Bruised Juve, Napoli seek Serie A lift
milan — Battered Italian heavyweights Juventus and Napoli turn their focus back to the home comforts of Serie A this weekend after opening-round flops in the Champions League.
Juventus fell 3-0 in Barcelona with Napoli suffering a 2-1 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. Roma’s goalless draw to Atletico Madrid left Serie A sides with just one point between them from the first round of games in the elite European competition.
“We’re still feeling a bit bruised, as you might imagine. When you’re used to winning and being the best team on the pitch most times you play it’s pretty annoying to come back after a game like that,” Juventus skipper Gianluigi Buffon told the club’s website.
“It’s a good thing to feel annoyed, though. Great teams and great men prove themselves by
Great teams and great men prove themselves by coming through tough times Gianluigi Buffon
coming though tough times.”
Six-time defending champions Juventus, Napoli and Inter Milan are all unbeaten in Serie A this season with a maximum nine points from three games.
And the trio look set to add another three points to their tally as Juventus travel to struggling Sassuolo; Inter visit lowly Crotone and Napoli host tailenders Benevento. Roma — last season’s runners-up — return to domestic duty at home against Verona after last week’s trip to Sampdoria was postponed due to torrential rain in Genoa.