Skip to main content

Serie A returns with bang as top two tussle

Both teams are unbeaten with 19 points from a possible 21 and have the best scoring records in the league.

Napoli were the only team to beat Juventus last season when they won the Italian Cup final 2-0, while the Old Lady completed the 38-match league campaign with an unbeaten record.

Last week's World Cup qualifiers, which led to a two-week break in the championship, have taken their toll on both teams with Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon nursing a thigh injury and midfielder Claudio Marchisio an injured shoulder.

Buffon suffered his injury last Friday in the 3-1 win in Armenia, then missed Wednesday's win over Denmark when, by a twist of fate, he was replaced by Napoli's Morgan De Sanctis.

That led to one of Italy's famous conspiracy theories with Buffon having to defend himself against allegations that he was saving himself for the Napoli game.

"Ours is a nation of conspiracy," said Juventus chief executive Giuseppe Marotta. "Everything needs to be taken back to sport.

"There is nothing to say about Buffon. He is the captain of Juventus and of Italy and the allegations are unfounded.

"Wearing the blue shirt of Italy is the highest aspiration for all players and Buffon is not the kind of guy to give up at the first sign of trouble. He didn't play against Denmark because he thought he wasn't ready."

"Like all matches, there was some tension but controversy is part of the match," said Juventus striker Fabio Quagliarella. "When you go onto the pitch, you don't think of anything except winning."