Serie A Tips: Bumpy Juventus and Roma opening weekend

Samp not easy for Pirlo

Juventus v Sampdoria
Sunday, 19:45
Live on Premier Sports 2 and Betfair Live Video

I've already made it clear that I think that Juventus are going to struggle to defend their Serie A title this season, and I believe that's a theme which may begin to take shape on the opening Sunday of the season.

Claudio Ranieri and Sampdoria are the visitors to Turin, and much has been made of the absurd gulf in experience between the two coaches, as Andrea Pirlo prepares for his first ever professional game as a coach, Ranieri his 953rd.

Pirlo's appointment may turn into a masterstroke, and more fresh faces may yet buoy Juve, but right now they look as if they're there to be shot at, and I think that Samp will give them trouble.

The two met here with a couple of games remaining last season, and Ranieri's team were excellent that day, creating chances and unfortunate not to score, with a 2-0 defeat hardly a fair reflection.

I tipped both teams to score that day (unsuccessfully) and while that's trading at 2.111/10, and is certainly a bet to consider, I'll be a supporter of Samp with a goal and a half start on the Asian Handicap. We can back that eventuality at 2.0811/10 and it makes considerable appeal with Juve still building and Samp, even without Manolo Gabbiadini, more than capable of troubling them again.

Hellas hound Roma

Verona v Roma
Saturday, 19:45
Live on Premier Sports 1 and Betfair Live Video

The rest of the weekend looks very tricky indeed, with a rather underwhelming set of fixtures, and transfer talks and Covid 19 tests making it hard to work out precise starting line ups.

Roma have probably lost Nicolò Zaniolo for the season and are certainly missing a few others for this opening day trip to Verona. The hosts' chances are weakened by the absence of a crowd, but they look as if they'll be somewhere near full strength, and the fact that they have strengthened in the window so far means that there is a positive feeling about them once again.

Ivan Juric is an excellent coach who has done an outstanding job with Hellas, and even though they won just one of their last nine games last season, they looked tired and desperate for a break. Suitably fortified, they'll be raring to go again, as they try and beat that ninth placed finish from the last campaign. They have lost only 1 of their last 7 opening day games, and will be hell bent on not losing this one.

Roma fans seem to be losing patience with Paulo Fonseca, and you can understand why, given the lack of consistency which they displayed in that last campaign, and the uncertainty surrounding Edin Dzeko makes it harder to fancy them to go anywhere this season.

Verona appeal a little at 4.03/1 to win the game, and they certainly do with half a goal start on the Asian Handicap at 2.021/1.

Sassuolo to start strong

Sassuolo v Cagliari
Sunday, 17:00
Live on Betfair Live Video

Cagliari have a new coach in the shape of the former Sassuolo boss Eusebio Di Francesco, and after having a nightmare beginning to last season after he took the Sampdoria job, a similar situation could be on the cards in Sardinia.

After this, Cagliari play Lazio and Atalanta, before a trip to Torino, which makes starting well all the more important to the increasingly hapless Di Francesco.

His side will struggle here: they have a few injured, have lost their last four opening games (they haven't even scored in the last three), and even though Sassuolo are missing one or two important players of their own (notably Mimmo Berardi), they look too strong for a team in transition.

These two have drawn 7 of the last 12 times that they've met in Serie A, and I can see why you might support that outcome again here at 3.814/5, but I think that Sassuolo will be strong enough, and like them, on a quiet opening week, at 2.01/1.