Boring Juventus kicks off their mission to reclaim the title

Eager to reclaim the Serie A crown, Juventus will launch their new league campaign on Sunday evening, hosting Parma in Turin.

The Bianconeri faced another turbulent season last year before scraping into a top-four finish, while Parma successfully avoided relegation. Once dominant in Italy with nine consecutive Scudetto, Juventus haven’t topped Serie A since 2020 and only managed fourth last term amid ongoing instability.

Their European campaign was equally frustrating. Juventus bowed out early from the Champions League, repeatedly drawing games they could have won, equalling a club record with 20 draws across all competitions.

Thiago Motta’s tenure ended abruptly before completing a full season, and interim boss Igor Tudor—a former defender and assistant at the club—stabilized the side admirably after stepping in last March.

Attempts to lure Antonio Conte or Gian Piero Gasperini failed due to boardroom mishaps, so Tudor was retained to steer Juventus through the new-look Club World Cup. The team showed promise in the United States, exiting the tournament in the last 16 to Real Madrid, and capped a truncated pre-season with a 2-1 win over Atalanta last week.

Transfer activity has been cautious, as Juventus continue to grapple with past errors, though the signing of Jonathan David from Lille promises a boost to a front line that struggled last season.

Parma proved a thorn in Juve’s side in 2024-25, winning 1-0 at Stadio Tardini in April and drawing 2-2 in Turin six months prior. They secured their Serie A status with a 3-2 victory over Atalanta on the final day, marking consecutive top-flight campaigns for the first time since 2021.

Tudor to remain at Juventus until 2027

However, head coach Cristian Chivu departed to take on a role at Inter Milan, leaving the managerial position open. Sunday will see 30-year-old Carlos Cuesta make his Serie A debut, becoming the third-youngest coach in Italy’s top flight after his unexpected move from Arsenal.

Remarkably, Parma lost just one of eight matches against top-half teams under Chivu, and Cuesta aims to continue that form. The former Juventus youth coach opened his senior managerial career with a 2-0 Coppa Italia win over Pescara last week, setting up a home tie against Spezia in round two.

SERIE A - MATCHDAY 1

Saturday

Genoa - Lecce 0-0

Sassuolo - Napoli 0-2 (0-1)

/McTominay 17, De Bruyne 57/

Milan - Cremonese 1-2 (1-1)

/Pavlovic 45+1 - Baschirotto 28, Bonazzoli 61/

Roma - Bologna 1-0 (0-0)

/Wesley 53/

Sunday

19.30: (3.25) Cagliari (3.35) Fiorentina (2.35)

19.30: (2.55) Como (3.35) Lazio (2.95)

21.45: (1.42) Atalanta (5.20) Pisa (7.50)

21.45: (1.45) Juventus (4.40) Parma (7.50)

Monday

19.30: (1.93) Udinese (3.50) Verona (4.50)

21.45: (1.43) Inter (4.50) Torino (7.50)

***odds are subject to change***