Game Time Thread: Juventus vs. Genoa

The last time we saw Juventus, they were making things a little too interesting for what a lot of us would have liked to see happen. The 1-0 win over Cagliari was no thing of beauty but rather a victory where Juventus had to outlast the opponent more than anything else.

More than two weeks have passed since that win Sardegna Arena in Sardinia. We’ve seen Juventus players go on vacations to tropic beaches, fancy resorts in Dubai and return from wherever they were spending their winter break.

But now it’s time to resume the chase to win another Scudetto.

The Napoli lead atop the league table stands at plus-4 once again following their sliiiiightly controversial 1-0 win over Atalanta over the weekend. Now, as Monday night football arrives in Italy, Juventus has the chance to get within one single point — again! — as Genoa make the trip to Allianz Stadium tonight.

Juventus are unbeaten in 11 straight games, the last loss coming two months ago against Serie A’s other Genoa-based team. Since then, Juve have started to look more like the club that has been the gold standard in Italy over the last six years. They’ve found their footing defensively, they’ve found the right mix in the center of the midfield and they’re getting production up front despite Paulo Dybala being dropped and now out for the next month due to injury.

Now we just hope they can continue the good times going.

Max Allegri knows that his team has struggled coming out of international breaks this season. And while this wasn’t technically an international break, it was still a two-week span without Juventus where struggles could suddenly rear their ugly head again.

That wouldn’t exactly be a good way to start what is about to become both a busy and incredibly important stretch on all three fronts as key Coppa Italia and Champions League fixtures await over the case of the next few weeks.

So, go out and play like you have been over the last two months, Juventus. It seemed to work pretty well in late-November and the entirety of December, so no need to change things now.

MATCH INFO

Location: Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy

Kickoff time: 8:45 p.m. local time in Italy; 7:45 p.m. in the United Kingdom; 2:45 p.m. on the East Coast; 11:45 a.m. on the West Coast

STARTING LINEUPS

Juventus starting XI (4-3-3): Szczesny; Lichtsteiner, Benatia, Chiellini, Alex Sandro; Khedira, Pjanic, Matuidi; Douglas Costa, Higuain, Mandzukic

Juventus bench: Pinsoglio, Loria, De Sciglio, Barzagli, Asamoah, Sturaro, Bentancur, Bernardeschi

Genoa starting XI (3-5-2): Perin; Rossettini, Spolli, Izzo; Rosi, Rigoni, Bertolacci, Omeonga, Laxalt; Taarabt, Pandev

WATCH IT

TV: beIN SPORTS USA, RAI Italia America (United States); beIN Sports Canada; Rai Italia America (Canada); BT Sport 1 (United Kingdom); Sky Calcio 1, PremiumSport HD, Sky Sport 1 HD Italia, Sky Supercalcio HD (Italy)

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

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