Defending Champ Juventus to Get Early Test Against Parma
Copyright � 1998 Nando.net
Copyright � 1998 Reuters
ROME (Jul 31, 1998 - 14:28 EDT) - Italian champion Juventus will open its title defense against newly-promoted sides Perugia and Cagliari before meeting Parma on the third weekend of the new soccer season.
The league calendar published on Friday gave Juventus an away match at Perugia on September 13 when Serie A kicks off.
They then face Cagliari in Turin before traveling to Parma for one of their toughest games of the campaign.
Parma, which finished fifth last year, has invested around 100 billion lire ($57 million) in its squad since May and has been tipped as a potential champion.
"It's an important start, it's a bit of a surprise to find a fixture like Parma-Juve on the third weekend of the season," Juventus coach Marcello Lippi said.
Inter Milan, which pushed Juventus all the way last season, starts its title assault at Cagliari.
They meet Juventus on the sixth weekend in what is sure to be one of the most heated encounters of the championship.
Last season's title decider between the two sides in Turin triggered uproar when the referee denied Inter's Brazilian star Ronaldo what appeared to be a penalty. Juventus won the match 1-0 to dash the Milan side's championship hopes.
The match prompted accusations that Italy's referees were biased toward Juventus, owned by the powerful Agnelli family.
Juve ends the league season against newly-promoted Venezia while Inter end its against Bologna.
