Match Preview: Juventus vs Fiorentina – Latest Team News, Line-ups & Predictions
The stakes couldn’t be higher in Sunday’s Serie A clash between Juventus and Fiorentina. With both teams crunching the numbers in pursuit of a coveted UEFA Champions League spot, a mere goal difference stands between them before the whistle signals the start.
Both sides were in action last weekend, with Juventus narrowly overcoming lowly Monza 2-1, thanks to contributions from Weston McKennie and Nicolas Gonzalez. This victory extended their unbeaten run to 13 games across all competitions and preserved the impeccable league record of Thiago Motta since taking the helm.
Remarkably, Juventus has yet to taste defeat in the current Serie A season, joining the elite company of Paris Saint-Germain in this regard across Europe’s premier leagues. However, their chronic inability to convert draws into wins could prove detrimental to their ambitions. Currently, the Old Lady sits three points behind fourth-place Lazio and trails league leaders Atalanta by a daunting nine points.
With Atalanta’s relentless form showing no signs of faltering, anything less than a victory for Juventus here could derail their title aspirations. Fiorentina, too, faces a crucial juncture; after a bright start under Raffaele Palladino, they have experienced a disheartening dip in form, losing their last two matches, including a 2-1 setback against a mid-table Udinese on Monday.
Match Preview
Juventus
Motta must pivot Juventus toward more consistent victories, especially considering their tendency for draws at Allianz Stadium. An alarming six of their nine home league matches have ended in stalemates, including three of their last four, branding them as Europe’s ‘stalemate specialists’—a title they can hardly take pride in.
However, there is a silver lining; Juventus has the upper hand in recent encounters against Fiorentina, securing a 1-0 victory in each of their last three league meetings at home. With his squad currently leading the league in clean sheets, boasting ten, Motta may very well look forward to another shutout, especially given that three of their last four home fixtures ended in identical 2-2 draws, often marred by late equalizers.
Expectations for a low-scoring contest loom large—in fact, Juventus’ last nine league fixtures against Fiorentina have each produced under 2.5 goals, setting the stage for a potentially drab encounter.
Fiorentina
Fiorentina, too, has embraced a trend of low-scoring affairs on the road; five of their last six away games have featured two goals or fewer. While Palladino may desire more decisive outcomes from these matches, the statistics reveal that La Viola have only managed a modest W3, D1, L2 in this time.
Despite the unsettling feeling of back-to-back defeats in Serie A for the first time since February, Fiorentina can still salvage pride and momentum as the year closes. Prior to their recent 1-0 loss to Bologna, they showcased defensive prowess, conceding only five away goals in the entire campaign and managing five successive clean sheets (W4, D1).
To upset the hosts in Turin, Fiorentina will need to maintain that defensive solidarity. However, historical context isn’t encouraging; they’ve failed to find the net in their last four competitive visits to Juventus (L4) and have scored more than once in just one of their last four away league matches since their staggering 6-0 demolition of Lecce back in mid-October.
Team News
Heading into the final Serie A match of 2024, Juventus finds themselves significantly hamstrung by injuries. Gleison Bremer, Juan Cabal, Arkadiusz Milik, Douglas Luiz, and Tim Weah are all sidelined, with captain Danilo reportedly on the transfer block and not likely to feature.
On the flip side, Fiorentina’s only injury concern appears to be Marin Pongracic. Edoardo Bove is recovering from a cardiac arrest, which has tragically curtailed his Serie A career, while Cristiano Biraghi finds himself out of favor amid mounting exit speculation under Palladino.
Juventus vs Fiorentina Potential Starting Line-ups
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Savona, Kalulu, Gatti, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, Gonzalez, Yildiz; Vlahovic.
Fiorentina (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Dodo, Comuzzo, Ranieri, Gosens; Adli, Cataldi; Colpani, Gudmundsson, Sottil; Kean.
Juventus vs Fiorentina Prediction
Given the historical context and current form, we can expect a rather tepid encounter. The momentum swings in favor of the hosts due to Fiorentina’s recent struggles, suggesting that the team that manages to draw first blood could seize all three points. Expecting Juventus to capitalize, we’re backing the home side for a crucial win.
Prediction: Juventus to Win
