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If it were up to a lot of people who cover this calcio thing for a living, tonight's Juventus-Roma clash at the Olimpico would be with the Serie A title on the line. "STORYLINES STORYLINE STORYLINES!!!" they would yell while seeing the dollar signs fly around their head like a bunch of mosquitos.
There are still storylines heading into tonight's clash of Serie A's best and their closest competition. But it's not exactly going to be the crazy-hyped match that it could have been if a couple of results end up going in different directions than they actually did.
I don't really know why some of us would think such a thing...
...oh, right. That's why.
Juventus have had their Scudetto party. If you were betting on the cost of things involving the No. 32 skyrocketing around Turin over the past week or two, you're probably a rich, rich person right about now. But at the same time, a bunch of the luster of what would have been a potential big-time showdown has made this more of a glorified game that really has nothing truly at stakes other than bragging rights when players meet up for World Cup training in a couple weeks.
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In conclusion: I'd be perfectly okay with Juventus beating Roma. Why? Because beating Roma is always fun. Why? Because it's Roma. Thank you.
Go on and get your points record. That's really the only thing to play for at this point. Well, outside of beating Roma, of course. Have I mentioned I would be okay with that?
(Don't answer.)
Starting lineups for both teams will be announced RIGHT HERE when they become available. Could Simone Padoin get a second straight start after his game-winning goal against Atalanta? Stay tuned. Juventus are perfect in Serie A matches in the month of May in which Padoin gets the start. So there's that, after all.
UPDATE: LINEUPS! PADOIN!
Juventus XI (3-5-2): Storari; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Padoin, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah; Tevez, Llorente
Juventus bench: Buffon, Rubinho, Isla, Caceres, Ogbonna, Peluso, Pepe, Marchisio, Giovinco, Osvaldo, Quagliarella
Roma XI (4-3-3): Skorupski; Torosidis, Benatia, Castan, Bastos; Nainggolan, De Rossi, Pjanic; Gervinho, Totti, Destro
