Serie A Preview: Genoa vs Juventus – Team News, Line-ups & Prediction | OneFootball

Stadio Luigi Ferraris is the venue as Genoa and Juventus go head-to-head in the penultimate game of Serie A Gameweek 2. Both teams went unbeaten in the opening round and will look to build on that momentum heading into September’s international break.

Genoa are halfway to squandering what was supposed to be an advantageous start to the season following a tepid 0-0 home draw against Lecce on day one. Patrick Vieira’s side continued to stutter in front of goal, which was their main issue last season.

Only two teams to avoid the drop in 2024/25 had scored fewer goals than Genoa’s 37, prompting the club to add to their firepower during the summer. As a result, Lorenzo Colombo has arrived from Milan on loan. Valentin Carboni has joined from Inter, while Nicolae Stanciu returned to European football after three years in Asia.

Juventus have not been as busy as Genoa during the summer. However, they’ve focused on quality rather than quantity. Jonathan David has signed a multi-year contract and scored on his Serie A debut as the Bianconeri claimed a 2-0 home win against Parma.

The other summer signing, Joao Mario, came off the bench, while Dusan Vlahovic scored a late goal and made peace with the Turin faithful. With the transfer window set to close, the former Fiorentina star may not have played his last game for Juventus after all.

Match Preview

Genoa

As aforementioned, scoring has not been Genoa’s strong suit. That rings particularly true when they line up against upcoming rivals Juventus. The Griffins have failed to find the net in their last three encounters against the Bianconeri (D1, L2), including a 3-0 defeat in this corresponding fixture in 2024/25.

Bringing the tail-end of last season into the equation, Vieira’s charges are now winless in four consecutive Serie A matches (D1, L3). Genoa must defy the odds to buck that trend, but considering they failed to beat top-half finishers at home last season (D3, L7), the omens are far from encouraging.

While it’s hard to expect Genoa to vie for their first home league win until January, as they did last season, it’s equally difficult to see them scoop up three points here. A strong start would help, yet the Griffins have scored Serie A’s fewest 12 first-half goals since the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign.

Juventus

Juventus have proved well-versed in breaching Genoa’s home fortress, netting precisely three goals on three of their last five visits to Luigi Ferraris (W3, D1, L1). Needless to say, the record-time Italian champions dominate the all-time record against this opposition (W87, D30, L27).

Manager Igor Tudor will look to make it 88 and maintain an impressive tradition that has seen Juventus go unbeaten in their first away league game of a new season since 2015. Adding to Tudor’s confidence, the visitors avoided defeat in nine of their ten away league clashes against bottom-half finishers last term (W6, D3, L1).

However, neutrals may not want to hold their breath, with a low-scoring fixture potentially on the cards. Only two of Juve’s last ten league matches have produced over 2.5 goals, highlighting the potential for another cagey affair.

Team News

Carboni and Colombo will likely feature in Genoa’s starting line-up. Vieira may also include Rennes loanees Leo Ostigard and Albert Gronbaek in the matchday squad. Stanicu is another exciting component of the home side’s new-look attack and will probably be the Griffins’ creative force.

On the other hand, Juventus will be without long-term absentees Juan Cabal, Arkadiusz Milik, and Mattia Perin. Andrea Cambiaso is unavailable for selection after picking up a red card against Parma, meaning Weston McKennie will likely operate as a makeshift wingback.

Genoa vs Juventus Potential Starting Line-ups

Genoa (4-2-3-1): Leali; Norton-Cuffy, Ostigard, Vasquez, Martin; Frendrup, Masini; Carboni, Stanciu, Gronbaek; Colombo.

Juventus (3-4-3): Di Gregorio; Gatti, Bremer, Kelly; Kalulu, Thuram, Locatelli, McKennie; Conceicao, Yildiz; David.

Genoa vs Juventus Prediction

Given the circumstances, Genoa would probably sign up for a draw before the kick-off. However, Vieira’s side must earn a point against Juventus, who, after five years without the Scudetto, have a point to prove.

Luigi Ferraris has been a happy hunting ground for the Bianconeri, and we expect to confirm their dominance in this fixture with what could be a tight win. Anyway, this will not be a walk in the park for Tudor’s team.