Game Time Thread: Juventus vs. AC Milan

For 28 days, Juventus’ point total has remained the same. We’ve yet to see Juve’s total of one measly point change from the season-opening draw against Udinese to now. While there’s been an international break in between then and now to add a little more time than usual to that total amount of time, there’s still be a couple of chances to change that.

And it hasn’t happened.

Which means Juventus enter tonight’s showdown with AC Milan in need of points, in need of a win, in need of keeping the good times going after winning midweek to open up the Champions League. They need just about anything you can think of that is associated with beating Milan and trying to put this terrible start to the domestic season in the past.

But ... can they?

Ah, that’s the million dollar question these days.

As this post-international break stretch of games gets going, we’ve seen Juve throw points away in Naples and then play a pretty solid game to open up the Champions League group stage. The hope, of course, is that Max Allegri can get his team on a little bit of a roll following the 3-0 win against Malmö midweek, but we know that Juve has been on a such a roller coaster already this season that consistency has sometimes been a little too much to ask for.

Against Milan, even one that is shorthanded and without a couple of its top goal scoring threats, it isn’t going to be easy. It hasn’t been easy against Milan the last couple of years as they’ve built themselves back into a team that is competing in Europe’s top club competition.

But there’s also this question: How much does Milan have in the tank after such a wild game against Liverpool in their own Champions League opener? Knowing that they are shorthanded, a lot of those same players who played at Anfield will be playing tonight against Juventus, who was afforded the chance to rest some players in the second half Tuesday night.

So here we go and here we hope that Juve can, finally, get their first Serie A win of the season this weekend. Of course, we’ve been saying that for weeks now, but maybe this is the day where it actually happens.

MATCH INFO

When: Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021.

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 (4-4-2): Szczesny; Danilo, Bonucci, Chiellini, Alex Sandro; Cuadrado, Bentancur, Locatelli, Rabiot; Dybala, Morata.

Juventus bench: Pinsoglio, Perin, De Sciglio, de Ligt, Pellegrini, Rugani, Ramsey, McKennie, Bernardeschi, Chiesa, Kulusevski, Kean.

AC Milan starting XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Tomori, Kjaer, Romagnoli, Theo Hernandez; Tonali, Kessie; Saelemaekers, Brahim Diaz, Leao; Rebic.

AC Milan bench: Tatarusanu, Jungdal, Kalulu, Florenzi, Conti, Gabbia, Ballo-Toure, Castillejo, Maldini, Bennacer, Pellegri.

HOW TO WATCH

Television: CBS Sports Network (United States); CBS Sports Network (Canada); BT Sport 1 (United Kingdom).

Online/mobile: Paramount+ (United States); BTSport.com, BT Sport app (United Kingdom); DAZN (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.