Serie A returns: Pirlo’s Juve face key January test
MILAN: Andrea Pirlo’s Juventus face a key test of their ambitions to clinch a 10th consecutive Serie A title in a packed January of football in Italy after a stuttering start which has left the holders sixth in the league.
Serie A returns this weekend after the mini-break of the Christmas period with a tight January schedule.
Juventus host Udinese today before taking on three of the top four this month, with six Serie A fixtures in addition to Italian Cup and SuperCup commitments.
The two Milan clubs — the only teams apart from Juventus to have won the league in the past two decades — are on top as they look to bring the title back to Lombardy.
AC Milan are flying high one point ahead of Antonio Conte’s Inter with Roma in third, six points off second place.
Juventus are sixth, 10 points adrift of top spot, but having played a game less.
After Udinese, Juventus visit Milan in the San Siro next Wednesday before hosting fourth-placed Sassuolo in Turin followed by a trip to play Inter.
Despite topping their Champions League group, Juventus have struggled for consistency on the domestic front, relying on Cristiano Ronaldo’s goals.
The Portuguese striker has scored 12 of Juventus’ 25 league goals this campaign.
In the league, they have six draws and six wins, falling to their first league defeat of the season 3-0 to Fiorentina at home before Christmas.
“Sometimes it happens we’re not 100 percent. Now we have to start again with desire, thinking about the mistakes we made and carrying out our project,” said Pirlo.
Both Milan teams return against two promoted clubs.
AC Milan, without injured Zlatan
Ibrahimovic for a seventh consecutive league game, look to continue their unbeaten run at mid-table Benevento, as Inter Milan host struggling Crotone.
Behind the leaders, Roma host former coach Claudio Ranieri’s Sampdoria, who are in 11th.
Fourth-placed Sassuolo travel to Atalanta, in seventh, for a clash between two attacking teams targeting European football.
Fifth-placed Napoli look to end their three-match winless run at Cagliari, but without injured forward Dries Mertens, defender Kalidou Koulibaly and striker Victor Osimhen, the Nigerian having tested positive for Covid-19, having been sidelined since November with a shoulder injury.
Cagliari v Napoli, Fiorentina v Bologna, Genoa v Lazio, Parma v Torino, AS Roma v Sampdoria, Spezia v Hellas Verona (all 9pm), Benevento v AC Milan (midnight), Juventus v Udinese (2.45am, Mon)