As Juventus made their strategy to Bologna final weekend, they knew they’d a slight benefit over the remainder of the competitors within the race to complete within the prime 4. It was a single level, but it surely was a bonus nonetheless.
Per week later, Juve are nonetheless in fourth, however they’ve bought firm — and a couple of group, too.
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The slim benefit that Juventus had every week in the past is about as razor skinny because it will get now. As Juventus get set to face Lazio on the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday night in one other six-pointer within the race for the highest 4, the one cause as to why they nonetheless stake a declare to fourth place is on objective differential over Roma in fifth. Lazio’s proper there with their hated metropolis rivals, too, with all three of these groups degree on 63 factors coming into Matchday 36. It’s the second of back-to-back fixtures towards a direct rival for the highest 4 that Igor Tudor’s squad should attempt to determine with a really shorthanded roster — accidents, aren’t they enjoyable? — following final weekend’s draw with Bologna.
If final Sunday was one of many largest video games left on Juventus’ schedule, then what does it make this one?
Yeah, you possibly can most likely determine the place that is going.
Now, Bologna have already performed their thirty sixth sport of the 2024-25 season Friday night time, with their 3-1 loss towards a considerably resurgent but nonetheless wildly unpredictable AC Milan at San Siro that means that there received’t be a fourth group sitting on 63 factors when Juve take the sphere on the Stadio Olimpico. That might find yourself being the factor that takes Bologna out of the working for fourth place, or issues may find yourself going their manner even with the loss primarily based on how the opposite outcomes going this weekend.
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It doesn’t matter what, although, this is identical type of state of affairs as Juventus had final weekend towards Bologna: You win and also you’re both holding serve in the case of the standings or doubtlessly bettering your state of affairs in fourth if the opposite outcomes go your manner. We all know {that a} draw towards Bologna and the wins from Lazio after which Roma meant that the tight race for the highest 4 grew to become even tighter. (One way or the other that’s potential!)
So now this journey to Rome — which has been a slightly widespread place to be the final couple of days — is the brand new largest sport of the season regardless that Tudor downplayed a bit little bit of its significance throughout his pre-match press convention Friday afternoon.
A outcome like they bought on the Olimpico a few weeks in the past towards Roma most likely received’t be sufficient to see Juventus finish the prolonged weekend in fourth place. For a group that controls its personal future in the case of ending within the prime 4, there’s solely a lot leeway wherein Tudor’s squad really has. Any potential slip-up now run the danger of seeing Juve drop again into fifth or sixth place as a result of issues are so shut proper now.
Juventus will face a Lazio facet that has been capable of keep within the race for the highest 4 regardless of the actual fact their residence kind has not been nice each recently and the season as an entire. Based mostly solely on outcomes on their residence turf this season, Lazio has simply the ninth-best document in Serie A, barely forward of factors collected by Italian heavyweights Como and Torino. Of their final 5 video games on the Olimpico, Lazio have 5 attracts, with the newest being a late comeback effort towards Parma just some of days after the relegation battlers beat Juve.
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Lazio’s final win at residence befell Feb. 9 towards now-relegated Monza.
That’s a very long time to go and not using a win on your property discipline. For all of Juventus’ struggles over the past couple of months and the season as an entire, they’ll’t even stake declare to going three months and not using a win at residence.
Possibly Juventus can prolong that run of struggles at residence Lazio has needed to endure since mid-February. In the event that they do, it would actually go a good distance in serving to Juve maintain maintain of fourth place. But when not, then a sophisticated last couple weeks of the season will develop into much more of simply that — and that’s one thing no person round right here needs to see.
TEAM NEWS
Kenan Yildiz might be serving the second sport of his two-match suspension for his purple card towards Monza two weeks in the past. This would be the first sport he misses in his 20s after leaving the teenage ranks this previous Sunday.
The harm information popping out of the draw with Bologna: Andrea Cambiaso might be out for not less than this weekend and doubtlessly subsequent week’s matchup with Udinese after having to come back off with a thigh muscle harm within the second half.
Tudor may have two choices again within the squad as in comparison with when Juve performed Bologna, as each Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Gatti have been included within the touring squad to Rome. Tudor, nevertheless, was considerably bullish on Gatti’s availability, saying at his pre-match press convention that the Italian defender has been included within the squad regardless that he’s a little bit of a query mark this weekend.
One participant who hoped to be out there this weekend received’t be — and that’s Teun Koopmeiners, who remains to be coping with ache associated to his Achilles harm he picked up towards Lecce. This would be the fourth straight sport that the Dutchman has missed.
Lloyd Kelly is the one different short-term harm that’s compelled to overlook Lazio this weekend.
In complete, Juventus might be with out six gamers as a consequence of harm.
Three gamers who can be found to play towards Lazio are a yellow card away from having to serving a one-game suspension: Khephren Thuram, Timothy Weah and Nocolo Savona. (Cambiaso can be on this record, however he clearly received’t have to fret about it this week at minimal.)
JUVENTUS PLAYER TO WATCH
With so many gamers nonetheless out injured, it’s onerous to say the place a sure American utility participant will really line up on the sphere this weekend.
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It’s simply that you realize he’ll as a result of he’s able to filling so many roles when someone isn’t out there. Subsequently, we’ll chat about him regardless that there’s a bit uncertainty about the place he might be within the beginning lineup.
Juventus Coaching Session
Over the previous couple of hours, I’ve seen predicted beginning lineups that had Weston McKennie beginning as:
A wingback on the proper wing in a 3-4-2-1.
A central midfielder enjoying to the proper of Manuel Locatelli in a 3-5-2.
An attacking midfielder enjoying behind Randal Kolo Muani in a 3-4-2-1.
Technically, the final two of these might be not less than partially true contemplating McKennie may play a sophisticated position as someone like Nico González slots in as a supporting striker alongside Kolo Muani. However the reality nonetheless stays that there are numerous completely different locations that folks suppose McKennie may pop up Saturday night time, and there’s understandably no actual consensus.
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That’s slightly on model for the season that McKennie has had since his place the place he performs has generally merely relied on who else is on the market and never injured. He’s performed in so many alternative positions beneath a number of managers that it’s unattainable to maintain observe. Or if you happen to do attempt to maintain observe, you would possibly run out of fingers when counting all of them up.
McKennie’s place towards Lazio doubtless is determined by simply how a lot confidence Tudor has to offer Alberto Costa has first-ever Juventus begin in a sport meaning a lot within the standings. Contemplating Juve have extraordinarily restricted choices in the case of pure wingbacks/fullbacks, Tudor may need to go together with Costa as a result of there’s no person else if he needs a pure vast participant as a wingback this weekend. If Tudor isn’t assured in Costa’s potential from the beginning, then we’re most likely each wingback positions being occupied by the Individuals on the Juve roster.
It’s removed from an excellent state of affairs, but it surely’s one the place you realize McKennie goes to play.
You simply don’t know the place fairly but — which very a lot is sensible for a way this season has gone and the way it will proceed to be as a result of there are such a lot of accidents on this group.
MATCH INFO
When: Saturday, Could 10, 2025.
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The place: Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy.
Official kickoff time: 6 p.m. in Italy and the Central European time zone, 6 p.m. in the UK, 12 p.m. Jap time, 9 a.m. Pacific time.
HOW TO WATCH
Tv: Fox Deportes (United States); TLN (Canada).
On-line/Streaming: Paramount+, CBS Sports activities Golazo, foxsports.com, Fox Sports activities app (United States); fuboTV Canada (Canada); OneFootball.com (United Kingdom); DAZN Italia, Sky Go Italia (Italy).
Different reside viewing choices will be discovered right here, and as at all times, you may as well comply with together with us reside and all of the silly issues we are saying on Twitter. In the event you haven’t already, on Black & White & Learn All Over, and be part of within the dialogue beneath.
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