Juventus usher in the Spalletti era, visiting Cremonese in round 10.

Luciano Spalletti begins his new job at Juventus with an away trip to the Stadio Giovanni Zini, where Cremonese are unbeaten in their last four Serie A home games. Pressure and expectations are intertwined: the visitors have just ended an eight-game winless streak, but their away form remains alarming with only four points from the start of the season. The gap between the two teams is only one point, making Spalletti's debut an immediate test of his organization and character.

Match information

League: Serie A

Round: 10

Location: Stadio Giovanni Zini

Match time: 2:45 AM on November 2nd, Vietnam time.

Form and key statistics

• Juventus ended their eight-match winless streak by beating Udinese midweek (under interim manager Massimo Bramblela).
• Juventus are in 7th place, having only earned 4 points away from home since the start of the season.
• Cremonese have had a positive start under coach Davide Nicola, trailing Juventus by only one point.
• Cremonese's unbeaten home run in Serie A is now four matches: one win and three draws.

Recent confrontations

History is heavily in Juventus' favor: Cremonese have only managed one point in their last six encounters. In their most recent meeting (May 2023), Juventus won 1-0 away from home.

Force

Juventus

• Absent: Bremer, Juan Cabal (injured); Arkadiusz Milik (long-term injury).
• Undecided: Khephren Thuram. Weston McKennie may continue to start.

Cremonese

• Absent: Michele Collocolo.
• Availability is uncertain: Alberto Grassi, Antonio Sanabria, Faris Moumbagna.
• Goalkeeper Emil Audero has recovered and returned.

Predicted lineup

Tactical analysis: Spalletti's first test.

The open question for his debut is: Will Spalletti immediately deploy his preferred 4-3-3 formation, or maintain the old three-defender system to minimize disruption? According to sources, the 4-3-3 is the more likely choice, with McKennie, Locatelli, and Koopmeiners in the central midfield, and Conceicao and Yildiz as wingbacks to support Vlahovic.

In a 4-3-3 formation, Juventus needed to control the midfield early to neutralize Cremonese's massed defensive style. Locatelli's role was crucial in building play from the second line, while McKennie supported the ball progression and winning tackles. The tactical consequence was that spaces in the flanks were available for Vlahovic to move into to receive crosses or low balls across the face of the goal.

For Cremonese, the 5-3-2 formation provides a solid defensive line in front of the central defenders, while focusing on quick counter-attacks. The key moments will be in the midfield as Bondo, Payero, and Vandeputte try to stifle Juventus' passing game. Further up the pitch, the Bonazzoli-Vardy duo will exploit gaps behind the visitors' defense, especially with Juventus missing Bremer and Juan Cabal.

Notable player

Federico Bonazzoli (Cremonese)

The home team's top scorer with 4 goals in Serie A. His brace against Genoa in the previous round showed his ability to seize opportunities, turning every transitional situation into a dangerous shot.

Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus)

Scoring from the penalty spot against Udinese gives Vlahovic a chance to regain his form and confidence. In a 4-3-3 formation, he is the preferred finishing point for crosses from the flanks and attacks down the inside.

Assessment

Cremonese have the home advantage and consistent form, but Juventus possess the "new coach effect" and the motivation to prove themselves under Luciano Spalletti. The challenge lies in their ability to dominate midfield and limit the home team's counter-attacks. The most likely scenario: a tight match, with the away team winning by a narrow margin.

Prediction: Cremonese 1-2 Juventus