A new season starts under new management for Serie A giants Juventus, as they host promoted Como on Monday evening.
After a summer of change, the Thiago Motta era now begins in earnest - but Juve's ambitious opponents will be intent on spoiling the party.
Match preview
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Despite briefly threatening to make it a two-horse race for the Scudetto, Juventus faded badly during the second half of last season, ultimately trailing in a distant third - some 23 points behind champions Inter Milan.
Although he fulfilled his objective of securing the Bianconeri's Champions League return, manager Max Allegri came under fire for a pragmatic approach, and following a very public meltdown in the Coppa Italia final - which Juve actually won - his second spell in Turin was brought to a swift end.
Beating Atalanta BC to lift the Coppa was a rare bright spark in an otherwise turgid campaign, so new boss Thiago Motta has been hired to bring both proactive football and more silverware back to Italy's most successful club.
Motta's Bologna side particularly impressed last term, and during his time in Emilia-Romagna they kept 18 clean sheets in home matches, conceding only 23 goals across 35 games at Stadio Dall'Ara.
Having refreshed Juve's squad with new players such as Michele Di Gregorio, Khephren Thuram and Douglas Luiz, he then led them into pre-season, which featured defeats to Nurnberg and Atletico Madrid either side of a 2-2 draw with Brest.
Now, Juventus meet Como on Serie A's opening matchday for the first time since 1988, when the Bianconeri strolled to a 3-0 victory - a repeat on Monday would make for the perfect start to Motta's reign.
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Indeed, Como are on a 21-game winless streak against Juve in Serie A, and they incidentally return to Calcio's top flight after 21 years away.
Now promoted from his official role as assistant, Cesc Fabregas will spearhead the Lariani's comeback campaign, having taken over from Osian Roberts - the latter moved upstairs to become head of development after securing promotion.
A club run by the richest owners in Italian football have ambitions of making a major impact in the years ahead, and with a World Cup winner in the dugout, recruitment has been made somewhat easier: Raphael Varane recently became their highest-profile signing so far.
Pre-season brought wins over Cagliari and Las Palmas, before defeat to Saudi giants Al-Hilal was followed by a goalless draw with Wolfsburg, but Como came up short in their first competitive fixture of 2024-25.
After winning 21 league games last season - level for the most in Serie B along with Parma and Venezia, both of whom were also promoted - the Lombardy club were held to a 1-1 draw by Sampdoria in the Coppa Italia last week, before crashing out on penalties.
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Team News
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Thiago Motta has proved ruthless in reshaping Juve's squad, as Federico Chiesa has been given the cold shoulder and is not training with the first team, while Wojciech Szczesny was released and Moise Kean has joined Fiorentina.
New boys Douglas Luiz, Juan Cabal and Michele Di Gregorio should all start in a new-look XI, alongside Khephren Thuram, who joins his brother - Inter's Marcus Thuram - in Italy: over the last three Ligue 1 seasons no Nice player has recorded more completed dribbles, chances created or shots attempted following a carry.
Nico Gonzalez and Teun Koopmeiners are both rumoured to be on the way to Turin too, but a familiar face will start up front: Dusan Vlahovic has scored more Serie A goals than anyone else in 2024 (10), effectively earning his team the most points during that time (14).
By contrast, Andrea Belotti has struggled of late - failing to make a mark at either Roma or Fiorentina - but the Italy striker has found a new home in Como. 'Il Gallo' has scored five times on Serie A's opening matchday; only Ciro Immobile and Luis Muriel have struck more often among active players.
Fellow summer signing Pepe Reina should start in goal; however ex-Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane has already been ruled out by a knee problem that will keep him sidelined for at least three weeks.
Elsewhere, Alessio Iovine was sent off against Sampdoria so must now serve a suspension, meaning Tommaso Cassandro could be brought into the visitors' back four.
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Di Gregorio; Cambiaso, Gatti, Bremer, Cabal; Thuram; Weah, Locatelli, Luiz, Yildiz; Vlahovic
Como possible starting lineup:
Reina; Sala, Goldaniga, Dossena, Moreno; Braunoder, Baselli; Strefezza, Cutrone, Da Cunha; Belotti
We say: Juventus 2-0 Como
Juventus have won more Serie A openers than any other club - including seven wins across their last eight - and they should do so for a 60th time on Monday.
As Como will take time to adapt to their new surroundings, a Juve side hungry to impress under new management can ruthlessly exploit their visitors' weaknesses.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
