SERIE A
Parma v Juventus: Serie A live: goals, match report
Juve brush Parma aside to make it three wins from three, the "Old Lady" securing a hard fought 1-2 win at the Ennio Tardini.
Who can stop Juventus from marching to an eighth consecutive Scudetto win? Parma gave it a go and for 45 minutes offered a dignified home display against the men from Turin. Going a goal behind withing two minutes to the reigning champions was hardly the ideal start for the Crociati but a subsequent solid defensive display with quick and incisive counters lead to an even and entertaining 45 minutes of football.
The home sides determination was rewarded just after the half hour mark as Gervinho (yes, that one) tapped home into an empty net after some fine build up work from Inglese. Both sides went in at the break at 1-1 but there was always the sense that Juventus had an extra gear to slip into whilst it felt that Parma had played to their limits.
The winning and decisive goal came just before the hour mark as a deft back heel from Croatian striker Mandzukic teed the ball up nicely for World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi who rifled vigorously into the roof of the Parma goal. From there there was no turning back and the gulf in class (and indeed budget) with the riches on the Juve bench seeing Dybala, Emre Can and the impressive Douglas Costa getting a run out. Parma huffed and puffed but lacked any spark to trouble Szczesny who had a quiet second half.
CR7 watch
What of CR7 we hear you say.... Well, the Portuguese striker looked lively and eager but become less involved in the action as the clock ticked down. Juve march on and it will only be a question of time surely before the former Real Madrid man finds the net.
Parma v Juventus: as it happened
Parma v Juventus: preview
Juventus head to Emilia-Romagna with, inevitably, all eyes on Ronaldo and whether he can open his account with the club. Most other strikers wouldn’t receive such high-watt attention, but then Ronaldo is not most other strikers and goal droughts don’t enter his footballing vocabulary. The Portuguese striker’s lack of precision in front of goal is not for want of trying - he has had more shots on target (eight) than anyone else in the top five European leagues. Nevertheless, the reigning Serie A champions have won their first two games – against Chievo and Lazio - and will be keen to make it a third before the international break. Parma, meanwhile, have only managed to scrape together a point following a draw with Udinese and a defeat to SPAL.
After three seasons out of Italy’s top flight, Parma have returned in dramatic fashion after back-to-back promotions, most notably sealing their return to the ‘big time’ on the last day of the season. Parma-Juventus is a vintage fixture in Italy, with both sides meeting 46 times in Serie A – Juventus have the head-to-head advantage, winning 21 times and losing 10, with 15 draws. The last time the two sides met was in 2015, in Parma’s relegation season. Surprisingly, the Ducali came away 1-0 winners on that occasion, and have a good home record against the Bianconeri, losing only once in their last five games.
Team news:
Parma
With both Jonathan Biabiany and Amato Ciciretti out, Gervinho is likely to get the nod for his first Parma start. In midfield Luca Rigoni is set to replace Antonio Barilla, while the back four of Iacoponi, Alves, Gagliolo, Gobbi is unlikely to change.
Juventus
Juventus’s only absentee is Leonardo Spinazzola, with Allegri predicted to stick with his back four of Joao Cancelo, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and Alex Sandro. New-signing Emre Can may be handed his first league start, and could join up with Miralem Pjanic in midfield. In attack, Dybala should play in the hole as he looks to build up an understanding with new team-mates Ronaldo and Mario Mandzukic
