For the primary time, Juventus had an excellent weekend in Serie A a number of days in the past. Not simply because they gained their first league fixture because the first day of February, but additionally as a result of they gained and acquired somewhat little bit of assist from an unlikely supply when issues had been wanting like they had been going to stay establishment after the primary weekend of March.
And now as we work our solution to mid-March and the primary worldwide break of 2026, Juventus has the prospect to get much more assist — and that’s as a result of these two groups instantly in entrance of them might be lining up in opposition to each other rather less than 24 hours after the Bianconeri take the sphere in Udine.
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Juventus are at the moment in sixth place getting into the weekend. The catch is that they’re only a level off Roma in fourth place. And Roma is simply forward of fifth-place Como solely due to objective differential. Meaning with a Juventus win in opposition to Udinese on Saturday night time a draw between Roma and Como all of 24 hours later and Luciano Spalletti’s squad is again within the driver’s seat with lower than 10 league video games to go within the 2025-26 season. It’s simple to write down all of it down on paper and picture how good issues can occur, however Juventus are in one other place to win after which get some extra assist from some “associates” in a while within the weekend.
That’s in the event that they maintain their very own enterprise, after all.
Juventus claimed their first Serie A win in 5 weeks final weekend in opposition to Pisa. They did as you hoped they might do in opposition to a staff that can possible be relegated to Serie B in a few months — though it did take somewhat greater than 45 minutes for Juve to really get a objective and take the lead. It was the form of half that you just hoped could be the factor that kicks them into gear realizing that they want wins and assist to recover from the hump and into the highest 4 once more.
That assist might arrive this weekend. However to take action in opposition to a Udinese staff that they’ve already crushed twice this season. You already know what they are saying about attempting to beat the identical staff 3 times in a single season …
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Ah, we gained’t all right into a bunch of clichés right here, however these two video games had been each in Turin. This one, as you may in all probability work out, might be on the Friuli — a spot the place Udinese has simply 5 wins in 14 video games up to now this season. However as Roma can let you know, simply since you see Udinese could be very a lot mid-table each when enjoying on their house area and on the entire this season, that doesn’t imply it’s a easy three factors to take again house.
And guess who has simply as many wins in Serie A because the begin of February?
Yeah, that’s the staff that Juventus might be lining up in opposition to on Saturday night time.
That’s extra to do with how Juve’s performed over these previous few weeks reasonably than Udinese being some form of drive domestically because the final time these two groups met within the opening rounds of the Spalletti period in Turin. They’re comfortably mid-table and have been there for some time now. They’re, although, coming off a 2-2 draw with Atalanta that was solely a precursor to a lot, far more miserable form of outcome because the lone Italian staff left remaining within the Champions League.
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(We gained’t talk about that any additional.)
Udinese has the potential to be a lure recreation no matter Juventus having a whole week to relaxation up, get healthy-ish and put together for one opponent reasonably than having the UCL Spherical of 16 dominating their ideas. (If solely, proper?) Juve have dominated this matchup lately. They’ve gained their final two visits to Udine by a mixed rating of 5-0. It’s the form of recreation that may both be one other step in what all of us hope is the appropriate path heading into late March. Or it may be Juventus irritating the hell out of us but once more because the starting of February.
If Juventus can win in Udine and make it back-to-back victories for the primary time in almost two months, then they are going to hopefully get to get pleasure from their Sunday and watch Roma and Como sq. off. Put the stress on these in entrance of you — that’s all we will ask proper now. And also you try this by successful.
TEAM NEWS
Though Spalletti didn’t maintain a pre-match press convention on Friday, the large staff information to come back out of Continassa forward of the staff leaving for Udine is that Dusan Vlahovic is not going to be known as up as he works his manner again from adductor surgical procedure.
There’s a good likelihood, as of this writing, that there a striker making a return from damage and being included within the touring squad. That’s proper — it’s Arek Milik, who might very nicely be a part of the squad for Saturday night time’s recreation.
The matchday squad has not been formally introduced simply but, so we don’t know for certain about Milik’s standing and if he’s for certain known as as much as face Udinese. Vlahovic, nevertheless, is unquestionably out, in accordance with just about all people in Italy.
The one different participant out injured for Saturday night time’s recreation is fullback Emil Holm.
Mattia Perin is predicted to maintain his beginning spot in objective for Juventus rather than Michele Di Gregorio. Perin has began the final three video games in all competitions, with Spalletti suggesting final week that he nonetheless has religion in each of his keepers no matter all the surface noise that could be going down.
Weston McKennie is as soon as once more a yellow card away from having to serve a one-game suspension. (Contemplating the large video games which are awaiting Juventus after the worldwide break, perhaps he might get it out of the way in which now? Simply an thought, not a suggestion. Or perhaps it’s.)
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JUVENTUS PLAYER TO WATCH
Starboy.
Not simply because we might try this actually each single time I sit down to write down certainly one of these items. However as a result of Spalletti has given the Italian loads of causes to invest in relation to the setup he would possibly go along with because of his strikes throughout the second half of final weekend’s win over Pisa.
So, we ask the query lots of people are in all probability asking (and one they couldn’t ask Lucio himself contemplating he didn’t have a pre-match press convention): Will Kenan Yildiz play as a false 9 or his regular spot on the left wing?
At this level, it’s in all probability anyone’s guess. Some predicted lineup say Yildiz might be beginning in his regular spot on the left wing. Different predicted lineups say that Yildiz will take the spot of Jonathan David up entrance and play as a false 9 in opposition to Udinese. So, principally, there is no such thing as a overwhelming feeling about the place Spalletti will play Yildiz.
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See the place issues is likely to be somewhat complicated?
However the actual fact that no one is aware of for certain the place Yildiz is enjoying in all probability means the door is at the very least considerably open to Spalletti enjoying Yildiz as a false 9 from the beginning. We bear in mind the final time that occurred a number of months again and issues didn’t precisely go all that nicely. (Even when Yildiz did rating in that recreation to at the very least give his staff an opportunity at choosing up some factors in opposition to the reigning Serie A champions.)
So, for now, we’ll simply have to sit down right here and speculate somewhat bit. As a result of there’s nothing incorrect with that. It’s nearly required to be a fan nowadays. Slightly hypothesis right here, somewhat hypothesis there — it’s by no means harm anyone … more often than not.
The factor is, what Yildiz was capable of do enjoying in a free-roaming form of position like he did final weekend is at the very least an attention-grabbing factor for Spalletti to contemplate. It possible will get him nearer to objective though he might very nicely discover much less area to function in opposition to a compact protection like Udinese might very nicely be. There’s some good in that, however there’s additionally some not-so-good as nicely. It’s actually what Spalletti has to contemplate when deciding the place to play Yildiz on Saturday night time.
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There’s additionally this to contemplate: Are Juventus a greater staff with Yildiz up entrance as a false 9 or sticking with David within the beginning lineup in his regular spot? Nowadays, it’s laborious to essentially know — and that’s an enormous a part of the issue.
MATCH INFO
When: Saturday, March 14, 2026.
The place: Bluenergy Stadium, Udine, Italy.
Official kickoff time: 8:45 p.m. native time in Italy and throughout Europe, 7:45 p.m. in the UK, 3:45 p.m. Japanese time, 2:45 p.m. Central time, 12:45 p.m. Pacific time.
(Please observe that the kickoff time is likely to be an hour later than regular like will probably be in america on account of Daylight Saving Time going down final weekend. The time change will occur in Italy on March 29.)
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HOW TO WATCH
Tv: TLN (Canada), Sky Sport Uno, Sky Sport Calcio, Sky Sport 251 (Italy).
On-line/Streaming: , CBS Sports activities Golazo Community, Amazon Prime USA, DAZN USA, fuboTV (United States); DAZN Canada; fuboTV Canada (Canada); DAZN UK (United Kingdom); DAZN Italy (Italy).
Different stay viewing choices could be discovered , and as at all times, you too can comply with together with us stay and all of the silly issues we are saying . When you haven’t already, on Black & White & Learn All Over, and be a part of within the dialogue under.