Juventus host Roma at the Juventus Stadium on Sunday evening in Serie A, with the Bianconeri looking for their 11th straight league victory, as they continue their relentless charge back to the top of the standings.
The Turin giants cruised to a 4-0 victory over Udinese at the Stadio Friuli last weekend to bring their winning run into double figures in the league, and now have their sights firmly set on Inter’s record of 17 consecutive wins in the 2006-2007 season.
The Old Lady currently sit in second in the table on 42 points after gameweek 20, two points off leaders Napoli at the top. Since losing to Udinese 1-0 at the Juventus Stadium on the opening day of the season, the Bianconeri are now unbeaten in their last eight home fixtures, winning six and drawing the other two.
The Giallorossi, meanwhile, under new coach Luciano Spalletti, could only manage a 1-1 draw against bottom of the table Hellas Verona at the Stadio Olimpico last Sunday.
I Lupi lie fifth in the standings on 35 points after 20 matches, nine points off leaders Napoli, and five points off third-place Inter in the last Champions League spot. The Roman giants have drawn their past four away games in Serie A, including a 0-0 draw with leaders Napoli at the Stadio San Paolo in mid-December.
The two sides have already met this campaign with Roma running out 2-1 victors in Rome in gameweek two, thanks to goals from Miralem Pjanic and Edin Dzeko.
Last season, the Bianconeri defeated the Romans 3-2 at the Juventus Stadium in what was one of the games of the season.
In recent history, the Old Lady have won seven and drawn two of the last ten encounters in Serie A between the sides in Turin, with Roma last registering an away victory six years ago on Saturday, in a 2-1 win thanks to a John Arne Riise strike in stoppage time.
In team news, the Bianconeri are expected to recall strikers Mario Mandzukic and top-scorer on 11 goals Paulo Dybala to their starting line-up after they were rested in their 1-0 victory over Lazio in the Coppa Italia in midweek.
Roma, meanwhile, have doubts over defender Maicon and striker Gervinho through injury, while captain Francesco Totti is expected to return to the Giallorossi bench following a long spell on the sidelines with injury.
Form Guide: Juventus (W-W-W-W-W) Roma (D-W-D-D-D)
Expected Starting XIs:
Juventus: Buffon; Rugani, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba, Alex Sandro; Mandzukic, Dybala.
Roma: Szczesny, Torosidis, Manolas, Rudiger, Digne; Pjanic, De Rossi, Nainggolan; Florenzi, Dzeko, Salah.
