Locatelli, Manuel 
Beto 
Udinese will be hosting Juventus in their first match in Serie A this Sunday.
Key Takeaways
- Juventus finished 7th last season
- Juventus are suspended from European football this season
- Udinese finished 12th last season
Juventus have been on a downward spiral for the last three seasons. While last season was better than previous seasons, it was still below expectations. Although they finished 7th due to the point deduction, overall they were the strongest team.
Udinese Form
For years, Udinese has been a mid-table team in Serie A. They finished 12th last season. Nevertheless, they are looking for a team with ambition for this season, as they have added seven new players.
In defence, Udinese is known for its compact approach and oppositions don't have an easy time breaching their security. In particular, Udinese always comes through at home. Their dominance at home is evident in the fact that they have only lost four games there last season.
Juventus Form
Juventus is determined to regain its former prominence in Italian football. The last three seasons have been really difficult for them, but their team now seems settled to compete for silverware this year. They lost points due to financial irregularities, which caused them to finish 7th in the league. If they had not suffered financial irregularities, they would have easily finished in the top four.
Juventus haven't made any major signings, but new players like Timothy Weah can add a lot to the squad. Even in pre-season games, Juventus did not lose a single game and beat Real Madrid 3-1.
Head to Head
For years, Juventus has been a top team in Serie A, and their dominance over mid-table teams like Udinese is no surprise. There have been 27 meetings between Juventus and Udinese, and Juventus has won 20 of them while Udinese has only won 3 games.
Team News
The Juventus camp is currently suffering from two injuries. De Sciglio is recovering from cruciate ligament surgery and is expected back next year. A shoulder injury has sidelined Nicolo Fagioli, who looked promising for them last season.
At the moment, Udinese have three injury concerns in their camp. Kingsley Ehizibue is out with a knee injury, Gerard Deulofeu is out with a cruciate ligament injury and Enzo Embossed is out with a cruciate ligament injury.
Key players
During last season's season, Andrien Rabiot stood out as Juventus' star. In midfield, he held all the strings and was the team's backbone. In addition to scoring eight goals and providing four assists, Rabiot also had the best season of his Juventus career. This time around, he will have a lot more responsibilities and not a lot of support from his teammates in midfield.
Last season, Beto was Udinese's key offensive player. He contributed 10 goals to their cause. The Portuguese striker is a master of physicality and can do a lot of damage from set pieces. In this match, he can pose a major threat to Juventus.
How to Watch on TV and Online
The match between Udinese and Juventus will be telecast in the UK on TNT Sports 1.
Final Thoughts
While Juventus are favourites to win this match, Udinese are a difficult opponent at their home ground. Last season Juventus struggled for goals, but if their attack combines with their defense, we may see the old Juve back. It's going to be a close game.
Serie A