Juventus host Parma tonight looking to keep their unbeaten start to the season intact, and Luciano Spalletti’s selection points to a side built for control in midfield and speed in behind a Parma back four that will be asked to defend a lot of space.
Vicario Starts, and the Back Four Picks Itself
Between the posts, Vicario continues as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper, with the back four set up as Kalulu at right-back, Bremer and Kelly at the centre of defence, and Celik completing the line on the left. It’s a unit thats likely to become increasingly settled over the opening weeks, and Spalletti has shown little inclination to disrupt it against a Parma side who will look to work the channels rather than break through the middle.
Locatelli and Douglas Luiz Anchor a Double Pivot Built for Control
In midfield, the pairing of Locatelli and Douglas Luiz gives Juventus the balance of a reader and a carrier in front of the back four — Locatelli screening and dictating tempo, Douglas Luiz offered license to break into the half-spaces and support the front three. Against a Parma midfield trio of Ordoñez, Keita and Sørensen that will look to press high and disrupt the build-up, the two Bianconeri holders will need to be sharp in tight areas.
Conceição, David and Boga Support Kolo Muani in a Fluid Front Four
The most interesting selection is in attack. With Conceição and Boga flanking a No. 10 role occupied by Jonathan David, Spalletti has opted for interchange and movement over a fixed, orthodox front three — all three players are comfortable drifting inside or stretching wide, which should give Parma’s back line, marshalled by Troilo and Ndiaye, a genuinely difficult puzzle to solve. Kolo Muani leads the line, with his runs in behind expected to be the primary outlet whenever Douglas Luiz or David can find the pass between the lines.
Parma’s Compact Shape Will Test Juventus’s Patience
On the other side, Parma’s 4-3-2-1 is a shape built for compactness: Delprato and Valeri as the full-backs, Troilo and Ndiaye central, with Bernabè and Lontani operating just behind lone striker Touré. It’s a setup that will sit deep in phases and look to spring quickly through Bernabè, the player most likely to punish Juventus if possession is surrendered cheaply in midfield.
The pieces are in place for a game Juventus should control territorially — the question, as it so often is against a well-drilled Parma side, is whether the final ball from David, Boga and Conceição can consistently unlock a back four that will not want to open up easily.
Probable XIs
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Celik; Locatelli, Douglas Luiz; Conceição, David, Boga; Kolo Muani.
Parma (4-3-2-1): Corvi; Delprato, Troilo, Ndiaye, Valeri; Ordoñez, Keita, Sørensen; Bernabè, Lontani; Touré.
