Juventus will aim to cling to their fading title hopes and cannot afford another defeat as they take on top-four-chasing Atalanta.
Massimiliano Allegri would be scratching his head over what happened in the past few weeks as he saw his side fade away from the title race bit by bit. A run of one win from six has put the brakes on their challenge for the Scudetto, as Inter Milan has raced away to a 15-point gap heading into the weekend. Up next for Juventus are a tough test in Atalanta.
While Inter Milan have been relentless in their chase, local rivals AC Milan have taken due advantage of Juventus’s downfall to chase them down for the second spot. Should AC Milan win their clash tomorrow against Empoli, the Bianconeri will kick off their game against Atalanta in the third spot. In addition, should Simone Inzaghi’s men claim a victory over Bologna, they will have opened up an 18-point gap on Allegri’s side.
As Juventus prepares to host Atalanta, they are clinging to their slim hopes of a fading title challenge. Hence, they have no more room for defeat and will have to perform better than last weekend when Napoli beat them at the Stadio Diego Armanda Maradona for the fifth time in a row.
Gian Piero Gasperini will take account of Juventus’s dismal form and will want to take full advantage of the situation to continue their climb towards the fourth spot. An unbeaten run of eight games in the league was halted by champions-elect Inter Milan, after which they suffered another loss to top-four rival Bologna.
The latter have done a double over Atalanta this season, as Gasperini will want to avoid further slip ups in their quest. Until the defeat to Inter Milan, Atalanta have been in flying form, although results have still come at an inconsistent pace.
Should results go their way this weekend, Atalanta might pip AS Roma to fifth, and after that, Gasperini would want a tremendous run to take fourth spot. They also hope Inter will get the better of Bologna, as a win over Juventus will close the gap on Thiago Motta’s side to just two points. Gasperini wants a better performance than their recent defeats and the midweek draw against Sporting CP in the UEFA Europa League.
Team News & Tactics
Juventus
Massimiliano Allegri will have a selection headache as he continues to miss several of his crucial first-team stars. After the defeat at Napoli, the Juventus boss lost Carlos Alcaraz due to a muscle problem. At the same time, Dusan Vlahovic will miss the Atalanta clash through a suspension after picking a yellow last weekend.
With Alcaraz absent, he joins Adrien Rabiot and Weston McKennie on the sidelines, which is a big problem for Allegri and his midfield selection. Fabio Miretti will keep his place besides Manuel Locatelli on the right-hand side of the midfield three, while Andrea Cambiaso might come in on the left-hand side.
He will then vacate his wing-back role for Timothy Weah, while Filip Kostic seems like the best fit for the left flank. At the back, Daniele Rugani will continue to play in the back three alongside Gleison Bremer and Danilo.
With Vlahovic absent, Arkadiusz Milik will likely take his spot, as Allegri might prefer his experience over the youth of Kenan Yildiz. The latter may only find a place on the bench, as Federico Chiesa continued with his good form up front. That goal against Napoli will keep him in the starting lineup.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Szczesny; Rugani, Bremer, Danilo; Weah, Cambiaso, Locatelli, Miretti, Kostic; Milik, Chiesa
Atalanta
Unlike Massimiliano Allegri, Gian Piero Gasperini has no significant injury-related absentees, as 34-year-old centre-back Jose Luis Palomino is the only one missing out. In addition, Swedish wing-back Emil Holm will also miss out following his fifth booking of the season, and he must serve a one-game suspension.
Meanwhile, Teun Koopmeiners, Charles De Ketelaere and Giorgio Scalvini should return to the starting lineup after only playing as substitutes in midweek against Sporting CP. De Ketelaere will begin the game in the centre-forward position alongside Ademola Lookman, who has a favourable record against Juventus lately.
Gasperini will have a back three in place, with Giorgio Scalvini, Berat Djimsiti and Sead Kolasinac taking their places in the setup. Davide Zappacosta and Matteo Ruggeri are the preferred options at wing-backs, with Marten De Roon set to take his place in central midfield alongside Ederson.
The latter’s inclusion could see Mario Pasalic start on the bench, meaning Teun Koopmeiners will play the advanced role behind the strikers.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson, Ruggeri; Koopmeiners; Lookman, De Ketelaere
Key Stats
- Juventus are undefeated in all competitions in 35 of their last 38 matches against Atalanta.
- Juventus have kept a clean sheet in their last three matches against Atalanta in all competitions.
- Juventus have one victory in their last 6 Serie A games.
- After an eight-game unbeaten run, Atalanta lost their last two games in Serie A.
- In clashes between the top seven in Serie A, only Roma have picked up fewer points than Atalanta.
Player to Watch
Federico Chiesa
Last weekend, Vlahovic missed some glorious chances that would have essentially secured the three points for Juventus, and his absence would have put more pressure on their attackers, particularly Chiesa. The winger, who continues to march towards his best form, did himself good with that goal against Napoli.
He has to play a crucial role for Juventus between now and the end, as the Bianconeri look to consolidate second spot as they are not expected to catch Inter Milan at the top. Chiesa has to show his overall quality and prove through his performances that he is their main attacker now and in the future.
Prediction
Juventus 1-1 Atalanta
Both these teams are coming into this clash looking for a victory to end their recent slump. These are also sides under pressure to achieve their respective objectives for the season, with Atalanta desperate to get back into the top four.
Looking at both their current form, it is difficult to pinpoint a favourite to take three points, although both have been dreadful in their defence over the last few games. Without giving either the benefit of the doubt, this game can end in a draw, albeit being a low-scoring affair.
