Juventus have been a dominant force in Serie A for quite some time. However, so far this season, they have looked like anything but their otherwordly form.
Even if they’ve had a decent start after five matchdays, it is still not enough for the fans over in Turin, which puts Andrea Pirlo somewhat on the proverbial hot seat.
Meanwhile, AC Milan, Napoli, Sassuolo, and Inter Milan are all above the defending champions in the latest Serie A standings.
Although neither one of them are really favoured to take away the crown in our Serie A 2020 odds, they are considered as contenders in as early as now.
Atalanta, Sampdoria, Verona, AS Roma, and Fiorentina complete the middle of the pack while Lazio — who were viable contenders last season — are still searching for their form.
Read on below as SBOTOP gives you this week’s edition of the top Serie A takeaways.
Juventus look vulnerable without their stars
Andrea Pirlo’s first season at the helm has been nothing but a smooth ride so far as his side has already dropped points with three draws along with their two victories.
The 41-year-old gaffer has been criticised for his tactics as he would tinker his lineup formation often. But at the same time, the Bianconeri had their share of injury and fitness problems which led to their underwhelming start.
The club looked lost when Paulo Dybala and Cristiano Ronaldo missed some time due to various reasons.
Dybala picked up a muscular injury in late August which had him sidelined for a match or two, while Cristiano Ronaldo was unfortunate to have contracted the coronavirus earlier this month.
After botching their game against AS Roma, the same theme haunted Juventus when they were held to a draw by Crotone and most recently versus Hellas Verona.
Two of those draws were considered lucky already for Juventus considering they were reduced to 10 men after Federico Chiesa and Adrien Rabiot weren’t able to keep their composure in the said matches.
Against Hellas Verona the other day, Juventus had all the opportunities to win with 22 total shots. However, only six of them were on target and they were bailed out by Dejan Kulusevski in the 77th minute.
Pirlo has the unenviable task of trying to draw out positive Serie A 2020 results without their superstar. The good news for him, however, is that Paulo Dybala is expected to be 100-per cent fit in their upcoming match.
With a bevy of options to choose from his deep lineup, Pirlo would need to demand production from all of his players to maintain their championship contending status.
AC Milan still surging on top
Considering they missed out on a Champions League spot last term, it’s a bit surprising to see them back on top for the first time in a long while.
AC Milan have yet to lose a single game in all competitions this season, which sends a clear warning to the rest that they are in it to win it.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic remains as talismanic as ever. He has scored six goals for the Rossoneri and his leadership has rubbed off his teammates in a positive way.
The first time that they weren’t able to come out victorious was when they held to a 3-3 draw against AS Roma last Monday night.
Although they were leading for the most part, AS Roma continued to answer back with goals of their own in a match that was filled with drama and some refereeing controversy.
Nonetheless, it was still a good result for Stefano Pioli’s men, but the next few matchdays should be a good gauge for the team.
With the busy schedule ahead, the Rossoneri’s depth would be tested as Gianluigi Donnarumma and Jens Petter Hauge were confirmed to be COVID-19 positive.
Sassuolo have yet to be tested
Sassuolo are a team that’s normally in the midfield, so seeing them in the top four alongside Napoli and Inter Milan is quite a pleasant surprise.
Like AC Milan, Sassuolo have yet to lose a game this season – highlighted by a three-game winning streak to where they’ve beaten Spezia, Crotone, and Bologna.
Francesco Caputo leads the way with five goals in five matches, while Domenico Berardi and Filip Djuricic have been effective with three each.
While goals are not a problem for the Neroverdi, their defence might be a cause of concern for them especially if they’ll lock horns with the top-tier teams.
Sassuolo have a chance to prove themselves once more when they face Napoli next on Monday evening.
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