Antonio Conte was so close to taking the Juventus job over the summer and now he comes face to face with his old teammate Ciro Ferrara.

When Conte took Bari to promotion from Serie B, he announced he would only be willing to leave if it meant sitting on the Bianconeri bench. Many reports suggested it was a done deal, but the club opted to keep Ferrara after his caretaker spell and Conte ended up quitting anyway in a row over transfer policy.

Now the former midfielder takes on his past and, possibly, his future. Conte wore the Juve shirt from 1991 to 2004, winning five Scudetti, four Italian Super Cups, a Coppa Italia, UEFA Cup, Champions League, European Super Cup, Intertoto Cup and Intercontinental Cup.

Atalanta had gone unbeaten with the new Coach in charge, but have hit a brick wall of two consecutive defeats against Livorno and Cagliari. “I had the feeling our problems were not over. We struggled with three matches in eight days.” That shouldn’t be an issue this time around, as it is Juventus who have had the packed schedule.

The Turin giants have been looking tired towards the end of their games and never was that clearer than in the last Serie A round. Leading 2-0 against Napoli, they collapsed by conceding three goals in 23 minutes for their first home defeat of the campaign.

That result left them a massive seven points adrift of leaders Inter and hit hard in terms of confidence. The midweek Champions League win at Maccabi Haifa at least means a slight boost ahead of this trip to Bergamo.

Amauri is suspended following his red card against Napoli, joined on the sidelines by the injured Vincenzo Iaquinta, Alessandro Del Piero, Hasan Salihamidzic, Claudio Marchisio, Jonathan Zebina and Momo Sissoko.

Sebastian Giovinco pulled out of the Maccabi match with a muscular twinge and Fabio Cannavaro was rested, while David Trezeguet is the only real option to start upfront. “The time for mistakes is over, we have no room for any more stumbles,” warned President Jean-Claude Blanc.

Atalanta are forced to do without Robert Acquafresca, Ferreira Pinto, Tomas Manfredini, Diego De Ascentis, Gyorgy Garics and Edgar Barreto – the latter out for three months after fracturing the metatarsal in his left foot. Cristiano Doni should start despite his row with Conte over a substitution, joined by Simone ‘il Tir’ Tiribocchi.

The last time these two teams met in Bergamo back in April 2008 it ended in a 4-0 drubbing with Del Piero bagging a hat-trick. Juventus are undefeated here in Serie A since March 2001.

Keep an eye on: David Trezeguet (Juventus) – His header had given Juve such high hopes against Napoli and took him to within a goal of Omar Sivori’s record 167 as top foreign marksman in the club’s history. Trez can seem to disappear from games, but lose him for that split second and he’s bound to score.

Last five in Serie A: Atalanta (D W W L L) Juventus (L D W W L)

Last season: Atalanta 0-4 Juventus

Atalanta (probable): Consigli; Padoin, Talamonti, Peluso, Bellini; Madonna, Radovanovic, Guarente, Valdes; Doni, Tiribocchi

Juventus (probable): Buffon; Grygera, Cannavaro, Chiellini, Grosso; Melo, Poulsen; Camoranesi, Diego, Giovinco; Trezeguet

Ref: To follow...

hopefully another win for Juve and another pegging back for Inter and their attempt to monopolise Italian football

Normally a tough game for any side in Bergamo, although we never seem to do too badly so we can take that into the game. Also Atalanta are not doing too well, but I don't think we can expect any favours off Antonio Conte, he has his own problems right now.

As always first goal is key, and with apparently only one fit striker (Trezeguet - youth team striker Immobile will probably be his backup) we will need to be moe proficient than we have been in some games. However scoring goals doesn't seem to be a big problem, even with constantly changing formations and personnel, it seems to disrupt the defence more.

A confident win here would put us back on track, but anything less than a win would be disaster.

Camoranesi Shot Min.10
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Juventus Disallowed Goal Min.28
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I didn't like Juve's uniform. Looked like River Plate out there.

Giovinco needs to put on another 50 pounds it looks like.

And how on earth does Doni still manage to play in the Serie A? He must be about 50 now!

2-3 Ceravolo Min.71
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Well obviously I was out so couldn't comment but another very entertaining game, if not without its uncomfortable moments. 5 goals scored and 3 disallowed, 2 conceded with pretty much Atalanta's only 2 big chances of the game and they were both good goals for them, although Caceres would have liked to have done better on the first. They brought it back twice but our attacking play was immense at times and this 4-2-3-1 system brings the best out of Camoranesi (who was superb), Diego and Giovinco in an attacking sense, although I thought Seba struggled at times as he had just returned from injury and was about 70%.

I wouldn't mind a confident 1-0 or 2-0 now and again but this team doesn't seem made for that, which is a worry when it comes to a league season but can produce the spectacular. We just need to work and keep our players fit, there is a lot to play for and both the team and Ferrara will improve.

Serie A Week 12 - 7/11/09 (19.45 UK)

Atalanta 2 - 5 Juventus

Camoranesi 36, 37 (J), Valdes 51 (A), Felipe Melo 55 (J), Ceravolo 71 (A), Diego 85 (J), Trezeguet 87 (J)

Stadio Azzurri d'Italia

Atalanta kept fighting back, but eventually capitulated 5-2 to Juventus in a spectacular game that saw David Trezeguet make history. His 167th goal equals Omar Sivori's record as top foreign hitman for the club.

Antonio Conte faced the club he represented for 13 years and so nearly took charge of in the summer, giving former teammate Ciro Ferrara a warm greeting. Juve needed a boost after their 3-2 defeat against Napoli left them seven points adrift of the leaders, but David Trezeguet was the only available striker as Amauri was suspended, Alex Del Piero and Vincenzo Iaquinta injured.

Fabio Cannavaro celebrated his 400th Serie A appearance. Early on Mauro Camoranesi's snapshot was palmed round the post at full stretch. From the corner a deflected Martin Caceres strike bounced towards Giorgio Chiellini, but he clattered into the goalkeeper.

Atalanta also threatened when a through ball found Simone Tiribocchi in a one-on-one but fired wide from six yards.

Diego's free kick was over, but Gigi Buffon had to rush out to clear from Fabio Ceravolo after a weak backpass.

Trezeguet thought he had opened the scoring after 28 minutes when he nodded in a Caceres cross from the right, but the referee correctly disallowed for an offside position.

At the other end Cristiano Doni got away from his marker to flash a shot wide from the penalty spot.

Juve put the ball in the net again and this time it counted. Grosso spun round on the right side of the box and chipped up a cross for the incoming Camoranesi's header from seven yards. It was a perfectly timed run from the World Cup winner.

Not even a minute later it was 2-0! Peluso's fresh-air clearance on a Fabio Grosso cross allowed Camoranesi to trap in the D and smash a powerful finish in at the far post.

Tiberio Guarente nearly got one back for Atalanta in first half stoppages, but Buffon did well to block his fierce volley.

Straight after the restart the Orobici re-opened the match. Guarente's through ball from midfield released Jaime Valdes, who held off Caceres and smacked a low drive between Buffon's legs. The goalkeeper did manage to make contact, but the shot was too powerful.

Moments later Juve thought it was 3-1, but Felipe Melo was offside when he redirected a free kick. Just two minutes after that Poulsen also had a goal ruled offside.

Melo made up for that earlier effort with a goal nobody could complain about. The Brazilian unleashed a corker from over 20 metres that smashed under the bar past a flailing Andrea Consigli. He did not hesitate when a clearance came to him outside the area.

Valdes skipped past Caceres to flash a rising drive across the face of goal.

It was only a warning, as Atalanta got another goal back moments later. Tiribocchi flicked on a cross from the left to find Ceravolo on the right flank, who pulled back with his right foot to leave Grosso stranded and fire a left-foot shot into the far top corner. It was the former Reggina man's first goal in an Orobici jersey.

Last week Juve threw away a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 against Napoli, so the tension was rising.

However, Diego helped the Bianconeri to relax again by netting a fourth. Camoranesi was again involved, his cross was deflected and Diego did brilliantly to get the bouncing ball under control to place between the defender's legs to the far bottom corner with the outside of his left boot.

There was one more cherry on the cake, as Trezeguet became the top foreign hitman in the history of Juventus. Chiellini's cross bounced off Diego and into the path of Trez for a first-time shot from nine yards. He matched Omar Sivori's all-time record of 167 goals in a Juventus jersey.

Teenager Immobile came on for the final minutes and had two chances to score, boding well for his future.

Atalanta: Consigli; Garics, Talamonti, Peluso, Bellini; Ceravolo, Padoin, Guarente, Valdes; Doni, Tiribocchi (Madonna 87)

Juventus: Buffon; Caceres, Cannavaro, Chiellini, Grosso; Felipe Melo, Poulsen; Camoranesi, Diego (Immobile 88), Giovinco (De Ceglie 73); Trezeguet

Ref: Morganti