Another Friday, another epic Serie A battle: Juve looking for statement win over Napoli
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Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 08.12.23. | 16:45
The two sides meet at Turin with the hosts trying to get a critical win over the defending champion that would prove their title credentials
Inter had hit them hard, and now it's time for Juve to do the same.
The Serie A reigning champions, Napoli, are going through tough times, as Walter Mazzarri's side is struggling to replicate last season's road to glory, which saw them winning the championship after 33 years.
Luciano Spalletti is gone, and his successor, Rudi Garcia, was fired after a string of disappointing results. Mazzarri stepped in as a 'firefighter', but it seems that the Tuscany-born tactician has failed to impose his philosophy. At least, that's what the recent 3-0 battering at the hands of the Nerazzurri suggests. Now, it's time for another Serie A derby, this time at Turin, against the Bianconeri.
Juve are led by Mazzarri's 'neighbour' from Tuscany, and long-time rival Massimiliano Allegri. This will be their 16th clash, and Gazzeta dello Sport suggest Allegri and Mazzarri have opposite personalities.
"We don't hang out together and I am not interested in doing so," Mazzarri once said, speaking about Allegri.
"We are very different, but we are both passionate and express our feelings differently. I feel that one doesn't always need to raise his voice to be authoritative," responded Allegri.
Elite nines up against each other tonight in #JuveNapoli ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/WC2SKocm1N
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) December 8, 2023
He won seven games against Mazzarri, the last time in April 2022, when his Juventus side beat Cagliari 2-1 thanks to goals from Matthijs de Ligt and Dusan Vlahovic, who replied to Joao Pedro.
Mazzarri beat Allegri twice, the last time was exactly ten years ago, in December 2013, when his Inter side secured a 1-0 victory over Milan with a late goal from Rodrigo Palacio. Six of the previous meetings between Mazzarri and Allegri ended in draws.
SERIE A - MATCHDAY 15
Friday
22.45: (2.50) Juventus (3.25) Napoli (3.10)
Saturday
17.00: (4.20) Verona (3.50) Lazio (2.04)
20.00: (2.65) Atalanta (3.35) Milan (2.90)
22.45: (1.32) Inter (5.70) Udinese (10.5)
Sunday
14.30: (3.40) Frosinone (3.35) Torino (2.35)
17.00: (2.21) Monza (3.25) Genoa (3.60)
20.00: (3.70) Salernitana (3.45) Bologna (2.19)
22.45: (2.24) Roma (3.45) Fiorentina (3.60)
Monday
20.30: (2.52) Empoli (3.25) Lecce (2.95)
22.45: (2.45) Cagliari (3.50) Sassuolo (3.05)
***odds are subject to change
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