Juventus visit Genoa in Serie A on Wednesday night, October 28, with kick-off at 7:45pm. Our full preview, team news, predicted lineups and score prediction are below.
Match Preview
Juventus won at the weekend to ease some of the pressure on them, and they now want to build momentum at Genoa. Both sides took three points on Sunday, but neither is happy with its league position.
After just one win in their previous four games, Juve could not afford another slip at Lecce, and they won 2-0. First-half goals from Weston McKennie and Douglas Luiz put them in control, and they saw it out. It followed a 3-0 home loss to Lazio and a 2-2 Europa League draw with Rennes, and it eased the pressure on an increasingly agitated Luciano Spalletti, whose job is apparently under threat. Juve are still behind the other top-four contenders, seventh on 14 points from eight games, below newly promoted Frosinone and just above city rivals Torino.
Their recent record against Genoa suggests back-to-back wins are possible. After a 2-0 home win in April, they have kept clean sheets in each of the last five league meetings, taking 13 points from 15. Genoa haven’t beaten Juve in the league since May 2022 and have scored only once against them since.
The Grifone are trying to move away from the drop zone after finishing 16th last season and flirting with relegation. Daniele De Rossi looked set to lose his job when Genoa lost their first three games, but he was kept on, and they have taken seven points from five games since. A 2-1 win over Fiorentina was followed by defeat to Roma, De Rossi’s beloved former club. Then came a second home win of the season on Sunday, when Mikael Ellertsson scored a stunning long-range winner against his former club Venezia, who are bottom. Genoa are back in 16th, and all their points have come at the Ferraris, where Juve are sure to get a hostile reception.
Team News
Spalletti, facing the sack just before the first anniversary of his appointment, has recently switched to a more secure 3-5-2, with Nick Woltemade and Randal Kolo Muani up front together. That partnership should continue, though Juve may make some changes in a busy run of fixtures, and options are severely limited by absences.
Zeki Celik and Nico Gonzalez were both injured against Rennes and join Francisco Conceicao, Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Jeff Ekhator, Kamil Grabara and captain Manuel Locatelli in the treatment room.
Genoa will be without Djibril Sow, Elias Havel and Lorenzo Venturino, and Samuel Wiafe, who suffered an adductor strain at the weekend, is unlikely to play. Lorenzo Colombo is back from injury and made a second-half cameo on Sunday, but top scorer Milutin Osmajic should lead the attack. Junior Messias, Stephan El Shaarawy, Vitinha and Tommaso Baldanzi are all competing to play behind him.
Probable Starting XI’s
Genoa possible XI (3-4-2-1): Bijlow; Otoa, Ostigard, Vasquez; Ellertsson, Frendrup, Traore, Mitaj; Messias, El Shaarawy; Osmajic
Juventus possible XI (3-5-2): Vicario; Gatti, Bremer, Lucumi; Kalulu, McKennie, Luiz, Sarr, Cambiaso; Kolo Muani, Woltemade
Prediction
Genoa have won their last two home games, so the Ferraris will be a tricky test for Juve. Several key players are missing, but Spalletti seems to have found a solid setup, and Juve’s greater individual quality should tell.
Prediction: Genoa 1-2 Juventus
