Serie A returns to action this week, with Juventus hosting Hellas Verona on January 6, the date Italian football traditionally ends its winter break. Currently sitting bottom of the table and without a single win this term, the visitors could not have asked for a more daunting task than a trip to Turin.

Indeed, the Bianconeri have finally returned to form, ending 2015 with seven consecutive league wins, adding a Coppa Italia victory over cross-town rivals Torino in for good measure. They will be looking to continue that streak, especially as they are now just three points behind early leaders Inter.

Yet the players appear to only be focused on their next opponents, with midfielder Stefano Sturaro in no mood to discuss Juve’s long-term objectives during an interview with Sky Italia late last week.

“We’re taking each game at a time,” he said per the club’s official website. “To start talking about the title now would be premature and the wrong way to go about things because we’re only at the midway point of the season.”

His team-mate Paul Pogba believes that the improvements are down to the work ethic instilled by Juventus, telling La Stampa (h/t Football Italia) that being at Manchester United felt “like being on vacation in comparison.”

They will be made to work by Hellas, too, with veteran striker Luca Toni believing the timing of the fixture gives his side an advantage, as he discussed the matchup with Tuttosport last week.

“It’s better we face them now after the Christmas break, so hopefully some will still be distracted,” Toni said (h/t Football Italia). “Juve are clearly stronger, but we can cause them problems.”

The 38-year-old has, of course, been reunited with former Bianconeri boss Gigi Delneri, but the two men will know it will take something special to get the better of their old club as Juventus look to continue their climb up the table.

 

Date: Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Time: 2 p.m. GMT/9 a.m. ET

Venue: Juventus Stadium, Turin

TV Info: BT Sport Europe (UK) BeInSports 1 (U.S.)

Live Stream: BT Connect (UK)

 

Form Lines

Last five domestic results:

Juventus 1-0 Milan	Hellas Verona 0-2 Napoli
Palermo 0-3 Juventus	Frosinone 3-2 Hellas Verona
Lazio 0-2 Juventus	Hellas Verona 0-1 Empoli
Juventus 3-1 Fiorentina	Milan 1-1 Hellas Verona
Carpi 2-3 Juventus	Hellas Verona 1-1 Sassuolo

 

Probable Formations

Juventus (3-5-2): Gigi Buffon; Daniele Rugani, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini; Juan Cuadrado, Sami Khedira, Claudio Marchisio, Paul Pogba, Patrice Evra; Mario Mandzukic, Paulo Dybala

Unavailable: Andrea Barzagli, Mario Lemina and Roberto Pereyra (all injured)

Hellas Verona: (4-2-3-1): Pierluigi Gollini; Eros Pisano, Matteo Bianchetti, Vangelis Moras, Samuel Souprayen; Federico Viviani, Emil Hallfredsson; Pawel Wszolek, Artur Ionita, Luca Siligardi; Luca Toni

Unavailable: Jacopo Sala (suspended), Romulo and Michelangelo Albertazzi (both injured)

 

Key Battle

Luca Toni is the danger man for Hellas Verona, the veteran striker having ended last season alongside Inter Milan’s Mauro Icardi at the top of the Serie A goalscoring charts. The 2006 World Cup winner bagged a remarkable 22 goals to lift the Capocannoniere crown but has struggled somewhat with injuries this term.

Limited to just eight starts thus far, the 38-year-old has still struck three times, a tally representing a third of Verona’s total goals so far in 2015/16. Toni is, of course, well-known in Turin, having netted the first-ever goal at Juventus Stadium during his short spell at the club.

The task of keeping him under wraps is likely to fall to Giorgio Chiellini, and the Bianconeri defender will be undaunted by the physical battle that will ensue as the two men go head-to-head.

 

Player to Watch

If Toni poses the biggest threat for the visitors, perhaps the man to watch here will be working at the opposite end of the field, with Mario Mandzukic in excellent form for Juventus.

The Croatian striker struggled in the early months of the campaign but has recently found his scoring boots, weighing in with five goals and an assist in his last five appearances before the winter break.

Mandzukic was named Juve’s Player of the Month for November, according to the club’s official website, and he will look to start the New Year by finding the back of the net once again here.

The Gialloblu may struggle to stop him, conceding no fewer than 27 times thus far in 2015/16—a tally only beaten by Carpi (33), who are just above them at the foot of the Serie A table.

 

Odds (via Odds Shark)

Away win: 25-1

Home win: 50-357

Draw: 11-2

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