Juventus Face Tough Test As Osimhen Returns For Napoli
Juventus travel to one of their biggest rivals on Saturday as they return from the international break hoping to rebound from the dispiriting opening two weeks of the season which have left serious question marks hanging over their Serie A title credentials.
Napoli await for Massimiliano Allegri’s team who have so far managed just a point from their two league fixtures and fell to a humiliating home defeat to promoted Empoli late last month, a day after Cristiano Ronaldo fled for England.
Their opponents meanwhile have a perfect six points and will welcome back Victor Osimhen to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona after the talented forward’s two-match suspension for hitting Daan Heymans in their opening day 2-0 win over Venezia was halved on appeal.
Juve are also in a race against the clock to get their South American players — including key first-teamers Paulo Dybala and Juan Cuadrado — back in time from their respective countries’ World Cup qualifiers.
Allegri will however be cheered by the form showed by Moise Kean in Italy’s 5-0 stroll against Lithuania on Wednesday night, a brace and all-round dominating performance up front in Reggio Emilia showing that he is ready for action on his Juve comeback.
Kean, 21, will be responsible for filling the void left in attack by Ronaldo’s departure to Manchester United, and his return to Turin gives him the opportunity to take on a leadership role not only at Juve but also for the national team.
After missing out on Euro 2020, Italy coach Roberto Mancini has been under pressure to drop Ciro Immobile, an unconvincing presence in international football, and Kean looked at ease in the Azzurri jersey.
