Game Time Thread: Juventus vs. Napoli

When it comes to season openers at Allianz Stadium, it’s almost always going to be one of the best atmospheres of the season. The Turin faithful have gone months without seeing any kind of live football in front of them, and the simple fact that Juve are finally playing at home again after last being seen lifting the latest Scudetto basically equating to the decibel level being cranked up a couple levels as compared to some random weekend in November when a relegation battler comes to town.

With that being said, thrown into the mix that Napoli is Juventus’ opponent in the latest home opener. And then throw in what a lot of Napoli players have said about Juventus — most notably who they hired as their manager to replace Max Allegri — and you’ve got the potential for one hell of an atmosphere tonight at Allianz Staidum.

Juventus’ home opener is against one of the biggest domestic foes on the schedule, with Napoli coming to Turin looking to make an early-season statement in regard to their case to be legitimate title contenders this year. While former Napoli manager and first-year Juventus head coach Maurizio Sarri is not expected to be on the sidelines as he continues to work his way back from a serious case of pneumonia, this is the kind of showdown between rivals that is going to have drama attached to it no matter who’s writing the starting lineups.

It feels good to be home.

It feels good to have Juventus football back at home.

It’s been months since we last saw this team playing in Turin, as they celebrated another Scudetto in the rain. And it’s kinda fitting that, in a season with expectations amidst plenty of transition and adjustment, that arguably the closest Scudetto competition there is just so happens to be the team that Juventus begins its home schedule against.

Or maybe you’re just having a Wizard of Oz moment. Why? Because there is no place like home — especially this home that has seen so much happen in its previous eight seasons of existence.

MATCH INFO

When: Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019

Where: Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy

Official kickoff time: 8:45 p.m. local time in Italy and across Europe; 7:45 p.m. in the United Kingdom; 2:45 p.m. Eastern Time; 11:45 a.m. Pacific Time

STARTING LINEUPS

Juventus starting XI (4-3-3): Szczesny; De Sciglio, Bonucci, de Ligt, Alex Sandro; Khedira, Pjanic, Matuidi; Douglas Costa, Higuain, Ronaldo

Juventus bench: Pinsoglio, Buffon, Rugani, Demiral, Danilo, Emre Can, Rabiot, Bentancur, Cuadrado, Bernardeschi, Dybala, Mandzukic

Napoli starting XI (4-2-3-1): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Manolas, Koulibaly, Ghoulam; Allan, Zielinski; Callejon, Fabian, Insigne; Mertens

Napoli bench: Ospina, Karnizes, Hysaj, Luperto, Maksimovic, Malcuit, Mario Rui, Elmas, Gaetano, Verdi, Lozano, Younes

HOW TO WATCH

Television: RAI Italia America (United States); TLN, RAI Italia America (Canada); Premier Sports 1 (United Kingdom); Sky Calcio 1, Sky Supercalcio HD, Sky Sport Serie A (Italy)

Online/mobile: ESPN+ (United States); DAZN (Canada); Premier Player HD (United Kingdom); SKY Go Italia (Italy)

Other live viewing options can be found here, and as always, you can also follow along with us live and all the stupid things we say on Twitter. If you haven’t already, join the community on Black & White & Read All Over, and join in the discussion below.