After ascending to within two points of top spot in Serie A, Juventus continue their quest to get back in title contention on Sunday evening, when they visit Fiorentina at Stadio Artemio Franchi.

While Juve - who are always assured of a hostile reception in Florence - have ground out results with a series of disciplined displays, their inconsistent hosts have recently faltered.

Match preview

Having picked up 23 points so far this season - representing the best return from their first 10 league matches since last winning the Scudetto in 2019-20 - Juventus are belying their claim to be targeting just a top-four finish in May.

The Bianconeri's last-gasp 1-0 win over Hellas Verona last week took them above previous victims Milan in the standings, and Andrea Cambiaso's stoppage-time strike keeps them within touching distance of imperious leaders Inter.

Pushing aside the aberration of shipping four goals in one game to Sassuolo, Juve have conceded just two more since kicking off their campaign in late August, as coach Max Allegri's safety-first policy bears fruit - in terms of results if not beautiful football.

Indeed, Juventus have kept a clean sheet in each of their last five outings, and a tally of seven shut-outs overall is the Turin club's best at this stage of any Serie A season.

After a few grim years both on and off the pitch, including this term's ban from UEFA competition, Allegri has been able to work flat out on the training ground without the exertions of European competition to concern him - unlike Sunday's opponents.

Juventus may have beaten Fiorentina no fewer than 80 times in Serie A to date - compared to just 35 wins for the Viola - but ahead of this week's clash between two old foes, Juve have won only twice in the clubs' last six league meetings.

Ready to reignite a longstanding enmity with their visitors, Fiorentina's fans will again 'welcome' back former players Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa with a similar intensity to that which greeted Roberto Baggio when he swapped Florence for Turin back in 1990.

Several others have trod the same path - stoking up more animosity down the years - but perhaps more pertinently, a sign of the Viola's recent rise and Juve's fall from grace will see the hosts stride out at Stadio Franchi having gone unbeaten through their last four home fixtures against the Bianconeri in Serie A.

Vincenzo Italiano's side, though, have stalled somewhat following a fine start to the season and trail Juventus by six points ahead of Sunday's evening kickoff.

After a five-game unbeaten run featuring four wins, Fiorentina have since lost their last two league matches without scoring a goal, which does not bode well given Juve's renowned defensive discipline.

Defeat to Tuscan rivals Empoli may have been followed by an immediate response in the Europa Conference League, where Italiano's men thumped Cukaricki 6-0 a few days later, but a late Ciro Immobile penalty left them empty-handed at Stadio Olimpico on Monday night.

Having been edged out by Lazio, they now face another tough test this weekend, after which the outcome of Thursday's reverse fixture against Cukaricki could prove pivotal for their hopes of progressing in Europe.

Team News

Following recent injury problems for both, Federico Chiesa (26 goals in 137 league games for Fiorentina) could partner Dusan Vlahovic (44 in 98) for Juventus on Sunday, as they take on their former side.

Should Chiesa be promoted to the starting XI at Moise Kean's expense, the pair would aim to finally end their drought versus the Viola: neither has directly contributed to a single goal against them since leaving Stadio Franchi.

Max Allegri's plans are again hampered by absences, as the visitors still have defensive duo Danilo and Alex Sandro sidelined, while wing-backs Tim Weah and Mattia De Sciglio also miss out due to injury.

Fiorentina, meanwhile, will be without their two preferred right-backs, as Italy Under-21 international Michael Kayode recently joined long-term absentee Dodo in the treatment room at the recently-opened Viola Park training centre.

Usually a left-back, Fabiano Parisi is set to fill in again on the opposite flank, as Vincenzo Italiano names a similar side to that which came so close to drawing with Lazio.

A regular fixture in the hosts' attack, Nico Gonzalez has already scored five goals in nine league matches so far this season - just one fewer than the Argentina winger managed from 24 appearances in 2022-23 - and he should support compatriot Lucas Beltran up front.

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
Terracciano; Parisi, Milenkovic, Martinez Quarta, Biraghi; Duncan, Arthur; Gonzalez, Bonaventura, Ikone; Beltran

Juventus possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Gatti, Bremer, Rugani; McKennie, Miretti, Locatelli, Rabiot, Cambiaso; Chiesa, Vlahovic

We say: Fiorentina 1-1 Juventus

A tight contest is to be expected, as a home team that prefers to attack - but has lacked sharpness of late - meets an away side that prizes defensive rigour above all else. While Fiorentina can end their wait for a league goal, in-form Juventus should still leave Tuscany with at least a point.


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