A new season starts under new management for Serie A giants Juventus @ 1.34 ODDS, as they host promoted Como @ 9.52 ODDS 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.
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.
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.
Como form (all competitions):
L
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.
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