Juventus vs Como prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2024-08-18 18:45.
[p]After Massimiliano Allegriâs infamous exit from the club at the end of last term, Juventus start a new chapter in their history under new boss Thiago Motta, who sensationally led Bologna to UEFA Champions League qualification last term. Motta will be coaching at Europeâs top table this season too, as despite a turbulent end to the season, the Bianconeri finished in third to return to the Champions League after a yearâs absence[/p]
[p]Juve have utilised the transfer market to bolster their midfield, signing Douglas Luiz from Aston Villa and KhĂ©phren Thuram from Nice, while they remain heavily linked with Atalantaâs Teun Koopmeiners. The Allianz Stadium seems the perfect venue for Motta to make a strong start too, as Juventus have lost a league-low four Serie A home matches across the last two seasons, while theyâve won their home league opener in seven of the last ten years (D1, L2).[/p]
[p]A daunting challenge therefore awaits for Como, who ended a 21-year long wait for top-flight football by finishing second in last seasonâs Serie B – an achievement made all the more remarkable by the fact that they were in the fourth tier of Italian football as recently as 2019! Legendary figures are now a common sight at Como, with manager Cesc FĂ bregas – who signed a four-year deal ahead of this season – adding the likes of RaphaĂ«l Varane to his squad.[/p]
[p]Adding players at the twilight of their careerâs comes with its own risk, and Varane, described as a real âleaderâ by coach FĂ bregas, was forced off just 23 minutes into his debut by injury as Como were eliminated from the Coppa Italia by second-tier Sampdoria. Theyâll hope losing doesnât become a habit as they fight for survival, but that defeat was their first in ten competitive matches (W6, D3).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: DuĆĄan VlahoviÄ scored 16 league goals for Juventus last term, including four strikes against newly-promoted opposition. Andrea Belotti will look to rebuild his career with Como, and this could be the ideal platform having already scored four goals against Juventus when he was playing for Torino, although none of those led to a victory for his side (D1, L3).[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Five of Juventusâ six last seasonâs matches against Serie A newcomers have seen both teams on the scoresheet (JUV: W3, D3).[/p]
[p][i]Written by TomĂĄĆĄ VlasĂĄk[/i][/p]