Juventus are winless in their last three Serie A games, ahead of their visit to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris to face a Genoa side struggling for form. This fixture pits Alberto Gilardino’s struggling Grifone against Thiago Motta’s defensively solid Bianconeri in what promises to be a tactically fascinating encounter.
Juventus enter the match as the only team in Europe’s top five leagues yet to concede a goal in league play this season. However, their recent form has been somewhat underwhelming, with three consecutive 0-0 draws in Serie A slightly dampening the excitement generated by their strong start under new manager Thiago Motta. The Bianconeri currently sit two points behind surprise league leaders Torino.
Genoa, on the other hand, are coming off a difficult week. They suffered a 2-0 defeat to newly-promoted Venezia last Saturday, leaving them 17th in the table with just five points from five matches. Midweek brought further disappointment as they were eliminated from the Coppa Italia by local rivals Sampdoria in a penalty shootout.
The recent history between these two sides has been closely contested. In their last nine league meetings at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, there have been four wins for each side and one draw. Genoa are currently on a three-game unbeaten run against Juventus, following a previous streak of five consecutive defeats.
For Juventus, all eyes will be on struggling striker Dusan Vlahovic. Despite being the club’s top scorer in 2024, he has only found the net in one of his last 10 league games. His performance could be crucial in unlocking a Genoa defense that has shown vulnerability this season.
Genoa’s goals have come from various sources, with their last 12 Serie A strikes being scored by 12 different players. Former Juventus defender Koni De Winter, who scored in their recent draw with Roma, could be a threat from set-pieces against his old club.
Thiago Motta has prioritized defensive solidity at Juventus, but the team’s recent goal drought suggests he may need to find a better balance. The return of Federico Gatti to full fitness provides additional options in defense, potentially allowing for a more attacking approach.
Gilardino’s Genoa have struggled for consistency this season. The partnership of Vitinha and Andrea Pinamonti up front will be crucial if they hope to breach Juventus’ formidable defense.
Team News
Juventus welcome back Federico Gatti, which could see either Pierre Kalulu or Nicolo Savona drop out of the starting lineup. Francisco Conceicao has returned to training and may make the bench, but Arkadiusz Milik remains sidelined.
Genoa are without Junior Messias and Ruslan Malinovskyi due to injury, while Caleb Ekuban is doubtful with a muscular problem. Juventus loanee Fabio Miretti has recently returned to fitness and could feature against his parent club.
Expected Starting XIs
Genoa: Gollini; De Winter, Bani, Vasquez; Sabelli, Thorsby, Badelj, Frendrup, Martin; Vitinha, Pinamonti
Juventus : Di Gregorio; Savona, Gatti, Bremer, Cambiaso; Locatelli; Gonzalez, Thuram, Koopmeiners, Yildiz; Vlahovic
Match Prediction
Given Juventus’ defensive prowess and Genoa’s recent struggles, a low-scoring affair seems likely. Juventus’ superior quality should see them edge a tight contest, potentially by a 1-0 scoreline. However, Genoa’s home advantage and desperation for points could make this a closely fought battle.
Prediction: Genoa 0-1 Juventus
