Roma revolutionise their team again with Ivan Piris in a three-man defence to take on Mirko Vucinic’s Juventus.
Roma revolutionise their team again with Ivan Piris in a three-man defence to take on Mirko Vucinic’s Juventus.
The crisis club lost its debut under Aurelio Andreazzoli 3-1 to Sampdoria last week and Pablo Daniel Osvaldo hit the headlines by insisting on taking a penalty that he then missed.
Osvaldo has been the subject of violent protests from fans all week, who pelted his car with eggs after a training session.
He starts despite a knee problem, supported by Francesco Totti and Erik Lamela in a 3-4-2-1 system, while Dodo, Leandro Castan and Mattia Destro are injured.
The big change is full-back Piris in a three-man defence. It is a huge gamble for Andreazzoli, as Piris has had several howlers and is a very attack-minded player who struggles when defending.
Daniele De Rossi and Maarten Stekelenburg are again in the starting XI after they were repeatedly dropped by Zdenek Zeman.
Juventus are fresh from a 3-0 Champions League victory at Celtic Park, but must do without the suspended Claudio Marchisio and Federico Peluso.
Giorgio Chiellini, Paolo De Ceglie, Simone Pepe and Nicklas Bendtner are injured, so Paul Pogba and Kwadwo Asamoah step in.
Vucinic steps back into the Stadio Olimpico against his former club, partnered by on-form Alessandro Matri.
Asamoah makes his first appearance since December 21, having been away at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Roma: Stekelenburg; Piris, Burdisso, Marquinhos; Torosidis, De Rossi, Pjanic, Marquinho; Lamela, Totti; Osvaldo
Roma bench: Goicoechea, Lobont, Romagnoli, Balzaretti, Taddei, Lucca, Bradley, Tachtsidis, Perrotta, Florenzi, Lopez
Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Caceres; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah; Vucinic, Matri
Juventus bench: Storari, Rubinho, Marrone, Isla, Padoin, Giaccherini, Giovinco, Quagliarella, Anelka