:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45798068/GettyImages_461429240.0.jpg)
It's been a couple of years since Juventus and Roma played against one another on a Monday night. It just so happens the last meeting, like this one tonight, is also taking place at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Let me take you back to that night a few years ago where the video below happened — something that should bring you quite a bit of joy.
Ah, San Gigi. You are my favorite of all my favorites.
Juventus vs. Roma has certainly had some moments over the years the make you go crazy — good and/or bad depending on which end of the table you sit at. But this season, it's been the two clubs at the top of the Serie A standings all year. And with Roma's recent form resembling that of a little kid with a new coloring book who just wants to "DRAW DRAW DRAW!", this is the chance for Juventus to begin the nail-in-the-coffin process agains their closest competition.
Doesn't that sound nice? Sure does to me!
Match Preview
So, plus-6? Plus-9? Plus-12? Which one will it be when the final whistle blows tonight after Juventus and Roma renew acquaintances? Juventus' lead is already a commanding one with with calendar now flipped over to March and just 13 games left after today's first-place vs. second-place showdown.
Juve manager Max Allegri will have choices to make when it comes to his squad. Rumors of a 3-5-2 formation filled the Italian newspaper's websites once the health statuses of both Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba continued to be put in doubt. There's already no Andrea Pirlo and newly-injured Stefano Sturaro, so any absence of either Vidal or Pogba will mean Juve's midfield options are as thin as they've been in weeks.
Or maybe Simone Padoin will just save us all.
Wouldn't that be nice!
No matter what, though, a couple hours from now we will know what the Scudetto race looks like come the final three months of the season. It might be re-opened just a little bit, it might be pretty much put to rest, or it may as well just stay status quo at plus-9 and everybody will go their respective ways without much noise at all. (Like that will happen.)
Starting lineups for both Juventus and Roma will be posted RIGHT HERE when they become available. Maybe, just maybe, we'll get the chance to see if Rudi Garcia brought his little invisible violin with him to the stadium again. Wouldn't it be nice to hear a tune or two played? (Feel free to not answer that if you don't want to.)
UPDATE: LINEUPS ARE IN!
Juventus XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Cáceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Pereyra, Evra; Tévez, Morata
Juventus bench: Storari, Rubinho, Barzagli, Ogbonna, De Ceglie, Padoin, Pogba, Pepe, Coman, Llorente, Matri
Roma XI (4-3-3): De Sanctis; Torosidis, Manolas, Yanga-Mbiwa, Holebas; Pjanic, De Rossi, Keita; Gervinho, Totti, Ljajic
Roma bench: Skorupski, Curci, Astori, Spolli, Cole, Nainggolan, Florenzi, Ucan, Paredes, Verde, Sanabria, Iturbe
