It's beauty v the beast as BarcaRoma face the power and intensity of Juventus

Published 12:30 24/01/12

MirrorFootball has teamed up with some of the blogosphere's best new writers to bring you even more great football reads every single day.

Today it's our Serie A blogger, footballitaliano.co.uk 's Mina Rzouki, with her take on the week's big issues in Italy.

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The Coppa Italia may not possess the pageantry of the FA Cup or the drama of a Clasico in the Copa Del Rey, but it still retains a certain quality that makes it quite impossible to ignore. It ignites a fire within, a yearning to watch the latest tactical battle.

The only two clubs to have lifted the Coppa a record nine times, Juventus and Roma, face each other tonight in a match that pits two differing footballing ideologies against one another.

In the blue corner, we have Serie A leaders Juve - the only Italian side to remain undefeated in all competitions this season.

Built to win and programmed to destroy, Juventus play with intensity, imposing their physicality and pace as they seek to press the opponent and retain possession.

The Bianconeri play a short passing game, and are most effective on the wings and dynamic in approach.

After comprehensively defeating Atalanta on Saturday, they were crowned winter champions.

With 62% ball possession, 18 shots and two goals, Juventus were deserved winners. However, the failure to effectively convert their many chances has proved a hindrance this season and seen them accumulate too many draws.

In the red corner, we have Roma, a side that has won their last five matches on the trot, scoring 15 goals along the way.

A team built in the image of Barcelona by former Nou Camp star Luis Enrique was initially heavily criticised for his obsession with keeping possession, the players never quite knowing what to do the ball once they had it, passing it around aimlessly, creating very little and converting even less.

With different faces starting the matches each week and people played out of position, the fans began to tire of this new Roma and grew impatient as they awaited positive results.

However, we have finally begun to witness a beautiful Roma;one that plays with both precision and fluidity.

With stats showing 75% ball possession and 90% passing accuracy, is it any wonder they slotted five past a hapless Cesena defence on Saturday?

Roma scored three goals in the first nine minutes, rendering the remainder of the game a waste of time.

The Gazzetta dello Sport put it best when they wrote In reference to Enrique’s project: “Not only are the foundations visible, but there are walls and even some decorations.”

Well, isn’t that something.

These two teams met last season in the Coppa Italia, with Mirko Vucinic and Rodrigo Taddei scoring for Roma to send them through to the semi-finals, despite being in Juve’s home.

Vucinic, of course, now plays for the Old Lady, but has not been included in tonight's squad. Simone Pepe, Claudio Marchisio and Gianluigi Buffon will also not be present.

Additionally, it appears likely that coach Antonio Conte will rest several key players, such as Andrea Pirlo, in view of the upcoming match against Udinese on Saturday.

Alessandro Del Piero, Emanuele Giaccherini and Luca Marrone are all likely to start and the forward line could well feature another ex-Roma striker, Marco Borriello.

Quizzed about the recently departed player, Enrique simply said: “It’s normal that a player who left Roma and is now at Juve would have the incentive to perform well against his old team-mates.”

Juventus will hope so, too.

As for the Giallorossi, they will be without the important Daniele De Rossi and Pablo Osvaldo, but could well start Francesco Totti, whose two goals against Cesena saw him break a new record.

Club legend Totti has now scored more goals for one team than any other player in Serie A history.

Roma see the match as a chance to do what no other team has done this season – win against Juventus.

For the Bianconeri, this will be a chance to prove their ambition.

However, for the Turin club and its fans, it will also be a day of mourning.

Nine years ago today, Gianni Agnelli - or l’avvocato as he was affectionately referred to - passed away.

The Juventus owner was not only the team’s greatest fan, but the reason behind their proud and successful history.

On January 24 2003, the Old Lady lost her father and Italy lost an icon - a man whose family business, the Fiat car-making empire, once accounted for nearly 5% of Italy’s GDP.

So, who will win tonight - will it be Juve or will it be the best team?

Agnelli was once asked the very same question.

“I’m lucky," he replied. "The two often coincide.”

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Follow Mina Rzouki on Twitter @Minarzouki and at footballitaliano.co.uk

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