Juventus vs. Como match preview: Time, TV schedule, and how to watch the Serie A

At this level, the overall feeling relating to Juventus’ month of February is one thing that doesn’t precisely contain the form of language that the bosses would really like us to write down inside the physique of this put up. You understand these ideas, nevertheless, have been expressed offline, and that the truth of Juve’s large second month of 2026 has been removed from what they’ve wanted to see happen to get some severe late-season second constructing.

Briefly, Juventus’ February has been a large letdown.

They’re out of the Coppa Italia. Their Champions League hopes are on life help, if not getting ready to flat-lining getting into subsequent week’s second leg. And in Serie A, the battle for fourth place sees Juve now out of the highest 4 as we begin to strategy the purpose within the season the place we rely the variety of video games remaining on our two arms.

So after permitting 13 targets of their final 4 video games and never successful any of them — nearly like these two issues are linked! — Juve return dwelling to try to document a get-right form of win over a Como facet that’s immediately behind them within the Serie A standings. Each groups are coming off midweek disappointment of their respective fixtures, however the truth that Como is all of 4 factors behind Juve within the standings is a reminder of simply how large of a recreation that is each to easily preserve tempo with these in entrance of them at minimal and to doubtlessly achieve floor and get nearer to the highest 4 if anyone had been to slide up this weekend.

Saturday afternoon’s fixture definitely has a fragile form of tone to it contemplating what happened the final time Juventus had been on the sphere and seeing one in all their heaviest European defeats happen. The Allianz Stadium has been beginning to sound a little bit bit like higher days of years previous, however the actuality of the squad’s present type might very properly make for a return of the anxious form of vibe that has been current in Turin the previous couple of years.

However hey, at the least Nico Paz will likely be suspended after getting a yellow card in opposition to AC Milan on Wednesday, proper?

At this charge, any form of excellent news is welcome. That’s just because there hasn’t been a number of excellent news in February. It’s beginning to look quite a bit like final February, with only some brief days to go earlier than Serie A possible turns into Juventus’ solely level of focus. That’s, except a minor miracle can occur in opposition to the identical group that simply romped to a 5-2 win over these similar Juve gamers who’re wanting awfully drained in the mean time.

Ha, there is no such thing as a relaxation with regards to this recreation in The Yr of Our Lord 2026.

So now as they put together to play their sixth fixture inside the span of the primary three weeks in February, Juventus should determine one thing out — and quick — to try to simply get again on monitor and doubtlessly again into the win column. What’s that understanding that their depth is missing and their most essential gamers are both displaying indicators of fatigue, are banged up in additional methods than one, each of these earlier two choices or simply merely not accessible? It’s onerous to actually say. However with regards to what Luciano Spalletti can repair within the fast future, there’s actually just one factor that may try to do.

Simply get again on the horse. Irrespective of how drained you could be.

“We acknowledge the newest outcomes and now we now have to determine what to do about them and the best way to react: it’s our consciousness of the group’s power that may inform us how issues will prove,” Spalletti mentioned throughout Friday’s pre-match press convention. “We have to analyze the scenario accurately and objectively, utilizing this ache as a springboard to propel us upwards once more. I spoke of three steps again after the match in Istanbul in opposition to Galatasaray. We mentioned this with the gamers in a gathering, and I hope that these three steps again will function a working begin to give us extra momentum and a fantastic response within the upcoming challenges.”

Juventus have the second leg in opposition to Galatasaray subsequent up on the schedule. They’ve a visit to the Italian capital after that subsequent weekend. The month of February has been unrelenting and is displaying that the nice issues that Spalletti has achieved generally can’t overcome the shortcomings that this group nonetheless very a lot has. However first they should try to get again on monitor in opposition to a Como facet which are nonetheless very a lot in play to get into European soccer subsequent season.

They might be with out their greatest participant on Saturday, however Como are usually not going to be a straightforward three factors that Juventus can financial institution on by any stretch. Nico Paz may be watching the sport by the well-known lake, however there are nonetheless loads of different gamers that may do injury in Turin this weekend. We all know that primarily based merely on what occurred these two groups performed one another again in mid-October when Igor Tudor’s remaining days as supervisor on the membership had been approaching.

Whereas Spalletti isn’t in that territory with regards to his job standing, we’re seeing the identical form of issues go unsuitable for Juventus that we noticed happen 12 months in the past. There’s most likely extra religion in Spalletti turning issues round greater than the earlier two managers that Juve has had, however there’s going to have to an enormous quantity of enchancment — and quick — if Juve wish to see that large matchup in opposition to Roma subsequent weekend be one which has us feeling good about this squad once more.

It begins with what they do in opposition to Como on Saturday. And hopefully it simply goes a little bit bit completely different than what we noticed alongside Lake Como 4 months in the past.

No Bremer. No actual fullbacks accessible. (Properly, technically there are, however they’re not precisely defensive specialists, which feels a little bit little bit of the aim being defeated.) No actually defensive stability of late.

So, yeah, Let’s simply go forward and discuss someone in protection.

If not for Federico La Penna’s disastrous displaying because the match referee final weekend in opposition to Inter, there is no such thing as a doubt that the Federico who could be drawing essentially the most quantity of ire of a number of Juve helps could be the one with the surname of Gatti. If solely his type since getting back from harm had look nearly as good as his hair is wanting lately as in comparison with what his type has been over his previous handful of appearances meniscus surgical procedure.

With Kalulu being suspended and Bremer being dominated out for Saturday’s recreation in opposition to Como, many count on Spalletti to modify to extra of a again three setup that he used throughout his first few weeks as Juventus supervisor. And because of all of that, that will imply Gatti is again within the beginning lineup for simply his second begin of the 2026 calendar yr.

In his earlier 4 appearances since coming again into the fold within the new yr, Gatti has seemed — as you’d count on from someone who missed practically two months as a consequence of knee surgical procedure — rusty and much from how he performed for a lot of final season when he was the strolling definition of gritting his enamel by fatigue. However in these 4 appearances, Gatti has seemed rusty and gradual, and none was extra consultant of that after he got here on for Bremer late within the first half in opposition to Galatasaray.

Towards a Nico Paz-less Como, Juve will nonetheless be below loads of strain as a result of that’s how Cesc Fabregas’ squad desires to try to assault you. Which means Gatti — together with Lloyd Kelly and certain Teun Koopmeiners if it’s a again three from Spalletti — will likely be a busy man and making an attempt to decelerate a Como squad that is without doubt one of the highest-scoring groups in Serie A this season.

We don’t know the way lengthy Bremer will likely be out of motion. However we do know that whereas he’s out, Juve will want someone to step up in his absence. Gatti looks as if one of many greatest choices to try this — so long as he appears extra just like the participant from final season quite than the one we’ve seen the previous couple of weeks.

When: Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.

The place: Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy.

Official kickoff time: 3 p.m. native time in Italy and throughout Europe, 2 p.m. in the UK, 9 a.m. Jap time, 8 a.m. Central time, 6 a.m. Pacific time.

Tv: No over-the-air or cable channels accessible in america, Canada, United Kingdom or Italy.

On-line/Streaming: Paramount+, CBS Sports activities Golazo Community, Amazon Prime USA, DAZN USA, fuboTV (United States); DAZN Canada; fuboTV Canada (Canada); DAZN UK (United Kingdom); DAZN Italy (Italy).

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