Favourites Juventus will face off against Frosinone Calcio with a Coppa Italia semi-final spot on the line
Frosinone Calcio will be eyeing a third Serie A scalp when they travel to Turin to take on Juventus in the Coppa Italia quarter final on Thursday night.
The minnows saw off Pisa in the Round of 64 before overcoming Torino in extra time in the Round of 32. However, their standout performance came in the Last 16, where they stunned defending Serie A holders SSC Napoli by an emphatic scoreline of 4-0.
Meanwhile, Juventus entered the competition only in the Round of 16 and made short work of Salernitana, winning the tie 6-1. Once again at home, Massimiliano Allegri’s men will aim to book their spot in the final four of the competition.
The most successful team in Coppa Italia history, Juventus have secured the trophy 14 times. They have failed to make it to the semi-finals just once in the last nine years and will hope to face off against AS Roma or SS Lazio in the final four.
With defending champions Inter Milan knocked out, Juventus will have their eyes on a first Coppa Italia since 2021. Having topped Serie B, Frosinone will be keen to make the most of their 2023-24 campaign. Largely made up of played loaned from other clubs, the minnows are certainly punching above their weight this season. But if the win against Napoli is anything to go by, Juventus cannot take the game for granted.
The Bianconeri had to dig deep to come away with a win against Frosinone earlier this season in Serie A. Kenan Yildiz gave Allegri’s men the lead before Jaime Baez drew Frosinone level after half-time. The game appeared to be heading towards a draw before Dusan Vlahovic scored the winner in the 81st minute. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Juventus
Juventus will be without Adrien Rabiot, who is out injured. Massimiliano Allegri will also be bereft of the Moise Kean and Mattia De Sciglio, both of whom are also set for a spell on the sidelines.
It is not all bad news as Manuel Locatelli returns from suspension. More so, Federico Chiesa and Andrea Cambiaso have recovered rom a knee injury and illness, respectively, to return to contention for the game.
Allegri is expected to retain his 3-5-2 formation for the match. Mattia Perin should start in goal ahead of first-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. He should be protected by the back three of Federico Gatti, Daniele Rugani and Gleison Bremer.
Cambiaso and Kostic should provide the width with the trio of Weston McKennie, Manuel Locatelli and Fabio Miretti holding the fort in the middle of the park. Kenan Yildiz and Arkadiusz Milik should get the nod in attack.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Perin; Gatti, Brember, Rugani; Cambiaso, McKennie, Locatelli, Miretti, Kostic; Yildiz, Milik
Frosinone Calcio
The visitors have lost their way after a solid start to the season and have won just one of their last five games in all competitions. Eusebio Di Francesco will be without the injured trio of Anthony Oyono, Riccardo Marchizza and Jaime Baez.
However, Frosinone are free to play Juventus’s on-loan trio of Kaio Jorge, Matias Soule and Enzo Barrenechea. More so, Pierluigi Frattali’s suspension is only limited to the league, leaving him free to play on the night. New addition Kevin Bonifazi is also in contention after having joined from Bologna on loan.
Di Francesco is expected to restore his best players to the playing XI and should field three Juventus loanees against their parent club. Kaio Jorge, Matias Soule and Enzo Barrenechea have all impressed this season and will hope to make an impression against their parent club.
A 4-3-3 formation is the way forward, with Stefano Turati in goal. He should be protected by the back four of Pol Lirola, Ilario Monterisi, Kevin Bonifazi, and Caleb Okoli. Abdou Harroui and Luca Mazzitelli will aim to get forward thanks to the midfield cushion offered by Enzo Barrenechea. Matias Soule and Arijon Ibrahimovic should provide the width with Kaio Jorge starting up front.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Turati; Monterisi, Okoli, Bonifazi, Lirola; Mazzitelli, Barrenechea, Harroui; Soule, Jorge, Ibrahimovic
Key Stats
- Frosinone have never ever defeated Juventus in their history, drawing one and losing the remaining six clashes.
- Juventus have won the Coppa Italia 14 times in their history, more than any other side in the competition.
- Frosinone are already enjoying their best ever run in the Italian Cup this season. Should they win, it will be their first ever semifinal appearance in Coppa Italia history.
- This is the first meeting between Frosinone and Juventus in the Coppa Italia.
- Juventus are making their 17th straight appearance in the Coppa Italia.
Player to Watch
Arkadiusz Milik
The Polish international is behind Dusan Vlahovic in the pecking order but has the minerals to make a real difference for Juventus on the field. Vlahovic is likely to start on the bench, paving the way for Milik to make an impact.
The 29-year-old has scored a mere two goals and one assist in 19 games across all competitions. While the numbers are not prolific, his ability is unquestioned and against Frosinone, he has the ability to prove to Massimiliano Allegri that Juventus have a scorer they can rely on.
Prediction
Juventus 2-0 Frosinone Calcio
Juventus are in form at the moment, while Frosinone are going through a rut. Given the difference in quality between both the teams, Juventus are the heavy favourites for the match-up.
Having defeated Napoli, can lightning strike twice for Frosinone? It appears unlikely. With home support to boot, it is difficult to see anything other than a comfortable win for the Bianconeri. The Hard Tackle predicts Massimiliano Allegri and his charges to clinch a 2-0 victory this midweek.
