Serie A fixtures released: Champions Juventus begin defense vs. Sampdoria

Rome, Sept 2, 2020 (AFP) - Juventus will launch their bid for a 10th successive Serie A title at home against Sampdoria on the weekend of September 19-20, according to the 2020/21 calendar unveiled on Wednesday.

Juve will be the sole Italian club involved in the Champions League to play in the opening round of fixtures.

League runners-up Inter Milan travel to promoted Benevento while Atalanta, who finished third, are away at fourth-placed Lazio, those two matches a week later because of their European involvement.

The opening weekend also sees Roma away at Hellas Verona, Zlatan Ibrahimovic's AC Milan hosting Bologna and Napoli making the trip to Palermo.

Both showdowns between Juve and Inter fall in 2021: January 17 in Milan and May 16 in Turin, the latter coming a week before the league is scheduled to end.