(Reuters) – Paulo Dybala will return to former club Juventus as his new side AS Roma, one of three teams yet to drop a point in Serie A this season, face their biggest test of the new campaign.
Dybala made the switch to Roma from Juve in the close season and will return on Saturday to his old stomping ground, the Allianz Stadium where he is the record scorer with 68 goals, as he looks to open his account for Jose Mourinho’s side.
He will be all too aware, however, of his new club’s poor record against Juve.
Juventus have beaten Roma on the last three occasions and against no other team have they won more top-flight matches.
They will be looking to win four in a row against the capital club for the first time in 13 years.
Midfielder Paul Pogba remains sidelined for Juve while Angel Di Maria could return, but defender Leonardo Bonucci and first-choice keeper Wojciech Szczesny are set to make their comebacks for the clash.
Dybala’s former strike partner Dusan Vlahovic started the season with two goals in their opening 3-0 win over Sassuolo but he barely got a look-in in Monday’s 0-0 draw with Sampdoria.
Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri will hope to see him back on the scoresheet against a Roma side who did not concede in their opening two 1-0 wins over Salernitana and Cremonese.
“Unfortunately, there is one thing in football that you should not do, which is to run backwards,” Allegri said after the draw with Sampdoria.
“In the first half we did not do well, Sampdoria ran a lot. In the second half, Dusan also played better. He has to be a little more relaxed when the ball arrives.”
Stefano Pioli’s AC Milan will be hoping to get back to winning ways following a disappointing 1-1 draw at Atalanta last weekend, when they host Bologna who have beaten them only once in their last 25 Serie A meetings.
Pioli’s side are on the longest unbeaten run (18 games) in the top five European leagues.
Inter travel to Lazio on Friday as Inter coach Simone Inzaghi returns to his former club, who are unbeaten in their last three home games against Inter in Serie A, after they had lost the previous three.
Table toppers Napoli travel to Fiorentina on Sunday, where they have taken the three points on each of their last three league visits.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Toby Davis)
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