Hellas Verona and Roma will both hope to kick off the the new Serie A season in style with a win at Stadio Marcoantonio Bentegodi on Saturday evening.
The opening day always provides the opportunity for fans to see new signings in competitive action for the first time and Roma fans will be expecting to see their side lay down a marker, showing this can finally be the season where they can challenge Juventus for the entire campaign.
Both clubs will be hopeful of starting in the same manner as a year ago when they hit the ground running, the Giallorossi won their first five games and Verona only lost one of their first six fixtures.
In the corresponding fixture last season, Roma were left disappointed as they missed chances as the Gialloblu continually frustrated Rudi Garcia’s side in a 1-1 draw. Francesco Totti gave the visitors a deserved lead before Bosko Jankovic levelled affairs before the interval. Despite that result the Giallorossi have enjoyed their recent encounters with Verona, winning the three preceding games with ease.
Verona coach Andrea Mandorlini will have a full squad at his disposal and after a fairly inactive summer will likely stick with the players that helped the club achieve a comfortable mid-table finish. Last season’s Capocannionere Luca Toni will once again lead from the front and new signing Giampaolo Pazzini will be itching to seize his opportunity from the sideline as a substitute.
While Verona will stick primarily with the same squad from last season, Rudi Garcia could name at least four summer signings in the starting XI, including an all new front three. Iago Falque, Edin Dzeko and Mohamed Salah are all in line to start for their debuts for the Giallorossi as they hope to find the goal-scoring touch that evaded the club last season all too often.
In goal, the on-loan Wojciech Szczesny will also be likely to start from the outset as last season’s first choice, Morgan De Sanctis, will have to be content with a place on the bench. Juan Iturbe will miss the game through suspension while Kevin Strootman and Antonio Rudiger will not be ready for the season’s curtain raiser.
Expected Starting XIs
Verona: Rafael; Pisano, Marquez, Moras, Souprayen; Sala, Greco, Hallfredsson, Jankovic, Toni, Gomez
Roma: Szczesny; Florenzi, Manolas, Castan, Torosidis; Pjanic, De Rossi, Nainggolan; Salah, Dzeko, Falque
