Juventus are still fighting to cement their place in the top four, as hosts Lecce aim to steer clear of the relegation race.
The Serie A title race was settled last weekend, with Inter Milan being crowned champions. However, there are still many things at stake for numerous teams in the league. Starting with Lecce, the struggling outfit are still fighting for their lives to stay afloat in the top flight.
Eusebio Di Francesco’s side endured a four-game losing streak, although they have rectified that with a three-game unbeaten run since. The run includes two draws and a win, all against teams around the relegation zone, including a vital win over Pisa.
Four points separate Lecce from 18th-placed Cremonese, and a win for Di Francesco’s side will do a world of good to their hopes of survival. While they are in a fantastic place compared to their other relegation rivals, a loss on Saturday and wins for others could bring a fresh twist to the danger zone with three games to go.
Meanwhile, Juventus are very much in the mix to fight for a top-four place, with only a point separating them from fifth-placed AS Roma. The Giallorossi have roared back to life in the running for the Champions League spots following consecutive wins in the league, while the Bianconeri have had a bag of mixed results of late.
The 1-1 draw with Hellas Verona will be particularly aggravating for Luciano Spalletti in the grand scheme of things, considering that it was a team Juventus were expected to beat, particularly on home soil. Before that, they ensured another stalemate against top-four rivals Milan, which has pinned them in fourth spot.
The ultimate aim for Spalletti’s side would be to get into Milan’s third spot, as catching up to Napoli may seem challenging at this point. The bigger danger comes from Roma lurking behind, as they will be ready to pounce on any slip-ups from Juventus; losing a top-four place would be catastrophic for the Turin giants.
Team News & Tactics
US Lecce
Eusebio Di Francesco is unlikely to make any unnecessary alterations to his lineup, particularly after going on a three-game unbeaten run and the win over Pisa. Skipper Wladimiro Falcone will be stationed in goal for this one, with a back four of Danilo Veiga and Antonino Gallo in the full-back areas, while Jamil Siebert and Tiago Gabriel marshal the central defensive zones.
The midfield selection might be slightly tricky, as the manager would prefer a double pivot of Ylber Ramadani and Oumar Ngom, although Lassana Coulibaly also tends to play deeper at times. The latter might be stationed in an attacking role.
Santiago Pierotti and Lameck Banda provide width in the frontline. Walid Cheddira will lead the line, although he faces competition from the likes of Nikola Stulic and Francesco Camarda. However, the manager will rely on Banda, who has been a very productive player for the team with seven goal involvements this season.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Falcone; Veiga, Siebert, Gabriel, Gallo; Ramadani, Ngom; Pierotti, Coulibaly, Banda; Cheddira
Juventus
The big boost for Luciano Spalletti is the return of Dusan Vlahovic, who has endured an injury-disrupted season. However, given the importance of the late run-in for the team, it is viable to see the Serbian striker replace the misfiring Jonathan David, who has continued to have an underwhelming season.
There are absentees in Arkadiusz Milik and Juan Cabal, while everyone else is relatively fit for action. Vlahovic could be joined by Weston McKennie and Kenan Yildiz in the attacking setup, as Jeremie Boga could miss out on a starting berth despite having decent goal contributions of late.
Michele Di Gregorio has recently won his place back between the sticks, with Pierre Kalulu, Gleison Bremer, Lloyd Kelly, and Andrea Cambiaso all set to feature in the backline. Spalletti will keep faith in Khephren Thuram and Manuel Locatelli to manage the midfield setup, while Francisco Conceicao will feature out wide on the right-hand side.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Thuram, Locatelli; Conceicao, McKennie, Yildiz; Vlahovic
Key Stats
- Lecce are unbeaten in their last three games in Serie A.
- Lecce have won none of their last 11 games against Juventus.
- Juventus have lost just once in their last 12 visits to Lecce.
- Juventus are unbeaten in 10 games across all competitions.
Player to Watch
Dusan Vlahovic
Juventus need a solid end to their season to confirm their participation in next season’s Champions League. The same could be said about Vlahovic, who has endured an injury-disrupted season, as there are considerable doubts over his future in Turin.
The return of the Serbian striker is key for Juventus’s chances, starting with the game against Lecce, as he could be seen as a better option than the misfiring Jonathan David. A big performance in this away game will be key not only to his future but also to Juventus’s chances of finishing in the top four.
Prediction
US Lecce 1-2 Juventus
Lecce are in a decent vein of form heading into this key clash against Juventus, as Eusebio Di Francesco will certainly target a win to keep their chances of survival alive. However, the Bianconeri could provide a big test, although the Lecce boss will be eager to take note of how Hellas Verona performed last weekend.
The result against Hellas Verona may have served as a wake-up call for Luciano Spalletti, as he will prioritise correcting the mistakes from that game to help his players provide a fitting reply against Lecce. It is difficult to predict this game where two teams are fighting for key objectives, but the Bianconeri are widely expected to get the three points with a narrow scoreline.
