Juventus Torino and Lazio Roma face each other for a third time for this season's Italian Supercup curtain raiser.
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Juventus Torino and Lazio Roma face each other this evening for the third time in the Italian Supercup.
The “bianconeri” have won twice against the Roman side in 2013 and 2015, whilst the “laziale” only won once in 1998.
It’s the first official match of the season in Italy, with Juventus having lost Dani Alves and key defender Leonardo Bonucci from last season and gaining seven new players, including the Brazilian Douglas Costa.
Since Juventus lost a second Champions League final in three seasons, a shadow has been cast over the Italian champions by reports of infighting and the departure of Bonucci.
Ahead of Sunday’s 13th August curtain raiser there is great curiosity to see whether Lazio can give credence to the theory that Bonucci represents the biggest loss Juventus have suffered in the last six years when he chose to join Milan.
Juventus are facing a Lazio side they beat three times last season on the way to a third successive league and cup double.
Lazio were defeated 2-0 in the Italian Cup final in May after two Serie A reverses when they failed to score against Juventus
However, the pre-season results do not bode well for Juventus with only one victory against PSG.
Lazio, however, played two pre-season matches and won both against Bayer Leverkusen and Málaga.
Rome’s Stadio Olimpico isn’t just the setting for the Super Cup, it will also serve as a stage for Juventus to hold more talks with Lazio regarding the transfer of another of Inzaghi’s star players – Keita Balde Diao.