Prediction: Juventus vs Roma

Verdict: Juventus to Win to Nil

Best Odds: 6/5

Bookmaker: bet365

Without a league win against the reigning Serie A champions Juventus for almost nine years, Roma travel to Turin looking for what would be a genuine upset. Bianconeri have yet to lose a single league game this season and will be well positioned to extend their formidable run against Giallorossi.

Juventus

Juventus head into the Saturday’s big game against Roma holding a huge eight-point cushion at the summit. Bianconeri remain the standout team in the Italian football with their stock going through a particular rise over the past couple of months and it would take a staggering dip in form for them to fail to defend the title.

Unbeaten in 16 Serie A rounds this season, Juventus are enjoying a seven-match winning run at the moment and will welcome Roma in high spirits. A narrow 1-0 victory over Torino in the Derby della Mole last week was a hard-fought one in which Bianconeri maintained a clean sheet for the fifth successive game. Despite the fact they extended their winning run, Juventus seem to be lacking an attacking spark and the forthcoming game against Roma might be the perfect chance to get back to their usual best. Cristiano Ronaldo will once again be the one to watch at Juventus. The winner against Torino was his 11th goal this season which put him just one goal shy of Genoa’s Piatek who is leading the chart with 12 to his name.

Team News

Joao Cancelo, Andrea Barzagli and Juan Cuadrado are all set to miss Roma game due to injury.

Rodrigo Bentancur returns after suspension, whereas Sami Khedira remains sidelined with an ankle injury.

Roma

Giallorossi will be hoping for a Christmas miracle as they travel to Turin this weekend. Roma lost only four of their 16 Serie A games but are coming off from a poor patch which saw them win only one of last six matches in all competitions.

A struggle to keep clean sheets and maintain consistency has resulted in the club sitting in seventh place in the standings. They are still very much in the hunt for a place in the Champions League, however, trailing the fourth-placed AC Milan by three points. Roma manager Eusebio Di Francesco is facing a fight to keep his job at the Stadio Olimpico as club hierarchy expects Giallorossi to be fighting for the title and not struggling to break into the top six – and ultimately four. On top of their inconsistent stretch which saw them win just twice in their last eight Serie A matches, Roma have endured a difficult time away from home this season. Two wins on the road this season offer little promise ahead of their trip to Turin where in-form Juventus are all geared up to take another scalp and continue their mount towards another Scudetto.

Team News

Daniele De Rossi, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Stephan El Shaarawy are all racing against time to be fit for the trip to Turin.

Edin Dzeko has been sidelined for a month now but could be ready for a return.

Key Factors to Consider

• Roma have yet to win in Turin for full nine years now
• Juventus won their last seven home matches vs Roma
• Giallorossi won only two away games this entire season
• Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 11^th Serie A goal last weekend
• Juventus are coming off from 7 consecutive league victories

Conclusion

The defending champions might have endured a slight dip in form recently but it would take much more than that for Juventus to lose their focus. Bianconeri should have more than enough about them to dispatch inconsistent Roma and make their job of getting into top-four ever so harder and more difficult.

Verdict: Juventus to Win to Nil

Best Odds: 6/5

Bookmaker: bet365