Game Time Thread: Juventus vs. Roma

For the last time in the calendar year of 2016, Juventus are going to play a Serie A game. This isn’t the last time Juventus will play Serie A opposition in the month of December. No, no. There’s still a Super Cup in Doha to be played in a matter of six days. But first there’s a game with quite a bit riding on it no matter what Max Allegri ma or may not have to say about the matter.

Juventus vs. Roma is likely the final hurdle the five-time defending Serie A champions have to try and jump over before another winter title is theirs. Juventus win this one, a rather tasty Saturday night encounter at Juventus Stadium, and the lead atop the Serie A table is pushed to seven points — which I have to say is quite a nice number to look at as Juve embark on the long trip to the Middle East.

However, if Juventus don’t win this one, even draw it, and the lead atop the table will be as slim as it could possibly get as they take the field against Milan and play for another Supercoppa next Friday. Not exactly what you want to have on your mind entering Christmas, right? Right!

For a lot of reasons, 2016 has been a very good year. There’s two more chances to make it an even better one. Next Friday it’s the chance to play for a big and shiny trophy. But tonight, well, that’s the chance to show everybody who is saying Juventus is not the dominating force in Serie A like they thought they were that the defending champions can still run away with this thing.

A request to not only beat Roma, but do so with a little bit of style, huh? I’m pretty sure that’s something that I can get behind and support. Go do your thing, Juventus, and feel free to add a little bit of style with it along the way. Sounds like a winning combination to me, folks.

MATCH INFO

Location: Juventus Stadium, Turin, Italy

Kick-off time: 8:45 p.m. local time in Italy; 7:45 p.m. in England; 2:45 p.m. on the East Coast; 11:45 a.m. on the West Coast

STARTING LINEUPS

Juventus starting XI (4-3-1-2): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Rugani, Chiellini, Alex Sandro; Khedira, Marchisio, Sturaro; Pjanic; Mandzukic, Higuain

Juventus bench: Neto, Audero, Barzagli, Benatia, Evra, Mattiello, Cuadrado, Hernanes, Lemina, Asamoah, Dybala, Pjaca

Roma starting XI (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Rudiger, Manolas, Fazio, Emerson Palmieri; De Rossi, Strootman; Gerson, Nainggolan, Perotti; Dzeko

Roma bench: Alisson, Romagnoli, Juan Jesus, Bruno Peres, Vermaelen, Seck, Mario Rui, Salah, Iturbe, El Shaarawy

WATCH IT

TV: beIN SPORTS USA (United States); beIN Sports Canada (Canada); BT Sport 3 (United Kingdom); Sky Sport 1 HD Italia, Sky Calcio 1, Sky Supercalcio HD, Roma TV (Italy)

Online: fuboTV, beIN SPORTS CONNECT U.S.A. (United States); fuboTV Canada, beIN SPORTS CONNECT Canada (Canada); BT Sport Live Streaming (United Kingdom); SKY Go Italia (Italy)

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