The ghosts of seasons past will haunt the Allianz Stadium on Saturday evening when Paulo Dybala returns to Turin wearing the Roma colors. But this time, La Joya finds himself in an unfamiliar position—watching from the bench while his former club battles a crisis that threatens to define their season.
A striker crisis of epic proportions
Juventus enter this fixture without their primary attacking weapon. Dusan Vlahovic remains sidelined with injury, alongside fellow striker Arkadiusz Milik, leaving Luciano Spalletti scrambling for solutions. The options? Jonathan David, who hasn't scored in 13 league matches despite finding the net in Europe, or Lois Openda—neither a like-for-like replacement for the Serbian target man who has been integral to Juve's attacking play.
The defensive situation offers little respite. Federico Gatti's injury compounds an already stretched backline, and Teun Koopmeiners' suspension removes their most creative midfield presence. For a side that has built its identity on defensive solidity—unbeaten at home this season—the timing couldn't be worse.
Roma's renaissance under Gasperini
The Giallorossi have undergone a transformation since Gian Piero Gasperini's summer arrival. Currently fourth in Serie A, just three points behind leaders Inter Milan, Roma have evolved from inconsistent underachievers to genuine title contenders.
Yet their own casualty list reads like a hospital register:
- Evan Ndicka and Neil El Aynaoui – away on international duty at AFCON
- Artem Dovbyk – injured, removing their primary goalscoring threat
- Zeki Celik – suspended
The Ukrainian striker's absence particularly stings. Dovbyk had been one of the signings of the summer, and his 11 goals this campaign made him the focal point of Gasperini's attacking system.
The tactical battleground
This clash represents a collision of methodologies. Spalletti's Juventus favor a controlled possession game, gradually building from the back while seeking moments of individual brilliance from Kenan Yildiz—their chief creator who set up Juan Cabal's winner against Bologna last weekend.
Gasperini's Roma, by contrast, press with intensity and transition with devastating speed. Without Dovbyk, the responsibility falls to Evan Ferguson and the enigmatic Dybala—though the Argentine has managed just one Serie A goal this season, his worst start to a top-flight campaign in his career.
History and momentum favor a stalemate
The recent head-to-head record suggests caution. These sides have drawn their last three Serie A meetings, and the most common scoreline in this fixture historically is 1-1—occurring 27 times. Roma haven't won in Turin in a decade, but they haven't lost in their last four visits either.
Juventus come into this match having won five of their last six competitive fixtures since Igor Tudor's departure. The stability has returned, but questions linger about their ability to break down organized defenses without Vlahovic's physical presence.
Key matchup to watch
The battle between Bremer—potentially returning from injury to marshal the Juventus defense—and Ferguson in Roma's attack could prove decisive. The Brazilian's organizational skills will be tested by Ferguson's unpredictable movement, while Gianluca Mancini must contain whatever makeshift attacking solution Spalletti conjures.
With both sides fighting for Champions League qualification and their direct rivals occupied at the Supercoppa Italiana in Saudi Arabia, three points here could prove invaluable. The question is whether either team possesses the firepower to claim them.
