PREVIEW REGINA VS JUVENTUS

Juventus

The players who performed against Lazio took part in light running exercises the day after the match. Gianluigi Buffon trained in the gym while Giorgio Chiellini and Nicola Legrottaglie were rested. Sissoko, Salihamidzic, Zanetti, Ekdal, and Manninger are all in the treatment room. Tiago is suspended following his red card against Inter last week.

Probable Starting XI 4-4-2: Buffon, Grygera, Legrottaglie, Mellberg, Molinaro, Camoranesi, Poulsen, Marchisio. Nedved, Iaquinta, Del Piero.

Reggina will still be reeling from the aftershock of their victory at Atalanta last week. Giovanni Ceravolo’s goal ensured the Amaranto picked up three points for the first time since November, and ended a run of 18 matches without a win. Nevio Orlandi’s side are still requiring a miracle if they are going to avoid relegation, but the 1-0 triumph at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia has instilled a sense of hope.

Four points separate Reggina and Torino, who sit above the relegation trapdoor, but beyond Turin’s sleeping giants the gap to Chievo is 11 points. Consequently, the Calabrian outfit need to keep themselves as close to Toro as possible in the run-in – and that will mean taking a home win against the Granata’s city rivals this weekend.

Goals are the problem for Orlandi though. Reggina have only scored in half of their 32 matches in Serie A this term, and in the 16 they did ripple the onion bag there have only been six matches where they have managed more than a single goal. In fact, the only game they managed to score more than twice was the first match against Atalanta – meaning the Orobici suffer the indignity of a pair of defeats to the bottom club.

Juventus have slipped down to third place after their draw with Inter last weekend and their pride would be dented by falling further behind Milan in the final Serie A standings. This weekend offers them the chance to sneak back ahead of them – as the Rossoneri face a tough test against Europe chasing Palermo.

Their form in recent weeks has faltered. After five consecutive wins their surprise draw against Chievo was followed up by a loss to Genoa and the tie last week with Inter. A return to their winning ways is vital if they are to secure second place, and keep up their slim chance of reeling in the 10-point lead the Nerazzurri have built.

Last season Juve were left fuming when Reggina defeated them with a last-minute penalty. The match was heading towards a 1-1 draw when a Momo Sissoko attempt at clearing saw his overhead kick hit Nicola Amoruso – who infamously won and converted a controversial late penalty for the Bianconeri against Celtic in the Champions League back in 2001-02 – and the veteran striker converted the resultant spot-kick to give the Oreste Granillo side a shock win.

Earlier this term Juve cantered to a 4-0 win. Mauro Camoranesi, Amauri, Giorgio Chiellini and Alessandro Del Piero were all on the scoresheet back in November. Ale’s goal was his 250th in a black and white jersey.

Historically there is a curious pattern to results in this fixture. For the last six years the scoreline has alternated between a 2-1 win to Reggina and a 2-0 win to Juventus. According to the run this season’s match should end with a two-goal win for La Vecchia Signora – although of course such quirky facts as this don’t actually have any real effect on the action this weekend.

Reggina have worries both on the injury front and disciplinary. Strikers Bernardo Corradi and Daniel Adejo, goalkeeper Andrea Campagnolo and midfielder Carlos Carmona are all unfit to play. Meanwhile, centrocampista Edgar Barreto and defenders Maurizio Lanzaro and Andrea Costa are all serving suspensions. However, there is a glimmer of hope that Nigerian attacker Adejo may make the bench.

Juve have their own injury concerns. Their midfield options have been decimated by the fitness troubles of Sissoko, Hasan Salihamidzic, Cristiano Zanetti and Albin Ekdal. The problems are worsened by Portuguese midfielder Tiago being unavailable through suspension. Goalkeeper Alex Manninger is also out so veteran custodian Antonio Chimenti acts as back-up for world No 1 Gigi Buffon.

Keep an eye on: Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus) – Four goals in four games have seen the under-rated striker become Claudio Ranieri’s first choice partner for Alessandro Del Piero.

Last season: Reggina 2-1 Juventus