Maurizio Sarri defends Atalanta before facing Juventus in Serie A

Maurizio Sarri hit back at critics ahead of playing Juventus.

Written by the BettingEdgeHub desk, 19 September 2026

Maurizio Sarri defended his early record at Atalanta before facing his former club Juventus in Serie A. His team has taken six points from four matches and lost the last two fixtures by a score of two to one. Critics questioned the manager immediately, but he dismissed the pressure in a recent press conference.

Pressure and expectations

Sarri told reporters that coaches do not have joysticks to control players on the pitch. He argued that media figures and club directors created an unrealistic mentality about instant results. He also mentioned that Jurgen Klopp previously stated a manager needs more time to show proper work.

Match preview and betting odds

Juventus comes into this fixture after a five to zero win in Europe and a narrow league defeat to Sassuolo. Luciano Spalletti is in charge of Juventus now and his team is favoured in the betting markets to win this match. Bettors should note that Francisco Conceicao has seen plenty of the opposition box for Juventus this season without scoring yet.

Key players to watch

Atalanta features Giacomo Raspadori, who has a strong scoring record against Juventus historically. Atalanta is also unbeaten in the last eight away league matches against Juventus, which might make punters think twice about backing a home win too short. However, a massive number of recent meetings between these two clubs have ended in draws.

The tactical battle

Sarri spent one season at Juventus and won the league title before leaving. He stated he has no regrets about his past time in Turin. Both sides now prepare for a high stakes encounter that will impact the early season standings.

What it means for a bet

Punters should consider the strong away record of Atalanta against Juventus before taking short odds on a home victory.

Carry on from here

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