Fiorentina hosts their hated opponents Juventus in Serie A at the Artemio Franchi on Saturday afternoon.
La Viola started the drive with a surprising victory against Cremonese, confirmed in the 95th minute. However, Vincenzo Italiano’s team has yet to score in their three successive matches and was beaten by Udinese midweek.
Juventus crushed Italiano’s one-time employers, Spezia, on Wednesday night, raising their unbeaten start to the campaign to four matches.
You should know everything about the forthcoming encounter between two of Serie A’s seven sisters.
Gaetano Castrovilli continues his long-running healing from a severe knee injury, while Szymon Zurkowski has yet to reappear after helping Rolando Mandragora’s late winner on the opening day.
After missing the midweek trip to Udine, Nicolas Gonzalez and Alfred Duncan are in doubt.
For that limp defeat, Italiano made nine changes from the side holding Napoli to a 0-0 stalemate last weekend. Given the character of that display, Italiano could shuffle his pack once again.
Taking a glass-half-full perspective on Wojciech Szczesny’s sprained ankle, Juve’s goalkeeper didn’t fracture the common during the club’s midweek success. However, he has rejoined a harm list that was beginning to reduce tracking the return to fitness of Angel Di Maria.
Paul Pogba is awaiting his double debut for the company, but Leandro Paredes may feature after finalizing his loan agreement from Paris Saint-Germain. The youthful forwards Marley Ake (ankle) and Kaio Jorge (tendon) remain unavailable, while Felix Correia is recovering from a shoulder problem.
Federico Chiesa is some way off regaining full fitness, but club captain Leonardo Bonucci is inching toward a return.
Juve’s last Serie A defeat was at the hands of their upcoming hosts. With Champions League qualification already secured, the Bianconeri barely bothered calling off the team bus last May, attempting just one shot all game (which was blocked) as Fiorentina cantered to a 2-0 win.
The Old Lady have their eyes set higher than the top four this term and have demonstrated tentative progress in the last two matches. However, Fiorentina’s goal deficit belies the threat they can pose, and La Viola may prove to be another humid stop on Juve’s amble back to the top.
Fiorentina has been in free fall since Juventus beat them in the Coppa Italia semi-finals. They’ve won just one of their last five in Serie A, and they head into Saturday’s bout having been beaten 4-1 at Sampdoria last time out.
Vincenzo Italiano’s side has also tasted defeat to Salernitana and Udinese (4-0 at home!) down the stretch to hinder their push for Europe.
Their woeful run of form means that Saturday’s clash against Juve does or die for La Viola. With Atalanta expected to beat Empoli this weekend, Fiorentina must win the Bianconeri to secure a spot in Europe next season.
Italiano’s side has caused Allegri’s Juve issues this season, but they’ve lost all three encounters. Their inefficiency in the final third has cost them. However, I’m backing the home side to turn it around on Saturday night and earn a crucial victory. Juve is going through the motions, and I expect a raucous Franchi to push the hosts to all three points.
The Turin-based club has won their first six matches since the new year and nine overall dating back to Dec. 17. Juve has outscored its opponents 14-0 in six games in 2018, including a 7-0 mauling of Sassuolo five days ago.
Fiorentina stopped a five-game winless streak with a 2-1 victory over Bologna 10 days ago. It was La Viola’s first win and multi-goal effort since Dec. 13 against Sampdoria.
For Juve, the game comes days before a Champions League Round of 16 matches against Tottenham. Another clean sheet against a mid-table Fiorentina side would be a boost for Juve heading into its first leg against the Spurs.
