After suffering a setback in their title aspirations during the last week’s Derby d’Italia, Juventus will look to kick off a new unbeaten streak on Monday as they welcome Udinese to the Allianz Stadium.
Juventus makes a comeback to Turin following a defeat against Scudetto contenders Inter Milan, while Udinese, known for drawing games in Serie A, were held goalless by Monza.
Match preview
Juventus, who had not dropped points this year until a 1-1 draw with Empoli, saw their seven-game winning run come to an end in late January. Their first match in February resulted in only their second Serie A loss of the season.
A Federico Gatti own goal in the first half settled the top-of-the-table Derby d’Italia in Inter’s favor at San Siro, widening the gap to seven points in Inter’s favor. Juventus has garnered just one point from their last two matches after a string of five consecutive league victories.
Head coach Max Allegri, now tied with Marcello Lippi for 405 games in charge of Juventus, has focused on Serie A due to his club’s European ban this season.
Juventus faces a significant challenge in catching up with Inter, making a victory on Monday crucial, especially considering their dominance over Udinese in recent encounters.
Udinese, who lost 3-0 to Juventus in their first match of the season, have struggled to secure points at the Allianz Stadium in their last seven visits.
Despite drawing against Monza last week, Udinese’s chances of causing an upset are slim, as their inability to close out games has hindered their progress in Serie A.
Udinese has dropped the most points (15) in the final 15 minutes of play in the league, while Juventus has not conceded any during this period, reflecting their contrasting positions in the league standings.
Team News
Juventus may miss striker Dusan Vlahovic due to a thigh issue, joining other sidelined players like Mattia De Sciglio, Moise Kean, and backup goalkeeper Mattia Perin.
With Danilo suspended, Alex Sandro is expected to replace him in Juventus’ defense. Arkadiusz Milik and Federico Chiesa are potential replacements for Vlahovic if needed.
Udinese captain Roberto Pereyra serves a one-match ban, with Joao Ferreira or Kingsley Ehizibue likely to fill in. Enzo Ebosse, Jaka Bijol, and Gerard Deulofeu remain unavailable for Udinese.
Juventus possible lineup:
Szczesny;
Gatti, Bremer, Sandro;
Cambiaso, McKennie, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic;
Yildiz, Milik
Udinese possible lineup:
Okoye;
Perez, Giannetti, Kristensen;
Ferreira, Lovric, Walace, Samardzic, Zemura;
Thauvin;
Lucca
Prediction: Juventus 2-0 Udinese
The last draw between these teams in Turin dates back to March 1990. Despite Udinese’s tendency to draw games, Juventus looks poised for a routine win. If successful, Max Allegri will be the first coach to reach 1000 points in Serie A.
