Juventus will resume Serie A action as they meet Salernitana again with the aim of repeating their smashing performance.
Salernitana will rue their luck about the fixtures, as they meet Juventus again only in the space of four days. That was their Coppa Italia clash, where Filippo Inzaghi may have had the odd hope to see his team fight it out away from the pressure of the league and the relegation zone.
Instead, what Salernitana experienced was an absolute thrashing at the hands of Juventus, with a 6-1 scoreline. Now, Inzaghi must ensure there is no repeat of that performance or the scoreline as he looks for immediate revenge against the Bianconeri.
However, the most crucial task for the manager would be to find a way to get some wins under their bag. Salernitana are bottom of the Serie A standings. Still, the minute differences in points mean that if their other relegation rivals lose and somehow Inzaghi’s men manage to take three points, then they will climb out of the bottom three.
However, Juventus will want to continue what they started in midweek, as Massimiliano Allegri would have been delighted at the sight of his player scoring so many goals. The fact that after such a smashing performance, the Bianconeri get to play the same team again will undoubtedly boost the players and their confidence.
Juventus will now refocus on matters in the league, as Allegri has a title race to run. The Bianconeri are only two points adrift of leaders Inter Milan heading into the matchday, meaning Allegri will want his side to keep performing at the highest level to capitalise on any slip-ups from the Nerazzurri.
In fact, Allegri will want to crank up the pressure now and win their following Serie A clashes before they meet Inter Milan in Turin on February 5 in what could decide who would have the upper hand in the title race. Until then, Juventus will aim to win all their games, especially the upcoming one against Salernitana.
Team News & Tactics
Salernitana
Salernitana are still missing a few stars from action, including a host of attackers. They might have Juventus youth product Grigoris Kastanos overcome a knee issue and face his former side. However, he does carry a significant doubt, and even if he comes out to fit, the likelihood of being on the bench looms large.
Lorenzo Pirola and Guillermo Ochoa are certainly absent, meaning the same players who have covered for them might remain intact in the lineup. Senegalese international Boulaye Dia missed out on a spot at the AFCON owing to a hamstring issue, and he will continue his recovery on the sidelines.
Lassana Coulibaly did make it into the Mali squad and will remain unavailable alongside Jovane Cabral. Filippo Inzaghi will once again have to choose the right-forward lineup, especially the central striker role. Nigerian attacker Chukwu Ikwuemesi did manage to get a consolation against Juventus in the Coppa Italia, which could earn him a start ahead of compatriot Simy.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Costil; Daniliuc, Gyomber, Fazio, Bradaric; Maggiore, Legowski; Candreva, Martegani, Tchaouna; Ikwuemesi
Juventus
Surprisingly, Massimiliano Allegri went with a strong lineup in the Coppa Italia tie against Salernitana and may not want to change too much. Alternatively, considering how easy it proved for the Bianconeri to breach their defences time and again, their manager might even consider rotation.
Juventus will miss Manuel Locatelli, with the midfielder set to serve a suspension. The Italian international’s absence could see Allegri bring Hans Nicolussi Caviglia into the setup.
In terms of absentees, Moise Kean, Mattia De Sciglio, and Alex Sandro will miss this encounter and more in the coming period. Meanwhile, Dutch defender Dean Huijsen seems poised to join Roma on loan. So, he will play no part in Allegri’s thinking ahead of the Salernitana game.
Andrea Cambiaso and Filip Kostic should get the nod to start in the wing-back roles. Allegri will likely keep the partnership between Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa to spearhead the attack.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Szczesny; Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; Cambiaso, McKennie, Nicolussi Caviglia, Rabiot, Kostic; Chiesa, Vlahovic
Key Stats
- Juventus have won nine of their last 11 matches in Serie A.
- Juventus have won with a one-goal margin in eight of their last ten matches in Serie A.
- Juventus have scored at least two goals in their last five matches against Salernitana in all competitions.
- Salernitana have not won consecutive Serie A games since October 2022.
- Salernitana have kept only one clean sheet this season.
Player to Watch
Dusan Vlahovic
🚨🇷🇸 Juventus director Giuntoli: “Bid from Arsenal for Dusan Vlahović? We don’t know anything about that story, there’s nothing”.
“Vlahović is NOT for sale”. pic.twitter.com/cvE7bJEpMV
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 4, 2024
The Serbian striker is yet to hit top form in another mixed start to a Serie A season. He may have gotten over his issues from the previous campaign and even began the current term in flying form. However, Massimiliano Allegri might have to tweak his system to suit the attacker better, and he will be a crucial figure if the Bianconeri are to challenge for the title.
Vlahovic must focus on his efforts to score goals and nothing else. His other aspects are strong enough. But for now, Juventus need all their attackers firing on all cylinders, particularly the Serbian. In games like this one against Salernitana, he might have the best chance to boost his confidence and get some strikes on board to kick-start a decent run.
Prediction
Salernitana 1-4 Juventus
Considering what Juventus did to Salernitana in the 6-1 mauling during their Coppa Italia tie, many will come expecting a similar performance. The hosts will be short of confidence in this upcoming clash. But they might make a more significant effort to keep the Bianconeri from scoring too many strikes.
Whether they will replicate the 6-1 scoreline or even better remains the question. But Juventus will get into the grove to prove another point. Hence, it is easy to assume the Turin giants will keep the scorecard ticking. But again, they might concede an odd goal at some stage in the game.
