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As if having a 14-point lead in Serie A wasn't enough, Juventus has a genuine opportunity today to push it to a season-high 17 points. If 14 points is wonderful, what would be a 17-point lead mean? Maybe fantastic? How about incredible or magnificent? There should be a power ranking system for these kinds of things.
Match Preview
Juventus vs. Genoa isn't an easy game by any means. Genoa aren't the relegation battlers they were a few years ago. Heck, for a decent amount of time this season, Genoa were hanging around a European spot. They've cooled off since then, but they're still a quality opponent — especially away from home, collecting over half of their 37 points this season away from the Luigi Ferraris.
Can Juventus slow down Genoa's roll away from its own stadium and get some revenge on the last team to beat them in Serie A?
Well, that would certainly be a fantastic thing to have happen.
...right?
Oh hell yeah!
Juventus have plenty of wind in their sails thanks to the triumph in Dortmund on Wednesday night. The Champions League draw went as well as one could have hoped and with one game before the first international break of the calendar year, Once we get back from the international break, the final push for the Scudetto will officially be on. So maybe we can look at this as the appetizer to the home stretch of the season. Or some other kind of way, maybe. I won't be offended.
No matter what, though, a 17-point lead, even if it might only last for a couple of hours, has a pretty nice ring to it. But that's just me talking out loud for everybody to hear, so feel free to disagree if you want to.
Starting lineups for both Juventus and Genoa will be posted RIGHT HERE when they become available. Maybe Max Allegri will be forced to play Simone Padoin from the opening whistle. There's nothing better than a personal winning streak with Padoin in the lineup. We need to get another one of those going again, don't you think? (Yes.)
UPDATE: LINEUPS ARE IN!
Juventus XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Pereyra, Padoin; Tevez, Llorente
Juventus bench: Storari, Rubinho, Ogbonna, Evra, Sturaro, Pepe, Vitale, Coman, Matri
Genoa (3-4-3): Perin; Roncaglia, Burdisso, De Maio; Edenilson, Kucka, Bertolacci, Bergdich; Perotti, Niang, Lestienne
Genoa bench: Lamanna, Sommariva, Borriello, Mandragora, Tambe, Marchese, Tino Costa, Laxalt, Pavoletti, Izzo
