Click to use the eyefootball Desktop site.
Juventus made the trip to Naples on December 1 knowing that a defeat could potentially see them trail Mauricio Sarri's men by seven points at the top of the Serie A table but the Bianconeri battled hard and emerged with all three points. Gonzalo Higuain's goal separated the two sides during a tense, pressurised 90 minutes and as a result, Allegri's men have opened up the battle at the top once again.
It's been a stuttering start for the champions who have their eyes on a seventh straight Scudetto and with a resurgent Inter progressing well under Luciano Spalletti, there is plenty of competition at the Serie A summit. Several lacklustre performances have seen the Old Lady attract a fair share of criticism from fans and pundits with the Turin outfit tripping up away at Sampdoria and dropping points against both Lazio and Atalanta but frontman Higuain believes his side have "rediscovered their hunger".
Juve started the season at the top of the betting to retain their crown once again. As a result of that vital 1-0 success over the Partenopei, they have been re-installed as the 6/5 favourites in the Serie A betting odds ahead of Napoli and Inter.
Napoli were previously unbeaten before their former striker returned to haunt them and their relentless energy and quality in the final third has seen them emerge as genuine title contenders. They finished the 2016-17 campaign as the highest scorers in the league with 94 goals but were six points behind the eventual champions and further progress is expected this time around.
Mauricio Sarri's side have netted 35 goals this season but Juventus became just the third side to keep them off the scoresheet and veteran defender Andrea Barzagli continues to be the driving force behind their resolute backline. The 36-year-old reportedly gave his side a "wake-up call" ahead of the clash at the San Paolo, explaining the importance of unity and team-work and what playing for the club represented and it appears to have done the trick. Although a number of spectators claimed Allegri's 'park the bus' tactics ruined the game as a spectacle, it proved an effective method of stopping a potent Napoli attack. The same method worked for Chievo on November 5.
Juventus will also be wary of Roma, who ran them close last year and although the side from the capital appear to be still finding their feet under new coach Eusebio Di Francesco, they have plenty of quality in their side and have taken 34 points from their first 14 matches. The two sides meet just before the winter break with the crunch clash at the Juventus Stadium set to be one a number of fixtures in December which could potentially tip the Scudetto in the Bianconeri's favour.
Inter will also provide stiff competition this time around with the hugely talented Mauro Icardi hoping to fire his side to glory but Juventus' spirit and ability to bounce back could prove just enough to pip their rivals to the Scudetto. If Allegri's side clinch the title for a seventh consecutive campaign, they will look back on their narrow success in Naples and see it as a huge turning point in their season.
Written by Ketan Patel
Copyright 2007 - 2019 Eyefootball Ltd. All rights reserved. The news and views discussed here are those of the participating users, and do not necessarily represent or have the endorsement of the editors of Eye Football.
Terms of Use - Privacy Policy - Contact Us - Use Desktop Site