Juventus vs Como

Juventus begin the new cycle after Massimiliano Allegri at the Allianz Stadium as Serie A newcomers Como arrive in Turin for their 2024/25 league opener.

After four years without a Serie A title, record-time Italian champions parted with underachieving manager Max Allegri, replacing him with ex-Bologna boss Thiago Motta. Motta inspired Bologna to an unlikely Champions League qualification last term and is keen to restore ‘I Bianconeri’ to their former glory after overseeing a comprehensive squad overhaul in the summer. There’s no better place to begin his new journey than the Allianz Stadium, where the Turin giants have won their opening league game in seven of the last ten seasons (D1, L2). On top of that, Juventus have lost a league-low two home matches across the past two years, while they went unbeaten in all six top-flight encounters against newly-promoted clubs in 2023/24 (W3, D3). It’s worth noting that five of those six clashes saw both teams on the scoresheet.

That gives visiting Como an outside chance to upset the apple cart in Turin on their Serie A return. The visitors are back in Italy’s top flight after a 20-year absence, courtesy of a runner-up finish in Serie B last season. New manager Cesc Fabregas has a weight of the world on his shoulders as the visitors bid to avoid a swift return to the second tier amid an aggressive recruitment campaign. In addition to Serie A stalwarts Andrea Belotti and Gabriel Strefezza, ‘I Lariani’ have shocked world football with the signing of former Manchester United defender Raphael Varane. However, the Frenchman could miss out on Como’s first Serie A trip to Turin to meet Juventus since 2002 after picking up an injury in a morale-wracking Coppa Italia elimination to Sampdoria last weekend.