Juventus will be on the hunt for points not eggs when Empoli arrive in Turin on Saturday night as Italian football resumes after the international break.
The match at the Juventus Stadium will bookend the action on a full card of Serie A fixtures on the eve of Easter Sunday and, with Roma starting proceedings at midday against top three hopeful Napoli, Massimiliano Allegri’s men will know before kick off if they need to maintain or can extend their commanding 14 point lead at the summit.
Empoli travel north-west in good form, unbeaten in eight seeing them pull away from the battle against the drop and start the weekend 12 points clear of Cagliari in the final relegation berth. Their 3-1 win over Sassuolo last time out suggests they could yet finish mid-table.
Coach Maurizio Sarri’s blend of experience and youth has produced an entertaining side that haven’t gone unnoticed. Most recently is 28-year-old Mirko Valdifiori, the deep-lying playmaker enjoying his first Serie A season and earned his first international cap for Italy in Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with England with rumours of clubs circling this summer.
Sarri has drawn praise himself as Empoli consolidate on their top flight return after six years away and, while press reports of him replacing Filippo Inzaghi at AC Milan were denied, the 56-year-old has already left the Giuseppe Meazza with a point after a draw with Roma as a part of four straight draws on the road.
The Bianconeri have been efficient if not spectacular domestically and haven’t won by more than a single goal in their last six. Allegri has managed the squad well and that task remains a priority with Tuesday night’s Coppa Italia semi-final second leg in Florence and their Champions League last-four clash with Monaco on the horizon.
The form of Carlos Tevez is of highest priority, the Argentine’s winner against Genoa last time out sees him remain Capocannonieri on 16 league goals. El Apache can continue to live up to the prestige of the Bianconeri No.10 shirt if he becomes the club’s first Capocannonieri since Alessandro Del Piero in 2008. However he is likely to be rested come Saturday with bigger assignments to come.
One anomaly that could be answered on Saturday night is the Curious Case of Claudio Marchisio. The midfielder was initially sent home from the Italy squad, the Azzurri medics claiming he had torn his cruciate ligaments only for Juventus to say the 29-year-old could be in contention against Empoli. The Bianconeri are becoming stretched in the middle of the park with no word on Andrea Pirlo’s recovery and Paul Pogba out until the beginning of May at best.
Empoli have a clean bill of health since their impressive victory over Sassuolo a fortnight ago and highly rated Daniele Rugani will hope to avoid a repeat of his own goal against his parent club. Riccardo Saponara scored a brace in that match and will likely continue alongside Francesco Tavano and Massimo Maccarone in their front three.
Form Guide: Juventus (W-W-W-D-W-D), Empoli (W-D-D-D-W-D)
Expected Starting XIs
Juventus: Buffon; Bonucci, Ogbonna, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Sturaro, Pereyra, Evra; Llorente, Coman.
Empoli: Sepe; Hysaj, Barba, Rugani, Mario Rui; Vecino, Valdifiori, Croce; Saponara, Maccarone, Tavano
