Game Time Thread: Juventus vs. Lazio

After the most poorly timed international break of each season, Juventus are back on the field tonight with the goal of keeping this positive start to the 2023-24 campaign going.

The thing about it, though: Juve’s toughest opponent to date this season is the one that is rolling into Allianz Stadium this afternoon for a showdown between top four rivals.

That’s just the reality of the situation. As much as the opening three weekends of the new season were about getting as many points as possible — and seven out of nine isn’t bad! — the first date that you circled was Matchday 4 when Lazio made their way over from the Italian capital to Turin. Juventus will aim to do what they’ve done a lot of the time against Lazio ever since Maurizio Sarri took over the sky blue side of Rome — and that involves beating their former manager almost every time they have lined up against him.

(Except for the last time these two teams played. But we won’t talk about that.)

The first big game of the season is upon us. It just so happens to come a few hours before one of the biggest rivalries in all of Italy and a meeting of the two teams that call the San Siro home who have combined to win all six of their games so far this season. So, while there might be some craziness happening in Milan a little later in the day, Juve will hope that recent history continues to be on their side against Sarri and Lazio.

If that happens and the expected Milan derby craziness commences, well then you never know what things will look like once this Saturday in mid-September is over.

Just gotta do your part first, Juventus. Pretty easy to figure out, right?

MATCH INFO

When: Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023.

Where: Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy.

Official kickoff time: 3 p.m. Italy and the Central European time zone, 2 p.m. in the United Kingdom, 9 a.m. Eastern time, 6 a.m. Pacific time.

STARTING LINEUPS

Juventus starting XI (3-5-2): Szczesny; Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; McKennie, Miretti, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Vlahovic, Chiesa.

Juventus bench: Pinsoglio, Perin, Alex Sandro, Rugani, Cambiaso, Fagioli, Weah, Nicolussi Caviglia, Milik, Yildiz, Iling-Junior, Kean

Lazio starting XI (4-3-3): Provedel; Marusic, Casale, Romagnoli, Hysaj; Kamada, Cataldi, Luis Alberto; Felipe Anderson, Immobile, Zaccagni.

HOW TO WATCH

Television: CBS Sports Network (United States); TNT Sports 1 (United Kingdom).

Online/Streaming: Paramount+ (United States); fuboTV Canada (Canada); discovery+, discovery+ app (United Kingdom); DAZN, 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.