Alessandro Matri and Sebastian Giovinco take on Edinson Cavani and Goran Pandev as the Juventus–Napoli” data-scaytid=”7″>Juventus-Napoli Super Cup kicks off in Beijing this afternoon.

Alessandro Matri and Sebastian Giovinco take on Edinson Cavani and Goran Pandev as the Juventus-Napoli Super Cup kicks off in Beijing this afternoon.

The Italian Super Cup traditionally starts the campaign and in recent years has often been hosted in the Bird’s Nest Stadium in China.

It is a battle between the winners of the Coppa Italia and the Scudetto, but in this case also a replay of the Coppa Italia Final that saw Napoli emerge 2-0 winners back in May.

Juventus are without the injured Giorgio Chiellini, Mauricio Isla and Martin Caceres, but Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Pepe are available after they were cleared in the betting trial.

Coach Antonio Conte did not fare so well and starts his 10-month ban, though it only applies to sitting on the bench or the locker room on match days. Massimo Carrera takes his place on the touchline.

Many thought it would be a race between Giovinco and Matri to partner Mirko Vucinic, but instead both of those players start and the Macedonian is on the bench, most likely as he is still not 100 per cent fit.

Napoli must do without the suspended Blerim Dzemaili, while Lorenzo Insigne is carrying an ankle problem.

Walter Mazzarri’s new-look 3-5-1-1 formation has Marek Hamsik in a deeper role behind Cavani and Pandev.

It is Cavani’s first appearance for the club since his Olympic adventure was cut short by Uruguay’s first round exit.

Miguel Angel Britos and Juan Camilo Zuniga get the nod ahead of Salvatore Aronica and Andrea Dossena.

This will be the first competitive Italian match to use goal-line referees.

Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Lucio; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Matri, Giovinco

Juventus bench: Storari, Marrone, De Ceglie, Padoin, Giaccherini, Vucinic, Quagliarella

 

Napoli: De  Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Britos; Maggio, Behrami, Inler, Hamsik, Zuniga; Pandev, Cavani

Napoli bench: Rosati, Aronica, Fernandez, Dossena, Gargano, Insigne,Vargas

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