Udinese at the Stadio Friuli on Sunday afternoon, as the Old Lady look for their tenth win in a row in the league in their charge back up the table following a slow start to the season.
The Turin side defeated Sampdoria 2-1 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris last Sunday to continue their fantastic form in Serie A, a run that puts the Bianconeri right back in the hunt for the Scudetto with half the campaign still to go.
Following the victory in Genoa, Massimiliano Allegri’s side sit second in the league standings, level on 39 points with Inter after round 19, and just two points behind leaders Napoli at the summit. Juventus have won six of their last eight away fixtures, with their last defeat coming in the form of a 1-0 loss to Sassuolo at back at the end of October. Since that defeat at the Mapei Stadium, the Turin giants have defeated Empoli, Palermo, Lazio, Carpi and Sampdoria on the road, scoring 13 goals and conceding just four times in the process.
The Zebrette began 2016 with a 2-1 victory over Atalanta at the Stadio Friuli, with that victory quickly being followed by a 2-1 loss away to Carpi last weekend, a mini run that just about sums up the frustrating campaign to date for Stefano Colantuono’s side.
Meanwhile, the Stadio Friuli outfit currently lie in 12th position in the table on 24 points after round 19. Colantuono’s charges have only managed three wins in their nine games in Udine this season and have already suffered four defeats, but only one in the last five, a 4-0 reverse against Inter. It took the Zebrette until the end of October to pick up their first three points at home, defeating Frosinone 1-0, but since then they have defeated Sampdoria and Atalanta, while also picking up a 0-0 draw against Sassuolo.
Udinese recorded a famous 1-0 win over Juve at the Juventus Stadium on the opening day of this season, and also managed a 0-0 draw at the Stadio Friuli back in February. In the past ten seasons though the Old Lady have won six of ten fixtures in Udine, with the home side last registering a victory back in April 2010, in a 3-0 win.
In team news, Udinese defender Maurizio Domizzi and midfielder Giovanni Pasquale remain doubts for the home side, while six goal top-scorer Cyril Thereau is expected to be partnered up front by the fit-again Duvan Zapata.
Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli faces a late fitness test, while midfielder Mario Lemina is also a doubt for Allegri’s side. Top-scorer Paulo Dybala will be looking to add to his nine goals already scored in Serie A this season.
Form Guide: Udinese (L-L-W-W-L) Juventus (W-W-W-W-W)
Expected starting XI’s
Udinese: Karnezis; Wague, Danilo, Felipe; Widmer, Badu, Lodi, Iturra, Edenilson; Thereau, Zapata.
Juventus: Buffon; Rugani, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra; Mandzukic, Dybala.
Infographic Source: www.sporticos.com
