Rome (AFP)

The Rome Derby Sunday and a Saturday duel between Juventus and Naples, the first two of the last two seasons: the second day of Serie A promises to be explosive this weekend.

The first big shock of the season is scheduled for Saturday night in Turin between Juventus, eight-time champion, and Naples, his dolphin these last two years.

The affair is spiced up by the arrival this summer in Turin of Maurizio Sarri, revered coach in Naples until he chooses to join the sworn enemy.

For three seasons, from 2015 to 2018, Sarri has indeed built a superb team in Naples, who played football dream. And it is precisely for this quality of play that Juventus appealed to him after his London season with Chelsea, causing anger in Naples and a certain perplexity in Turin, the technician having often had a hard tooth against Juve.

Sure for several weeks for pneumonia, Sarri was unable to attend the first match of his team last Saturday in Parma (1-0 victory) and hopes this time to be on the bench, which is not yet guaranteed.

In Naples, the atmosphere is in good shape and Carlo Ancelotti recorded the reinforcement of the Mexican Hirving "Chucky" Lozano. But it is in defense that we must work, as shown by the three goals conceded in the first day against Fiorentina (4-3).

Same problem for AS Roma, who will be Sunday at Derby in the capital with on the shoulders the weight of a draw conceded opening against Genoa after having led three times to score (3-3).

A defender should arrive, who could be the English Smalling, but coach Paolo Fonseca can not count on him on Sunday. And in front, Lazio seems already ready as showed his success 3-0 on the field of Sampdoria Genoa.

The day will start on Friday with the Derby Emilia-Romagna between Bologna and Spal. Released Wednesday from the hospital where he is being treated for leukemia, Bologna coach Sinisa Mihajlovic could be back on the bench again.

In the other matches, AC Milan's reaction against Brescia will be monitored on Saturday after his disastrous first match, lost 1-0 at Udinese.

Well launched by his 4-0 success against Lecce, Inter Milan will go to his side in Cagliari Sunday.

The program (GMT hours):

Friday, August 30

(18h45) Bologna - Spal

Saturday, August 31

(4 pm) AC Milan - Brescia

(18h45) Juventus Turin - Naples

Sunday September 1st

(4 pm) Rome Lazio - AS Rome

(18h45) Atalanta Bergamo - Torino

Cagliari - Inter Milan

Genoa - Fiorentina

Lecce - Hellas Verona

Sassuolo - Sampdoria Genoa

Udinese - Parma

© 2019 AFP