In their recent Serie A matchup, Lazio emerged victorious, compounding pressure on Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri. Juventus has been struggling since the beginning of 2024, with their winless streak extending to four games and their Serie A title challenge fading away rapidly.
Allegri remains focused on securing Champions League qualification, emphasizing its importance even amidst their poor run of form. The Coppa Italia now offers Juventus a chance to salvage their season and add silverware to their campaign.
However, Lazio, under new manager Igor Tudor, is in high spirits after their recent victory against Juventus. Tudor, a former Juventus player and assistant manager, will be eager to continue Lazio's resurgence and inflict more misery on his former club.
Despite Lazio's inconsistent form this season, they have shown flashes of brilliance, including back-to-back victories over Frosinone and Juventus. Another win on Tuesday would mark their longest winning streak in all competitions this season.
Both teams are determined to secure a spot in the Coppa Italia final, with Juventus aiming to uphold their strong cup tradition and Lazio eager to end their five-year wait for a domestic cup final appearance.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Dusan Vlahovic is expected to rejoin the lineup after serving a one-match suspension due to his red card against Genoa two weeks ago.Allegri made a surprising tactical adjustment in their last match, opting for a 4-3-3 formation instead of the usual 3-5-2. It remains uncertain whether Juventus will stick with this approach or revert to a back three on Tuesday.
Paul Pogba is unavailable due to a doping-related suspension, while Nicolo Fagioli remains sidelined for violating betting regulations. Injury concerns include Arkadiusz Milik, Alex Sandro, and Carlos Alcaraz, while Filip Kostic's availability is uncertain for this week.
Lazio, on the other hand, have fewer injury worries, but Ivan Provedel and Nicolo Rovella are unlikely to feature due to hamstring and groin injuries respectively.
Manager Tudor faces a decision regarding the center-forward position, with Valentin Castellanos preferred over Ciro Immobile in their previous match against Juventus.
There might be a change in Luis Alberto's role under the new manager, potentially seeing him play as one of the supporting attackers alongside Castellanos or Immobile in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Previously, Alberto operated as one of the advanced central midfielders in Sarri's 4-3-3 setup.
Additionally, Luca Pellegrini could return to the squad after serving a one-match suspension in their last league fixture.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Juventus possible starting lineup:Szczesny; Danilo, Bremer, Rugani, De Sciglio; McKennie, Locatelli, Rabiot; Weah, Vlahovic, Chiesa
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Mandas; Casale, Romagnoli, Gila; Marusic, Kamada, Cataldi, Pellegrini; Zaccagni, Alberto; Immobile
EXPERT PREDICTION
Juventus 2-2 Lazio
