Juventus will face Udinese under pressure from their hosts as well, as they are looking to climb up the table after a few disappointing results lately.
Thiago Motta is in for a testing period of his Juventus career so far, with the manager growing under pressure to deliver the right results as they get set to lock horns with Udinese. The Bianconeri had a stellar start to the season, but in recent weeks, they have struggled and have yet to perform to the expected levels.
Juventus have only one victory from their last five games in all competitions, and they have drawn their previous two league games, which has seen them drop down the standings. Last weekend, they managed a 4-4 draw to reigning champions Inter Milan and then another draw against Parma in midweek.
Those dropped points have seen leaders Napoli open up a seven-point advantage over Juventus. Motta’s side are currently fifth in the standings, two points ahead of hosts Udinese. Hence, this clash on Saturday is pivotal for the Turin giants in the context of keeping pace with the current top order in Serie A.
Kosta Runjaic will want his Udinese side to show a level of consistency that will allow them to keep a sustained run of form. After a stellar and unexpected start to the new Serie A campaign, they found themselves in a fantastic position, even ahead of some of the usual big hitters.
However, a string of results has seen Udinese drop down the table, and they are now sixth, two points adrift of Juventus. Hence, a victory at home against Motta’s men would see Udinese dramatically overtake them in the table, something Runjaic will be eager to do.
Team News & Tactics
Udinese
Udinese were missing Florian Thauvin, Alexis Sanchez, Thomas Kristensen, and Jurgen Ekkelenkamp for the midweek loss to Venezia, although only the latter and Thauvin were expected to return for the Juventus game. Moreover, they also lost Isaak Toure to a suspension. His red card in midweek proved more costly, as the opposition scored the winner soon after he left the pitch.
Ekkelenkamp will return to stake a claim in one of the three midfield spots, with Jesper Kalstrom and Sandi Lovric featuring in the other two. Kingsley Ehizibue will feature in the right wing-back slot, while Jordan Zemura will feature on the other flank.
In the defence, the manager will retain a three-man backline. Jaka Bijol will feature centrally, with Christian Kabasele and Lautaro Giannetti on either side. Lorenzo Lucca and the possible return of Thauvin will complete the front two for Udinese, as the manager hopes to get something, which will probably be a win over Juventus.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Okoye; Kabasele, Bijol, Giannetti; Ehizibue, Lovric, Karlstrom, Ekkelenkamp, Zemura; Thauvin, Lucca
Juventus
Thiago Motta is boosted by the returns of key squad stars. Douglas Luiz and Teun Koopmeiners are expected to be fit for the trip to Udinese. Only the Dutchman might be considered for a start, but the Brazilian’s return will be a big plus point ahead of a busy schedule.
Nico Gonzalez is also available to play, while Kenan Yildiz will be expected to start against Udinese. Motta will probably have a strong enough lineup, as he names some ultra-regular starters like Dusan Vlahovic, who has been somewhat overworked due to the lack of options that might cover for him.
Motta could also decide to drop Danilo after some dismal performances over the last few games. Hence, Pierre Kalulu and Federico Gatti might form a partnership in central defence, with Andrea Cambiaso and Juan Cabal in those full-back berths.
Manuel Locatelli will continue in that solitary holding midfield role, with Weston McKennie and Koopmeiners expected to play further ahead. Timothy Weah has given himself another shot at a starting spot in the side, while Francisco Conceicao scheduled to feature on the right wing with Vlahovic leading the line.
Probable Lineup (4-1-4-1): Gregorio; Cambiaso, Gatti, Kalulu, cabal; Locatelli; Conceicao, McKennie, Koopmeiners, Weah; Vlahovic
Key Stats
- Udinese have one victory in their last six Serie A encounters with Juventus.
- Udinese are five points behind Inter Milan and two points behind Juventus in the table after 10 games this season.
- Juventus are undefeated in their last 18 matches in Serie A.
- Juventus have 16 draws from 30 games in 2024, which is more than any other club in Europe’s top-five leagues.
- Juventus are targeting a 14th league win against Udinese in their last 18 matches.
Player to Watch
Timothy Weah
Thiago Motta needed a player who could come out of the shadows and put in consistent performances, and Timothy Weah might be that star. After a stellar opening day performance against Como with a goal and assist to his name, the American has suffered from niggling injury issues, which have limited his appearances.
However, starting again in the last two games, Weah scored a goal in the 4-4 draw against Inter Milan and then scored a goal and provided an assist against Parma. He is showing significant signs of consistent performances in this highly competitive Juventus attack, and while he will keep his place on the left flank for now, it is time for the attacker to show Motta again that he can be one of the leading players in the attacking third.
Prediction
Udinese 1-3 Juventus
Juventus suffered from a problem early in the season when they managed to keep a lot of clean sheets but could not score either as games went to draws. They are persisting with a different problem now, as the drawn games are producing more goals to their names. However, the injury to Gleison Bremer has created an issue at the back.
Udinese will likely take advantage of their leaky backline in this encounter on Saturday. However, they are susceptible to conceding more than they ideally should. Hence, this game has the hallmarks of a big Juventus victory, as Thiago Motta’s men aim to get closer to the top order in the Serie A standings.