Juventus: 3 Keys To Victory Against Roma on Matchday 2

Juventus had a field day against Sampdoria in the season opener, but Andrea Pirlo’s side will face a team closer to their level this week in Roma.

AS Roma still have to find their new striker, but they won’t be an easy opponent for Juventus this Sunday at the Stadio Olimpico.

Juve’s first test under Andrea Pirlo wasn’t much of a test, as the Bianconeri dominated Sampdoria 3-0 in their Serie A opener. Weston McKennie and Dejan Kulusevski led the way and could play a crucial role on Matchday 2, while Aaron Ramsey got his bounce-back season off on the right foot with a dominant display.

Here are three keys to victory for the Old Lady on Sunday night.

1. Juventus must control the game in midfield

Arthur Melo has yet to make his debut for Juventus, so his situation is worth watching closely as we head into Matchday 2. Rodrigo Bentancur came off the bench against Sampdoria, but the smart money would be on him starting.

A midfield containing Adrien Rabiot, Aaron Ramsey, and Bentancur could cause all sorts of problems for Roma, who do have a quality midfield but would not have the all-around ability and technical quality of Juve’s midfield.

It will be important for Juve to not only keep possession and recover well when they lose the ball, but they also need to be economical with that possession. Last weekend, Ramsey had six key passes, per WhoScored.com, and Juventus need more of the same.

2. Juventus need another clean game from Leonardo Bonucci

Roma’s attack shouldn’t give Juventus too much trouble on Matchday 2, unless if Juve make mistakes that gift the opposition with golden opportunities.

Leonardo Bonucci is a great center back, but he’s sometimes his own worst enemy when it comes to making huge errors at the back. That was the case near the end of the 2019-2020 season, when Juve’s defense suffered collapse after collapse.

Last week alongside Giorgio Chiellini and Danilo, Bonucci had a great, mistake-free game at the heart of the back three for Juventus. Another strong performance from Bonucci this Sunday would go a long way to building momentum. He led all players on the Bianconeri with five clearances against Sampdoria, and he’ll need to keep playing it safe at the back.

3. Juventus need to start Dejan Kulusevski again

Against a disciplined and organized side like Roma with quality in center midfield, Juventus need a spark in the attack. Dejan Kulusevski was that spark last weekend in his first game with the Bianconeri after an outstanding loan spell with Parma, in which he scored 10 goals.

Kulusevski’s goal-scoring was evident against Sampdoria, as he scored the Old Lady’s opener with a cool finish from the edge of the box with his trust left foot. Juve have some juggling to do with Cristiano Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala, Alvaro Morata, and Kulusevski in the attack, but Kulusevski could be the difference-maker against Roma this Sunday.