Juventus began their bid for a third successive Serie A crown at Sampdoria tonight, against the only side to beat them twice last season.
Antonio Conte's side struggled to break the deadlock in a tight first half, but took the lead just before the hour when Carlos Tevez finished off a fine sweeping move for a goal on his league debut.
Sampdoria were unable to respond in the closing stages as Paolo Castellini was sent off in stoppage time, with Juve comfortably holding on to claim all three points.
Look back a professional display from the Old Lady with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute commentary below.
Evening Calcio fans. Thanks for joining Sports Mole for part two of our double header on the opening day of Serie A, which pits defending champions Juventus against Sampdoria.
Juve have swept all before them in a dominant two years under Conte in Serie A, winning successive Scudetto's with relative ease. The challenge now for the Old Lady is to sustain that success and stay hungry, but the arrival of high-profile summer signings Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente should help them achieve just that.
Sampdoria have proved a tricky proposition for Juve in recent years, with tonight's hosts doing the double over the champions last season. Delio Rossi's men will be hoping to follow Verona's example and claim a scalp in their first fixture of the campaign, following a surprise 2-1 win over Milan for the newly-promoted side earlier today.
TEAM NEWS! The starting XI's are in and see Juve make one enforced change to the side that cruised to a 4-0 win over Lazio in the Supercoppa last weekend. Claudio Marchisio is sidelined but the Old Lady have a classy replacement to shore things up in midfield, with Paul Pogba coming in. A full look at both lineups will follow in just a few moments.
Sampdoria: Da Costa, Gastaldello, Palombo, Costa, De Silvestri, Eramo, Krsticic, Obiang, Castellini, Eder, Gabbiadini
Juve: Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah, Tevez, Vucinic
After an impressive display in patches against Lazio the mercurial Carlos Tevez gets a league debut in attack, partnering Mirko Vucinic in a volatile but potentially superb mix in attack for the Old Lady. Pogba's inclusion adds steel in midfield, with a familiar spine of Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Pirlo all starting.
Llorente misses out on a place in the starting XI tonight, but that is probably down to a lack of match fitness more than anything more sinister. The Spaniard rarely featured for Bilbao last season after asking to leave, but Juve fans will have to wait a little longer to see the physical forward in black and white.
Samp begin life without last season's top scorer Mauro Icardi, who left fot Inter Milan during the close season. Manolo Gabbiadini will start in attack alongside Brazilian forward Eder, but Vasco Regini and Renan both miss out through suspension.
PREDICTION! With a settled Juve side in fine form I full expect Conte's side to come through against their bogey side with all three points this evening. Samp have enjoyed success against Juve in recent years but will surely miss Icardi, with the Old Lady recording a 2-0 win on the road.
One thing to note this evening, the conditions at Genoa are wet to say the least. The Luigi Ferraris has been warm but wet all evening, with thunder and lightening also forecast as the two sides emerge to a raucous reception.
The deluge continues as two sides change ends following the coin toss, with Juve to get us underway in a changed yellow and blue strip, now shooting from right to left.
Here we go then, Juve's bid for a 30th Scudetto is underway. The visitors are quick to press high up the pitch and retrieve possession, with Vucinic and Vidal combining in the final third before Andrea Costa's clearance stopped a promising attack.
SHOT! Juve waste no time in building sustained possession in the opposition half, with Pirlo eventually forcing Da Costa to tip over the crossbar with a swerving strike from distance.
Gastaldello arrives late in a sliding challenge on Vucinic, but perhaps allowing for the slippery conditions the referee decides a free kick is punishment enough. Juve send a cross into the penalty area, but Vucinic is penalised for backing into Da Costa and gives Samp a chance to clear their lines.
Vidal wins back possession in midfield as the hosts struggle to gain a foothold in the match. Berardi then relieves some early pressure by winning a free kick on the halfway line, but a quickly-taken effort in search of Eder trickles through to a grateful Buffon.
Gabbiadini draws a silly challenge from Chiellini as he drives inside the penalty area, nutmegging the defender before having his shirt pulled. Sampdoria want a penalty but the referee's assistant closest to the incident decides it was just outside the area, forcing the hosts to settle for a free kick.
A chance to cross is wasted for Samp as Eder's effort fails to beat the first defender. At the other end Tevez attempts to seize on a poor clearance from Da Costa, but fails to control under pressure.
Eder twists and turns past Chiellini out wide to send a cross into the penalty area, which Bonucci heads behind for a corner kick. In the next passage of play Berardi clips a teasing ball across goal, which somehow misses a packed penalty area. Early pressure here for Juve, who are just struggling to keep possession in difficult conditions.
Lichtsteiner gets involved for the first time going forward, swapping passes with Vidal to win a corner kick out wide. When the cross comes in Asamoah gets free to stoop a diving header towards goal at the far post, forcing Da Costa to tip over at the expense of another corner.
Pogba has a hopeful penalty appeal turned away after being clipped by De Silvestri in the box, with both men making mistakes as the referee decides their tussle is best left alone. Carlos Tevez then gets on the end of a deflected through ball from Vucinic, who opts for power at the near post as his effort it parried away. Much more like it from Conte's side in the last few minutes.
Tevez and Pogba exchange passes in midfield before finding Lichtsteiner out wide, but his cross fails to clear Berardi as Samp hold firm. Eramo is then rather fortunate to avoid a caution for hauling Pirlo to the ground, with the referee deciding just to have a word at this stage.
Persistent fouling is just marring this match as a spectacle at the moment, with Eramo on the receiving end this time as takes a whack to the shoulder after a push in the back from Chiellini.
Bonucci keeps going after driving forward and pokes a speculative all towards Vucinic, who can't get free of Palombo just outside the box. The forward then elects to shoot rather than pick out Tevez in space at the far post, with the Argentine clearly disappointed his slick pass was not returned.
Pogba tires to break clear but is pulled to the floor by Eramo, who somehow escapes a booking for persistent fouling. Pirlo comes across to take the free kick but his dead ball is a disappointment, curling beyond a packed penalty area and out on the full.
Vidal overhits a quick through ball rolled forwards in search of Vucinic, while at the other end Eder is lucky to escape a caution for a blatant dive right near the official behind the goal. Chiellini furiously tells the Brazilian to get up, which he does rather sheepishly.
Asamoah shows some frustration in a drive from distance, which clearly annoyed Vucinic who wanted a pass played forwards. The winger then redeems himself to find Pogba out wide, with the Frenchman switching possession to Vidal as Juve win a corner kick off Gastaldello.
Vidal scrapes a cross intended for Tevez as Sampdoria continue to drop deeper as we head towards the break. Juve are now controlling possession without being able to create any clear-cut opportunities of note.
HALF-TIME Sampdoria 0-0 Juventus
Well in truth we are still waiting for this match to catch fire, with both sides struggling to create chances in difficult conditions. Juve have shaded possession but Tevez has been restricted to a lone effort in the first period, with Pirlo's strike probably their only other notable attempt.
Conte's men have also looked sligtly rusty in defence, with Chiellini exposed by Gabbiadini on one particularly memorable occasion. Samp have largely frustrated the visitors by staying deep and compact, but have offered little threat at the other end.
Juve normally carry a threat down both flanks with wing-backs that look to bomb down each wing, but Asamoah and Lichtsteiner have struggled to find space this evening. Tevez looks sharp but has failed to link up with Vucinic so far, with the Argentine looking to roam and make late runs into the box, much like his new strike partner.
BENCH WATCH! If the game remains deadlocked I fully expect to see Llorente come on for his Serie A debut, with the Spanish striker just one of many options at Conte's disposal. Sebastian Giovinco and Fabio Quagliarella have also been named as substitutes, while Alessandro Matri completes an embarrassment of riches in terms of attacking options for the Old Lady.
Both sides are back and hoping for better in the second period, as the cameras point to Roberto Mancini in the stands. How we could do with his creative influence on the pitch as Sampdoria prepare to get the second half underway.
Gabbiadini wins a cheap foul off Chiellini after making a clever diagonal run towards the corner flag. That harsh call gives Sampdoria an early chance to send bodies forward and threaten from the free kick.
Vucinic clears a very disappointing cross at the near post, with Juve mounting their own attack through Lichtsteiner at the other end. His ball into the box looks dangerous, but Vucinic and Tevez both fail to anticipate as Da Costa comes to claim under no pressure.
YELLOW CARD! Eramo has finally earned a caution for persistent fouling after flying into a challenge on Tevez. The midfielder took some of the ball on that occasion but can have little complaint at being the first player booked, with Pirlo driving well over from the resulting free kick.
Obiang catches Lichtsteiner with a high foot to his knee as the second half starts with a spate of fouls. Surely Juve need to force this match out of a stalemate as defending champions, as Pogba steals clear at the back post to head across goal.
GOAL! Sampdoria 0-1 Juventus (Tevez)
The deadlock has finally been broken and on his debut is just had to be Tevez. The Argentine finished off a sweeping move of genuine quality from Juve, which was started by Vidal. His clever pass inside found Pogba's late run into the penalty area. The Frenchman waited for the goalkeeper to move before passing across goal to Tevez, giving the striker a simple tap-in from close range. Advantage to the visitors!
YELLOW CARD! Gastaldello exacts some quick revenge on Tevez when play resumes, swiping at the forward from behind on the halfway line. The defender retreats and has no complaints about a caution he fully merits.
The hosts win a free kick in the final third, giving them an instant chance to respond. As the cross comes in Costa darts forward to head home, but is clearly standing well offside before the ball is delivered and the strike is quickly ruled out.
YELLOW CARD! Vidal is the latest player to be cautioned after a cynical challenge outside the box, taking one for the team to stop a sweeping break from Samp. Rossi's side have responded well to going behind, but now need to commit more men forward and take a chance in the closing stages.
Eder's driving run down the right wing ends with a cross beaten away by Buffon, with Berardi's hopeful drive on the follow-up also claimed with ease by the Juve keeper.
Lichtsteiner makes a terrific run into the penalty area to meet a long diagonal pass from Pogba at the back post, but can only turn a downward header just beyond the bottom corner. At the other end Samp are quick to win a corner, which is taken short before being cleared with pace by Asamoah.
SUBSTITUTION: Sampdoria decide to make a double change, bringing on Soriano and Mustafi in place of Eramo and Gastaldello. Those changes are pretty much like for like from the hosts, with no obvious change in tactics in search of an equaliser.
Obiang cuts inside and decides to shoot from range, sending a thunderous effort towards goal. Buffon has time to watch the effort and moves to his left, making a routine save. Meanwhile Conte is furious with the fourth official as Pogba is kept off by blood on his shirt.
Barzagli just about hooks clear Soriano's cutback into the six-yard box, with Eder frustrated as he attempts to meet the cross at the near post. Juve are able to break and win a corner kick to relieve pressure at the other, thanks to some clever hold-up play from Vucinic.
A fine piece of play under pressure from Asamoah sees him track a forward run from Gabbiadini, staying calm as the last man to win a foul after using his pace to shield the ball. Soon after Pirlo picks out the wing-back as Juve keep possession deep inside their own half.
YELLOW CARDS! Lichtsteiner picks up a caution he looks happy to accept after preventing Obiang driving forward with a late sliding tackle. In the very next passage of play Vucnic grabs Obiang's shirt to also earn a booking, with the yellow cards now mounting up for both sides.
Juve have taken the sting out of Samp's attack with a prolonged spell of possession, thanks largely to some quick distribution from Pirlo. Still time for the hosts to respond, but they have so far failed to test Buffon tonight!
SUBSTITUTIONS! Still no sign of a grandtand finish as Juve give Llorente a late debut in the closing stages. The Spaniard is on for Tevez as we approach stoppage time, with Giovinco also replacing Vucinic.
RED CARD! Castellini has been on the pitch a matter of moments but has still been dismissed by the referee. His sliding challenge with studs showing on Lichtsteiner was late, but surely didn't merit a caution as the Swiss full-back hit the deck screaming. Thankfully he's back on his feet, with Samp reduced to 10 men in added time.
FULL-TIME Sampdoria 0-1 Juventus
In the end job done for Juve, an unspectacular but effective performance ensures the champions start with maximum points. Tevez will get the headlines after scoring on his Serie A debut, but in truth Sampdoria were never a genuine threat at the other end.
That just about does for Sports Mole's double header on day one of the new Serie A season. Thanks for joining us and be sure to check back in tomorrow evening when 12 more teams begin their campaigns in the Italian top flight. Good evening!
