Stop me if you've heard this one before, but Roma are entering another critical fixture with not one but both arms tied behind their backs. Facing Juventus is tough enough on its own, but José Mourinho will be tasked with toppling the Old Lady without club stalwarts Gianluca Mancini, Rick Karsdorp, and Nicolo Zaniolo. Considering the depth and breadth of those absences, Roma are not only playing with their arms tied behind their backs, they might as well bind their legs together, too.

While those are all legitimate factors that will limit Roma's ability to perform today, excuses go by the wayside the minute the while blows. Roma are wounded at the moment but taking three points off Juve today would put the Giallorossi back within shouting distance of the top four, and would, at the very least, strengthen their case for Europa League qualification next season.

But that's a worry for another day. The lineup cards have been submitted, so let's see if Mourinho and the boys can defend the Olimpico in the first home match of 2022.

Lineups

Roma

Juventus