Juventus, eyeing a top-four finish in Serie A, is set to host Sassuolo in a crucial league encounter at the Allianz Stadium. For the Bianconeri, there’s no room for slip-ups as they strive to secure a spot in the Champions League.
Last weekend, a decisive goal from winter signing Jeremie Boga helped Juventus secure a victory over Udinese at the Bluenergy Stadium, marking their second consecutive Serie A win after a dominant 4-0 triumph against Pisa at home. Despite these recent successes, Luciano Spalletti’s squad remains just one point behind fourth-placed Como as they head into tonight’s fixture.
Failure to clinch a top-four position would be a significant setback for the historic Italian champions. Consequently, Spalletti faces immense pressure to lead Juventus to a third straight league victory, a streak they’ve managed only twice this season, with the last instance occurring in December.
It’s uncertain if visiting Sassuolo possesses the capability to prevent the Bianconeri from securing this vital win, especially after suffering two consecutive Serie A defeats against Lazio and Bologna. Although both losses were by a narrow one-goal margin, they have dampened Sassuolo’s aspirations for a top-half league finish.
Fabio Grosso’s team is currently just a point behind 10th-placed Udinese, demonstrating their proximity to entering the top half of the table as the season nears its conclusion. However, they face a challenging task in this match to maintain their pursuit.
Match Overview
Juventus
Following two consecutive Serie A victories, Juventus has also managed to keep clean sheets in both games, a significant improvement after conceding at least two goals in their four previous league fixtures. Encouraged by this enhanced defensive solidity, Spalletti’s side, striving for a top-four spot, aims to better their inconsistent home performance.
Even with the third-best home record in Serie A, Juventus’s recent three league matches at the Allianz Stadium have shown mixed results (one win, one draw, one loss). Given that the winning team kept a clean sheet in both the win and the loss during this period, scoring first will be crucial, a feat Juve has achieved in exactly half of their league games this season (7 out of 14).
Home supporters should feel optimistic, as the Bianconeri have won five of their last seven competitive encounters at the Allianz Stadium (with one draw and one loss). However, Juventus must not become complacent, as they have accumulated fewer points at this stage of the season (after 29 rounds) only twice since the 2011/12 campaign.
Sassuolo
Despite their recent dip in form, Sassuolo’s season has been notable, as they’ve exceeded their current 38-point total after 29 Serie A rounds only twice in their last eight campaigns. Nevertheless, Grosso needs to address Sassuolo’s struggles on the road if they hope to improve their points tally this weekend.
The visitors have secured only two victories in eight away league games this season against teams ranked higher than them (one win, two draws, five losses). Additionally, they have managed just two away wins since late November (two draws, four losses), underscoring the challenge they face in overturning their poor 3-0 loss in the reverse fixture back in January.
Adding to their concerns, Sassuolo has lost their last two Serie A visits to Turin by an identical 3-0 score. Furthermore, only one of the past 16 encounters between these teams has seen fewer than 2.5 goals, suggesting another high-scoring and thrilling match could be in store for spectators.
Team News
Juventus has received positive injury news as Arkadiusz Milik and Dusan Vlahovic, both long-term absentees, returned to full training during the week. However, with both players still lacking match fitness, the struggling Jonathan David is expected to retain his place in the starting XI.
Conversely, Sassuolo will be without Alieu Fadera, Daniel Boloca, and Fali Cande, who are still sidelined with injuries. Former Juventus forward Domenico Berardi is anticipated to feature in attack alongside Armand Lauriente and Andrea Pinamonti, while highly-regarded center-back Tarik Muharemovic is likely to anchor the visitors’ defense.
Juventus vs Sassuolo Potential Starting Lineups
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Perin; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Thuram, Locatelli; Conceicao, McKennie, Boga; Yildiz.
Sassuolo (4-3-3): Muric; Walukiewicz, Muharemovic, Idzes, Garcia; Kone, Matic, Thorstvedt; Berardi, Pinamonti, Lauriente.
Juventus vs Sassuolo Prediction
Given Juventus’s improved form at such a critical point in the season, it’s hard to foresee anything other than a decisive home victory. Sassuolo’s persistent struggles on the road are a significant concern, leading us to predict the Bianconeri will continue their strong record in this matchup.
Prediction: Juventus to Win
