Juventus will be keen to get back to winning ways and strengthen their hold on the fourth spot when they travel to minnows Empoli on Saturday.
Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus will be keen to get back to winning ways when they take on Empoli in Serie A at the Carlo Castellani Stadium on Saturday.
The Bianconeri are currently in the fourth spot in the Italian top flight and need to secure all three points to help retain their position. With Atalanta having a game in hand and breathing down their necks, Allegri’s men cannot afford to take matters for granted and will need to do their part in what has been a difficult season.
Juventus have been far from their best this term but have the ability to grind out results. It is pretty remarkable that for a side that has failed to hit top gear, the Old Lady are on a 12-match unbeaten run in the Serie A. The additions of Dusan Vlahovic and Denis Zakaria have undoubtedly made them stronger, but Juve cannot always depend on individual brilliance to pull them through.
Empoli, for their part, are enjoying an excellent season upon returning to the top flight and are currently in 13th place, nine points off the relegation zone. However, they have been unable to win any of their last nine league games and are in a sort of mini-crisis. They will be hoping to snap that run at the earliest and make a late push for a top-half finish.
With the season heading towards its finale, there is still much to be played for, including a seat at Europe’s top table for next season.
Team News & Tactics
Empoli
The Italian side is enjoying an excellent season back in the top flight after gaining promotion from Serie B last season. They are currently nine points above the relegation zone with just 12 games left to play.
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— Empoli Fc Official (@EmpoliCalcio) February 24, 2022
Currently on a nine-game winless run in the league, Empoli risk getting drawn into the battle for the drop should their results fail to pick up. The Gli Azzurri have already defeated Juventus once this season and have proven themselves capable of pulling off an upset or two.
On-loan midfielder Valerio Verre is a doubt for the hosts, while Nicolas Haas remains unavailable for the remainder of the season. Aurelio Andreazzoli otherwise has a full-strength side to choose from this weekend. The Italians are likely to set up in a 4-3-2-1 formation that could choke Juventus in midfield, seizing the initiative on the evening.
Guglielmo Vicario will start in goal for the home side behind the back four of Fabiano Parisi, Mattia Viti, Simone Romagnoli and Petar Stojanovic. The trio of Szymon Zurkowski, Kristjan Asllani and Filippo Bandinelli will be tasked with seizing control of the middle of the park. Doing so will permit Nedim Bajrami and Liam Henderson to feed top scorer Andrea Pinamonti.
Empoli are likely to use the strength of numbers to overwhelm Juventus and seize control of the midfield. It will not come as a surprise if the home side soaks up the pressure before hitting Juventus on the break.
Probable Lineup (4-3-2-1): Vicario; Stojanovic, Romagnoli, Viti, Parisi; Zurkowski, Asllani, Bandinelli; Henderson, Bajrami; Pinamonti
Juventus
Federico Chiesa is ruled out for the season, while Juventus could also be without several other players on Saturday. Weston McKennie limped off in the UEFA Champions League against Villarreal, and his absence will be felt, especially given the January departures of Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur.
Allegri will also be without Paulo Dybala, Giorgio Chiellini, Alex Sandro, Federico Bernardeschi, Daniele Rugani and Kaio Jorge. While Juventus can still put up a startig XI filled with international stars, they will be hard-pressed to field their first-choice starting lineup.
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— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) February 25, 2022
Juventus are likely to deploy a 4-3-3 formation that will help accommodate the players available. Wojciech Szczesny is a sure starter in goal and will start behind the back four of Luca Pellegrini, Leonardo Bonucci, Matthijs de Ligt and Danilo. The trio of Denis Zakaria, Manuel Locatelli and Adrien Rabiot will be tasked with winning the midfield battle.
With Dybala absent, Juventus suffer from a lack of imagination when fashioning chances for the strikers. The issue was apparent against Villarreal, and the duo of Vlahovic and Morata were largely isolated upfront. Juan Cuadrado looks likely to join the aforementioned duo in the starting XI, and it remains to be seen how he fares against Empoli.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Szczesny; Danilo, Bonucci, De Ligt, Pellegrini; Zakaria, Locatelli, Rabiot; Cuadrado, Vlahovic, Morata
Key Stats
- A win for Empoli will see them go undefeated in a season against Juventus for just the second time.
- Juventus have not lost both games in a Serie A season against a promoted side since 2012/13.
- Empoli have failed to score more than a single goal against Juventus in their last 13 matches. The last time they found the back of the net multiple times was in 2004.
- Juventus have won their last four away games in Serie A against Empoli. The last time the Gli Azzurri triumphed against the Bianconeri at home was in 1999.
- Empoli have conceded 50 goals in the Serie A so far. Only bottom-placed Salernitana have conceded more in the Italian top flight. The Empoli defence has conceded in each of their last 14 Serie A games, the longest streak of conceding goals in the top flight in club history.
Key Player
Juan Cuadrado
With Paulo Dybala, Federico Chiesa, Federico Bernardeschi and Weston McKennie all out, there is a void in the Bianconeri side when it comes to creativity on the pitch and Juan Cuadrado thus becomes a key outlet for the visitors.
Danilo’s return will permit Allegri to deploy Cuadrado higher up the field. The Colombian can be a force down the right flank, capable of firing in crosses for Dusan Vlahovic to take advantage of. While it does make Juventus more predictable and easier to defend against, it does at the very least offer them some semblance of creativity.
Prediction
Empoli 1-1 Juventus
Empoli are not in the best form going into the game, but Juventus have several key players missing, evening the odds a bit. While an in-form Dusan Vlahovic gives the visitors the edge, the lack of creativity or service that can be afforded to the prolific Serbian blunts his potential impact on the field. It will be anything but a walk in the park for Massimiliano Allegri and his men on Saturday.
