Serie A Preview: Juve and Roma aim to march on
Juventus and Roma put their 100 per cent Serie A records on the line and Napoli coach Rafael Benitez seeks relief at Sassuolo this weekend.
Fit-again midfielder Arturo Vidal scored twice on his return to the starting line-up as Juve beat Cesena 3-0 defeat on Wednesday to make it five competitive victories out of five this season without conceding a goal.
The champions will look to extend that impressive run when they travel to Atalanta on Saturday and coach Massimiliano Allegri, who could welcome back midfielder Andrea Pirlo, stressed that there is more to come from his side.
"I inherited a side with great organisation, but this team still needs to improve a great deal," said Allegri. "Roma have a great team and they have improved from last season.
"Every coach trains the way he thinks is best and has different ways of expressing his concepts. At times you need to raise the tempo, at others lower it, and some players don’t need to be completely caged by tactics.
"I think games are won with organisation and excellent players, otherwise it becomes like playing on a computer and that's not possible."
The Turin giants have won their last eight meetings with Atalanta, who come into the game on the back of defeats against Fiorentina and Inter.
Roma will also be out to maintain their perfect start in Serie A when they host high-flying Verona on Saturday.
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The capital outfit won 2-1 at Parma in midweek, with Francesco Totti setting up Adem Ljajic for the opening goal and Miralem Pjanic snatching maximum points late on.
“The pass from Totti was beautiful,” Ljajic told Sky Sport Italia. “It’s easy to play with him because he sees everything and always know how to supply the attackers.
“Pjanic is phenomenal and he does amazing things on the pitch.”
A 3-3 draw at home to Palermo on Wednesday intensified the pressure on Benitez, whose Napoli team have suffered elimination from the UEFA Champions League and made a poor start in Serie A this season.
The Naples outfit will on Sunday face a Sassuolo side who have drawn three and lost one of their four matches this term and Benitez has called for calm.
"We need to improve defensively, but it is clear that the composure is missing," said Benitez. "Crisis? We did well last year and should be calm."
City rivals Inter, who occupy third spot, and sixth-placed Milan are Serie A’s joint-leading scorers on 10 goals from four games.
Walter Mazzarri's Inter side will see a home clash with rock-bottom Cagliari on Sunday as a great opportunity to add to that goal tally, while Milan travel to Cesena on the same day.
Sampdoria take an unbeaten Serie A record into the Derby della Lanterna against Genoa on Sunday.
In Sunday’s remaining fixtures, mid-table sides Torino and Fiorentina lock horns and Chievo host Empoli.
Udinese and Palermo are at home to Parma and Lazio respectively on Monday.