukema and Jhon Lucumi starting in central defence.
Stefan Posch and Charalampos Lykogiannis will keep their places at full-back. In the attack, Lewis Ferguson will assume the creative midfield role and possibly help his team with the chance creation. Riccardo Orsolini will begin on the right wing, with Michel Aebischer on the left-hand side. The departure of Arnautovic will allow Joshua Zirkzee to lead the line for Bologna.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Shorupski; Posch, Beukema, Lucumi, Lykogiannis; Moro, Dominguez; Orsolini, Ferguson, Aebischer; Zirkzee
Key Stats
- Juventus are undefeated in their last 24 matches against Bologna in all competitions.
- Juventus have scored at least two goals in seven of their last eight home matches against Bologna in all competitions.
- Bologna have conceded at least two goals in their last three matches in Serie A.
- Bologna last won against Juventus in February 2011.
- Bologna keeper Lukasz Skorupski could become the second Polish player to make 250 appearances in Serie A.
Player to Watch
Dusan Vlahovic
The situation with Vlahovic has been puzzling at best. The Serbian frontman had seen massive links with a move away from the club, and yet, Massimiliano Allegri, who did not fancy him, started him last week. That goal against
Udinese will help the forward in a big way in reviving his career at the club. He will have a point to prove to those in charge of transfers and show he was not a bad investment. Moreover, he could also showcase his role in this system and possibly end talk of an exit once and for all.
Prediction
Juventus 2-1 Bologna
The Bianconeri may have started the season brightly. But they will remain wary of the challenge from Thiago Motta’s side ahead of the game. Bologna showcased their attacking superiority against AC Milan, but their inability to finish off chances cost them very much.
Hence, considering everything here, Bologna will likely give Juventus a challenging game in Turin, although Massimiliano Allegri’s men may have the upper hand. Juventus have the firepower and overall quality to ward off the challenge of Motta’s men and take three points.
