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Serie A: Juventus v Cagliari - match preview, predicted starting line-ups & Opta stats

Serie A: Juventus v Cagliari - match preview, predicted starting line-ups & Opta stats

The first Serie A match of the season is finally upon us. After a long and still busy summer market campaign, Juventus saw a flurry of activity both on the incoming and outgoing side. The most obvious of the departing players was Leonardo Bonucci, who left for Milan and has yet to be replaced by the Bianconeri. The incoming Douglas Costa, De Sciglio, Bernardeschi, and Matuidi all give Max Allegri a wealth of quality to add to his already vast options. As the Scudetto holders welcome a new league and hope to compete for a seventh consecutive title, there will still be some question marks regarding Allegri’s choices in both formation and personnel. 
 
Allegri has already stated that the most important thing is ‘to get three points’ in the match, because all teams are starting on zero. With that in mind, the Juve tactician is expected to stay with the normal 4-2-3-1 formation that has transformed the team since the beginning of 2017.  Lichsteiner, Rugani, Chiellini, and Alex Sandro are expected to hold down the Bianconeri back line, with Pjanic and Marchisio tipped as the pivot central midfielders. Newcomer Matuidi has been named in the squad list for the match, but is not expected to be an immediate starter. 
 
Further forward, the same front four that led Juve to the Scudetto, Coppa Italia, and Champions League final is again expected to fill the role for the Bianconeri front line. Cuadrado and Mandzukic are noted to fill the wide roles, with Dybala supporting Higuain in the center of the Juve attack. A new year means a new slate for the Old Lady attack, and the additions of Douglas Costa and Bernardeschi provide a depth of quality beyond what most Italian teams can even aspire to. 
 
Cagliari on the other hand, also enter the match on a clean slate, and can boast a relatively competitive squad who will look to unsettle Juve from the first minute. Ex Bianconeri utility man Padoin returns to face his former squad, likely deputising as a defender for the visitors. In the midfield, the potentially potent Cigarini and Joao Pedro will be the key factors, supporting the expected forward duo of Sau and Cop. 
 
The Sardinians will be looking to play on the counter and use moments of transition to expose a defence being slowly rebuilt after Bonucci’s departure. Cagliari bring pace and awareness to an opening encounter that can often be difficult, even for big sides like Juventus. For the Bianconeri, the game will be a true test of strength and wherewithal, a measurement of how much and whether or not they have grown since last season. Allegri will want to use the Champions League final loss to Madrid to inspire his team to remain hungry to improve, and it’s yet to be seen how Juve will line up this season to show those intentions. Regardless of where the motivation comes from, Allegri and Juve will need to focus on the three points at hand.
 
Probable Starting Line-Ups:
 
Juventus (4-2-3-1) Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Rugani, Chiellini, Alex Sandro; Pjanic, Marchisio; Cuadrado, Dybala, Mandzukic; Higuain

Cagliari (4-3-1-2) Cragno; Padoin, Andreolli, Pisacane, Capuano; Dessena, Cigarini, Barella; Joao Pedro; Sau, Cop



David Baleno (@daviDBaleno)