Tied on 13 points in the Serie A standings, Juventus and Lazio will clash in Turin on Saturday night, each vying for a crucial three points.
Juventus, despite a disappointing draw before the international break, remains close to the top of the table with an unbeaten record under Thiago Motta. In their last match against struggling Cagliari, they dropped points after leading for most of the game thanks to an early penalty from Dusan Vlahovic.
An 88th-minute penalty conceded by Douglas Luiz marked Juve's first league goal against this season, costing them the win.
While the draw kept them from climbing back to second place, they’re only three points behind leaders Napoli and have yet to lose in the current campaign. Motta has also successfully brought a younger profile to the squad, making Juve the second-youngest team in Serie A, right behind promoted Parma, with academy players Nicolo Savona and Samuel Mbangula starting against Cagliari.
However, Juve hasn’t won any of their last three league matches at the Allianz Stadium, continuing a trend that began under former manager Max Allegri. This year, they've drawn 14 of 27 league matches the highest in Europe’s top five leagues.
Despite these challenges, history is on Juve’s side against Lazio, as they’ve lost only once in their last 20 Serie A meetings at home, winning 15 of those.
Lazio, on the other hand, has shown signs of improvement. They beat Juve 1-0 in March and have won two of their last three league encounters against them—matching their success from the previous 36 meetings.
Marco Baroni’s side is riding high after securing four straight victories in Serie A and the Europa League, their best run since the start of the year. They pulled off a 2-1 comeback win against Empoli just before the international break, with veteran Pedro scoring the late winner. Lazio has also earned the most points from losing positions this season, showcasing their resilience.
While they’ve excelled at home, winning seven of their last nine Serie A matches and averaging two goals every 90 minutes, their away form has been less impressive, averaging just one point per game on the road this season.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Juventus will be missing several key players for Saturday’s match, including long-term absentees Arkadiusz Milik and Bremer, who both had knee surgeries earlier this month. Summer signings Teun Koopmeiners and Nico Gonzalez are also unavailable.
Additionally, midfielders Weston McKennie and Nicolo Fagioli returned from international duty with minor injuries, and Portugal forward Francisco Conceicao is serving a one-match suspension.
On a positive note, Thiago Motta will have Tim Weah back after the winger’s recovery from an ankle injury, but some adjustments will be necessary in the lineup.
Dusan Vlahovic is expected to lead the attack and could score in four consecutive matches for the first time since joining Juve. The Serbian striker has an impressive record against Lazio, having netted six goals in his last seven league appearances against them, including two with his head, two with his right foot, and two with his left.
On the other hand, Lazio manager Marco Baroni has had better luck with injuries, with only Manuel Lazzari (thigh) set to miss the trip to Turin. If Matteo Guendouzi can shake off a bruised toe he picked up while playing for France in the UEFA Nations League, Baroni will have a full squad to choose from. Matias Vecino, recently back from injury, is ready to step in if needed.
Left-back Nuno Tavares has made an impressive start at Lazio, recording five assists in five Serie A matches so far only Bukayo Saka, with seven, has more assists in Europe’s top five leagues this season.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Di Gregorio; Savona, Kalulu, Gatti, Cabal; Locatelli, Thuram; Cambiaso, Yildiz, Mbangula; Vlahovic
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Provedel; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Tavares; Rovella, Guendouzi; Isaksen, Dia, Zaccagni; Castellanos
EXPERT PREDICTION
Juventus 2-2 Lazio
With several players unavailable, Juventus might have to settle for another draw, especially since Lazio appears to be on the rise and has been scoring freely this season.
A tie would keep both teams within reach of the Serie A leaders, and neither side would likely be unhappy to leave with a point.
