Juventus has performed six video games since coming back from the November worldwide break rather less than a month to go. The final feeling after these six video games has been … properly, numerous the identical form of basic emotions as we’ve had about this crew for a lot of the 2025-26 season, if not the complete calendar 12 months. It’s been a scenario the place you need to attempt to discover positives and progress because the managerial change, however the identical form of points that plagued Igor Tudor are nonetheless very a lot there for Luciano Spalletti.
Understandably, as Juve method the halfway level of the 2025-26 season, there’s been loads of questions in regards to the squad. Spalletti, in traditional Spalletti vogue, was there to offer his blunt evaluation of issues throughout his pre-match press convention on Saturday.
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“No person will persuade me that these aren’t good gamers. Quite the opposite — I’m satisfied we are going to overcome these limitations,” Spalletti stated. “I accepted the job not as a result of I consider in it, I’ve been doing this job for years, I do know it’s not simple, and I’m obsessive about the thought of having the ability to change and enhance this group. I see a gaggle of fellows who’re hungry and at my disposal, and that’s why I at all times communicate with them to seek out options.”
The most recent sport during which Spalletti tries to seek out some form of options comes Sunday night time within the newest fixture throughout a month of December stuffed with them. Final week, Juve obtained the defending Serie A champions. This weekend, they are going to journey to the Renato Dall’Ara to face the Coppa Italia winners who’re as soon as once more within the combine for a spot within the high 4. Spalletti will face a supervisor in Vincenzo Italiano who he has heaped loads of reward on throughout that very same pre-match press convention resulting from the truth that he’s as soon as once more doing a number of the finest work in Italy with an overachieving Bologna squad that’s combating amongst the large boys in Serie A.
Bologna, some of the in-form groups in Serie A during the last couple of months, sit in fifth place enterng the weekend. Then again, Juventus — who occur to have the identical quantity of factors as Bologna over their final six league fixtures (11) — sit in seventh place after their loss to Napoli prevented them from doubtlessly leaping into the highest 4 for the primary time in weeks.
It’s a second consecutive away fixture that’s essential merely due to all of the unpredictability that has occurred in entrance of Juve within the league standings this season. However, lots like Napoli final weekend, it’s the possibility to get a win in opposition to a membership that’s immediately in entrance of you. And, let’s not neglect possibly the obvious: Juve have to begin to show that they will get some wins in opposition to high quality opposition below Spalletti.
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Need to know an attention-grabbing observe about this matchup? Certain you do!
As Bologna have risen up the ranks in Serie A and turn out to be a constant menace to qualify for Europe during the last couple of years below Thiago Motta (hey, bear in mind him?) and now Italiano, Juventus haven’t overwhelmed I Rossoblu since 2022, with the final 5 matchups between the 2 golf equipment ending in a draw. You’ve obtained 1-1 attracts, you’ve obtained a 2-2 draw, you’ve even obtained the 3-3 draw within the rain just some brief days after Juventus parted methods with Max Allegri.
However the lack of wins over what was once a persistently mid-table facet speaks to Bologna’s rise but additionally Juve’s fall from being one of the best membership in Serie A to now simply at all times in an entire struggle to complete within the high 4 at finest.
We all know how Bologna will play below Italiano. They will press Juventus. After which they’ll press some extra. After which they are going to press no matter is overlooked of you earlier than you’ve in all probability found out any form of resolution to attempt to counter how they play. That is Bologna’s id they usually’re not going to stray away from it by any means. It’s what made them so good below Italiano during the last season and a half, and why he’s been capable of hold Bologna within the European locations regardless of dropping a lot expertise the final couple of summers.
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Then once more, , so there’s that.
That is yet one more check to see the place Juventus are at below Spalletti. It won’t be on the identical stage of the journey to Naples final weekend, but it surely certain is coming in opposition to an excellent crew. Bologna aren’t going away, so this head-to-head matchup in opposition to a follower competitor for the highest 4 goes to be essential now but additionally as winter turns to spring. If Spalletti is actually assured his crew can discover options, there’s no higher time than to begin displaying them throughout a month of December that has massive home fixtures nearly each weekend.
TEAM NEWS
Dusan Vlahovic is out injured.
Federico Gatti is out injured.
The one different gamers who’re out injured are Carlo Pinsoglio and (in fact) Arek Milik.
Relating to gamers coming back from harm, Spalletti says that Gleison Bremer isn’t totally there simply but. Why? “Given the seriousness of his harm, he nonetheless wants slightly extra time and we need to be cautious with him,‘ Spalletti stated. (Which could be very comprehensible!)
One other participant simply again from harm, Daniele Rugani, is doubtlessly in line for enjoying time in opposition to Bologna, Spalletti stated. It wouldn’t be from the beginning, although, with Spalletti including Rugani nonetheless doesn’t have 90 minutes in his legs simply but.
With all that being stated, it appears fairly doubtless that Spalletti sticks with the three-man backline of Pierre Kalulu, Lloyd Kelly and Teun Koopmeiners in opposition to Bologna.
Spalletti stated that Francisco Conceição “must be extra incisive” and contribute extra targets and assists.
After beginning on the bench in opposition to Pafos midweek within the Champions League, Conceição is anticipated to return again into the beginning lineup for Sunday’s sport in opposition to Bologna. It is going to come on his twenty third birthday.
Koopmeiners stays one yellow card away from having to serve a one-game suspension.
JUVENTUS PLAYER TO WATCH
Bologna’s finest participant is Riccardo Orsolini. He performs on the fitting wing and has began the 2025-26 season in fairly robust kind, with one of many highest purpose tallies coming into the weekend alongside the Peninsula.
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Guess who will in all probability be making an attempt to defend him on that wing?
Nicely, not precisely any person who has impressed numerous confience in his defensive capability as soon as once more this season.
This isn’t the season during which Andrea Cambiaso has returned to the form of kind that we noticed from him 12 months in the past. Then once more, it was round this time final December during which he suffered an ankle harm that each derailed stated good kind up till that time and just about resulted in the remainder of his 2024-25 season changing into a start-stop form of scenario. (Plus, you recognize, in all probability put an finish to Manchester Metropolis gunning for him in January.)
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Cambiaso’s struggles aren’t new. with regards to Juventus’ final couple of fixtures. It’s been a battle for months now, and he’s not precisely displaying an entire lot of indicators that he’s going to snap out of it. It’s gotten to the purpose the place appears to be like nearly inconceivable at this present time (or every other time going ahead).
Going through Bologna is totally different for Cambiaso, although. It’s possibly not on the identical stage as going through boyhood membership Genoa, but it surely’s in all probability shut contemplating it’s the place he began to make a reputation for himself earlier than coming again to Juventus a few years in the past. It’s an essential a part of his profession, and one which certainly he relishes no matter what his present kind is.
Towards Bologna, Cambiaso’s going to be essential on either side of the ball. Towards Orsolini, it’s making an attempt to offer each major protection in opposition to Orsolini or cowl for any person like Koopmeiners whose lack of tempo has been severely uncovered during the last couple of video games. Counting on Cambiaso to persistently carry out defensively is a difficult ask, but it surely’s one he’s will definitely must do on high of the truth that he’s additionally such an essential piece to the puzzle going ahead. With how Bologna press (and press) (and press), Cambiaso’s passing and behavior of being vulnerable to turnovers and giveaways will definitely be below the microscope, too.
In different phrases, Juventus want Good Cambiaso to point out up, not the one which has been current most of the time in the course of the first 4 months of this season.
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MATCH INFO
When: Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025.
The place: Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, Italy.
Official kickoff time: 8:45 p.m. native time in Italy and throughout Europe, 7:45 p.m. in the UK, 2:45 p.m. Jap time, 1:45 p.m. Central time, 11:45 a.m. Pacific time.
HOW TO WATCH
Tv: CBS Sports activities Community (United States); TLN (Canada); TNT Sports activities 1 (United Kingdom).
On-line/Streaming: , DAZN USA, Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV (United States); DAZN Canada; fuboTV Canada (Canada); DAZN UK (United Kingdom); DAZN Italia, Sky Go Italia (Italy).
Different stay viewing choices might be discovered , and as at all times, you can too observe together with us stay and all of the silly issues we are saying . In the event you haven’t already, on Black & White & Learn All Over, and be part of within the dialogue beneath.