Game Time Thread: Juventus vs. Atletico Madrid
It’s time for one last friendly, one last chance to play a game without any kind of meaning in the standings or for any kind of points. In a friendly that was supposed to be play a couple thousand miles away but was eventually moved to Turin because of ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Juventus now suddenly has the chance to evaluate this team one more time before the Serie A season starts in its own backyard.
Juventus’ final friendly of the summer against Atletico Madrid this evening gives manager Max Allegri the chance do some final tinkering ahead of the Aug. 15 season opener against Sassuolo. We get to see an old friend in Alvaro Morata, who will surely be linked with another round of return to Juventus rumors after this friendly that is being played behind closed doors because that’s how the Italian media will operate. And hey, we also get the chance to see Atletico’s new right back signing that for a time that was linked with Juve, so that’s always great.
Oh, and depending on how the teams will shake things out with their kits, maybe get to see those new Atleti home kits that immediately give you a headache.
But with how Juventus’ preseason has gone, now more than ever this next statement is quite true for this last friendly of the summer: Please, dear Lord, nobody get hurt.
The Serie A opener is all of eight days away. The last thing Allegri or anybody else associated with Juventus is to see another player suffer an injury and put their status for the Sassuolo matchup — or anything beyond that — suddenly at stake. Doesn’t matter if it’s in the midfield or anywhere else, the main objective for this final friendly of the summer is to not get hurt, get your work in and then call it a day.
Juventus playing well is a bonus. But with the season so close, it’s about taking care of business and then heading home for the day. That’s all I want to see, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that thinking. Just don’t get hurt, (insert Juventus player name here). Thank you.
Official kickoff time: 6 p.m. local time in Italy and across Europe; 5 p.m. in the United Kingdom; 12 p.m. Eastern time; 9 a.m. Pacific time.
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