Having enjoyed a strong start to the Serie A season, Juventus return from the international break on Saturday afternoon, when Lazio arrive in Turin.
Unbeaten after three rounds, Juve’s form has not been matched by their Roman counterparts, who began with back-to-back defeats before beating the Scudetto holders.
While they are yet to record their first home win of the fledgling 2023-24 campaign, Juventus already have six points on the board from two away fixtures, following a 2-0 win at Empoli just before international football intervened.
Max Allegri’s men also posted another clean sheet, as goals from Danilo and Federico Chiesa secured maximum points, and they have conceded just one goal so far this season, in a 1-1 draw with Bologna at the end of last month.
Reflecting Allegri’s conservative style, another shut-out this week would see Juve keep a clean sheet in three of their first four games for the second year running, but such an approach relies on both Chiesa and strike partner Dusan Vlahovic being fully fit and firing on all cylinders in attack.
While injury-plagued Chiesa had to withdraw from Italy duty last week, he hopes to return in time for the visit of Lazio, who Juventus have beaten nine times from 12 attempts since they moved into the Allianz Stadium in 2011.
Although the Bianconeri lost their most recent league meeting with the Biancocelesti – a 2-1 reverse in April’s clash at Stadio Olimpico – they had secured four wins and two draws in the teams’ previous six encounters, so precedent is certainly on their side this weekend.
However, more controversy has reared its head in Turin over the past few days, as another injury-prone star, Paul Pogba, has been charged with a doping offence. A master of pragmatism amid turbulent times, Allegri must again ensure his team’s focus remains trained on the pitch.
While Juventus have churned out an acceptable sequence of results to start their planned ‘comeback campaign’, following a couple of years in the wilderness, last term’s Serie A runners-up Lazio endured a sluggish start before returning to form in Naples.
Although they finished second in the standings, Maurizio Sarri’s men were a long way adrift of undisputed champions Napoli; however, they were able to overcome their hosts at Stadio Maradona by scoring in either half to record an impressive 2-1 victory.
After Luis Alberto became just the second midfielder to have registered at least one goal and one assist in each of the last eight Serie A seasons, drawing Lazio level in the process, summer signing Daichi Kamada stole the headlines by finishing neatly in the 52nd minute.
Such a comeback came as sweet relief to Sarri, after his side had started the campaign with two defeats – losing in Lecce and then slipping up at home to promoted Genoa – and he will certainly need his troops on top form in the coming days, when the Biancocelesti tackle Juventus and Champions League opponents Atletico Madrid.
Having kept a clean sheet in seven out of their last nine away matches in 2022-23, Lazio have, however, leaked goals in both of their first two this season. Doing so again in Turin could prove particularly costly, as Juve tend to keep things tight at the other end.
Juventus, of course, will be unable to call upon Paul Pogba this week and for the foreseeable future – or perhaps ever again – as the French midfielder has a doping ban pending and speculation persists about the possible termination of his contract.
More positively, Federico Chiesa’s latest fitness issue – an adductor problem that saw him miss out on Italy’s Euro 2024 qualifiers – appears to be resolved, and the in-form striker should be available on Saturday. Chiesa has been directly involved in six goals in his last eight Serie A appearances – as many as in the previous 26.
First-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is now back from injury and centre-back Federico Gatti has also used the international hiatus to recover, leaving long-term absentee Mattia De Sciglio as the only other man sidelined for the Bianconeri.
Lazio, meanwhile, expect to travel north with a full complement of players, as Pedro is set to make himself available despite a muscular issue.
The visitors are therefore likely to remain unchanged from their win over Napoli, although recent arrival Matteo Guendouzi is pushing for a first start in central midfield.
Having made his 300th Lazio appearance last time out, Ciro Immobile captains the side from the centre of a familiar attacking trident. He perhaps has a point to prove after being dropped for Italy’s recent win over Ukraine, in which clubmate Mattia Zaccagni featured from the start.
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Danilo, Bremer, Gatti; Cambiaso, Fagioli, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Chiesa, Vlahovic
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Provedel; Marusic, Casale, Romagnoli, Hysaj; Kamada, Cataldi, Alberto; Anderson, Immobile, Zaccagni
We say: Juventus 2-1 Lazio
Two of the best defensive teams in last season’s Serie A meet on Saturday, but Lazio have proved more vulnerable at the back this term. While Juventus will win no prizes for flair, they can be ruthlessly efficient and are well-equipped on the counter, so the Old Lady may again get the better of visitors from the capital.
