Juventus vs Sampdoria: TV, stream & preview

Juve are set to welcome Cristiano Ronaldo back into their starting XI as they seek to tighten their grip on Serie A against in-form opponents

Juventus are seeking to get back to winning ways on Saturday, when they host Sampdoria at the Allianz Stadium.

It took a late goal from Cristiano Ronaldo to prevent them suffering a shock loss to Atalanta on Boxing Day, when they salvaged a 2-2 draw after being reduced to 10 men after 53 minutes when Rodrigo Bentancur was dismissed.

That was just the second occasion they have spilt points this season and they will want to finish a successful 2018 on a high against a Sampdoria side in the equation for the top four.

TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch

In the United States (US), the game can be watched on ESPN Deportes and streamed on ESPN Deportes+.

In the United Kingdom (UK), the game can be streamed on Eleven Sports 1.

Squads & Team News

Rodrigo Bentancur is banned after being dismissed earlier this week, while injuries mean that Juan Cuadrado and Joao Cancelo are both absent.

Additionally, there are doubts over Blaise Matuidi and Federic Bernardeschi.

Cristiano Ronaldo was only a substitute in midweek but will surely start this encounter.

Possible Juventus starting XI: Szczesny; De Sciglio, Bonucci, Benatia, Alex Sandro; Khedira, Pjanic, Can; Dybala, Mandzukic, Ronaldo.

Sampdoria are expected to have close to a full panel of players to select from.

Joachim Andersen is banned in the defence, while on the injury front Bartosz Bereszynski is definitely ruled out while there are doubts over Edgar Barreto.

Possible Sampdoria starting XI: Audero; Sala, Tonelli, Colley, Murru; Praet, Ekdal, Linetty; Ramirez; Quagliarella, Caprari.

Betting & Match Odds

Juventus are priced as heavy favourites at 2/9 to win this clash at bet365. Sampdoria can be backed at 12/1, while a draw is on offer at 11/2.

Match Preview

Juventus showed a rare chink in their armour on Boxing Day as they were held to a 2-2 draw against Atalanta, yet that was only the second time in 18 Serie A fixtures this season that they had dropped points.

It was a fixture that they started without Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting XI, but the Portuguese came on and dramatically turned the game just as it seemed that the 10-man Bianconeri might be slipping towards their first defeat of the domestic season.

Controversy over match officials, which had been started by Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis prior to the match, continued following that encounter, in which Rodrigo Bentancur had been dismissed for two yellow cards.

“I’ll leave Banti, who refereed well, aside because it’s not elegant to make these allusions and declarations. I’ll never speak, we need to educate the fans,” Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri lamented.

“I could make a scene but that would be wrong, in Italy anything and everything goes and we never learn.

“I’m sorry for Italian football, there’s no desire to improve Italian football. There was a beautiful setting today, but we always need to talk about other things.

“In my opinion there’s no desire to improve, I’m disappointed for the children and my children. We don’t want to improve this sport.”

Sampdoria, meanwhile, are in good form after overcoming Chievo 2-0 on December 26, and coach Marco Giampaolo wants it to go on.

“I told the squad that to achieve important things you need to be willing to sacrifice some things, and sacrifice isn’t limited to only two months,” he said after the weekend win, which extended their unbeaten run to seven games.

“We need to work on ourselves and even renounce some things, but the reward for that sacrifice can be high.

“I don’t look at the table, even if it gives us self confidence, we just need to think about playing our own games as well as possible because there are always three points available.”