Juventus and Lazio face off three days after their league meeting in the first match of a two-legged Coppa Italia semi-final at the Allianz Stadium on Tuesday.
The Old Lady paid the price for an overly passive approach in Saturday's Serie A clash, as Igor Tudor's reign in charge of the Biancocelesti began with a victory against his old side, adding more pressure on Massimiliano Allegri before this week's game.
Match preview
Allegri's below-par start to 2024 took another negative turn on Saturday when Juventus failed to score in consecutive league matches, having their winless run extend to four games.
The downturn in Turin since the turn of the year has been astonishing, with the Bianconeri winning just one match — a 3-2 victory over Serie A-struggling Frosinone on February 25 — since beating Lecce 3-0 on January 21.
Picking seven points from nine league games has seen an unexpected Scudetto challenge go up in smoke. However, Allegri insists that Champions League qualification, which he always maintained was the target even when they kept pace with Inter Milan at the top, will be attained at the season's culmination.
The Old Lady seek reprieve in the Coppa Italia, keen to add silverware to a possible Champions League return, even if they must get past a Lazio side that stung them late on at the Olimpico on Saturday through Adam Marusic's last-gasp winner for the capital club.
Juventus have made it to seven of the last nine Coppa Italia finals, and Allegri hopes history stands them in good stead as the out-of-form giants aim for a positive result in Tuesday's game to put them in a strong position heading into the reverse fixture on April 23.
Tudor's joy at securing a victory on his Lazio bow was palpable, with the new boss earning success against old friends courtesy of that late Marusic header.
The former Juventus player and assistant manager returns to the Allianz Stadium on Tuesday, keen to inflict more misery on his old side and continue the Eagles' upswing since the departure of Maurizio Sarri on March 12.
The capital club were beaten five times in their final six matches under the ex-Chelsea boss but have benefitted from back-to-back victories over Frosinone and Juventus either side of the international break.
Another triumph on Tuesday will be the club's longest run of victories in all competitions since a five-match streak from December 22 until January 14, which included a Coppa Italia triumph over Roma in the Derby della Capitale.
The fact Lazio have not strung more than two wins together since mid-January underscores the club's inconsistency, and they hope Tudor corrects those flaws in the concluding months of the season for a side keen to make it to the domestic cup final after a five-year wait.
Team News
Dusan Vlahovic should return to the lineup after serving a one-match suspension for his sending-off against Genoa a fortnight back.
Allegri surprisingly changed tack by utilising a 4-3-3 at the Olimpico instead of the typical 3-5-2, and it remains to be seen if the Juventus boss sticks to that approach or reverts to a back three on Tuesday.
Paul Pogba is suspended for a doping-related offence, while Nicolo Fagioli is nearing the end of a seven-month ban for violating betting guidelines. Injury absentees could include Arkadiusz Milik, Alex Sandro and Carlos Alcaraz, while Filip Kostic is touch-and-go for this week.
Lazio do not have as many injury worries, but Ivan Provedel (hamstring) and Nicolo Rovella (groin) are not expected back for this week's game in Turin.
Tudor has a decision to make at centre-forward, having started Valentin Castellanos over Ciro Immobile against the Old Lady.
Luis Alberto could be set for a changed role under the new boss, meaning the Spaniard plays as one of the attackers in support of Castellanos or Immobile in the 3-4-2-1 — Alberto was previously employed as one of the advanced central midfielders in Sarri's 4-3-3.
Luca Pellegrini could return to the side after serving a one-match suspension in Saturday's league fixture.
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
We say: Juventus 1-1 Lazio
Nothing is expected to be decided on Tuesday, with neither Allegri nor Tudor going all out to win the first leg in Turin. This could see both sides play out a cagey stalemate, leaving all to play for on April 23.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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