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Serie A | Gameweek 7

Sep 29, 2018 at 5pm UK

Juventus
3-1
Napoli

Mandzukic (26', 49'), Bonucci (76')

FT(HT: 1-1)

Mertens (10')
Rui (58')

Football

How Juventus could line up against Napoli

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 27 September 2018

Sports Mole looks at how seven-time defending champions Juventus could line up in their top-of-the-table Serie A clash with Napoli this weekend.

The top two in Serie A will face off on Saturday as champions Juventus host Napoli in Turin looking to extend their perfect start to the new season.

Not since 1985-86 have Juventus begun a Serie A campaign with seven successive wins - a feat Napoli themselves managed last term before still only finishing second behind the dominant Turin outfit.

Victory for Juventus would leave them six points clear at the top of the table already, putting them another step closer to an unprecedented eighth successive Scudetto.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how they could line up against their closest title challengers.

Massimiliano Allegri has the personnel to switch between a number of different systems with relative ease, but a 4-3-3 looks most likely against Napoli this weekend.

Cristiano Ronaldo - now very much on the goal trail for his new club - will join Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala in the attacking three once again, with Filippo Bernardeschi expected to be consigned to a place on the bench once more.

However, there are expected to be changes from the midweek win over Bologna, with the likes of Wojciech Szczesny and Alex Sandro expected to return alongside Mandzukic.

Allegri is spoilt for choice in midfield but is likely to welcome Emre Can back into the team next to Miralem Pjanic and Blaise Matuidi, meaning that Sami Khedria and Rodrigo Bentancur would miss out.

There is also a decision to be made at the heart of the defence, with Daniele Rugani, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli and Mehdi Benatia all in contention for a starting role.