The final Serie A match of 2022 will be played on Sunday between Juventus and top-four rivals Lazio. Despite recent failures in Europe, both teams have recently been approaching top form in Italy.
The teams meet in Turin with just two points and two positions separating them in the standings; the hosts are riding a five-match winning streak in the top division, while their counterparts from the capital haven’t lost a league match since September.
A revitalised Juventus did continue their better overall run of results on Thursday when they travelled to winless Verona. This victory followed their win over Inter in the Derby d’Italia, which was their fourth straight league win.
Moise Kean scored at the hour mark at Stadio Bentegodi in place of the injured top scorer Dusan Vlahovic, giving Juve another clean sheet to add to their growing total this season.
After a rocky start to the season both at home and abroad, Max Allegri’s insistence on playing practical football is starting to pay off as the Old Lady haven’t given up a league goal since early October, away to Milan.
A transitional Juve team may not be viewed as challengers for the Scudetto – that they have failed to win for the past two seasons, having followed nine years of uninterrupted success – but a top-four finish continues to remain a minimum requirement. They were already relegated to the Europa League playoffs as a result of some subpar performances in the Champions League group stage.
It certainly helps in that regard for Allegri’s team to have won three straight away games without giving up a goal for the first time since 2018 and to be returning to Turin, where they have won their last three Serie A games by an aggregate score of 9-0.
As they attempt to defeat fit opponents and extend that streak, precedent is most definitely on their side: About ten years ago, Juventus last failed to score against Lazio; since then, 37 goals have been scored in 19 meetings between the two teams.
In addition, the Bianconeri have only lost two of their last 35 Serie A games, none of which have come since December 2019, when a certain Maurizio Sarri presided over the match at the Allianz Stadium.
Following back-to-back losses to Salernitana and Europa League victor Feyenoord, the latter of which resulted in relegation to the Europa Conference League, Lazio has won twice in the last few days to solidify their status as underdogs for the Italian championship.
Sarri’s team faced an improving Monza on Thursday evening after a spirit-boosting win in the Derby della Capitale, when they took the chance to clinch second place in the Serie A standings, behind unstoppable leaders Napoli.
Luka Romero’s second-half goal earned all three points for Lazio, who are eight points behind the unstoppable front-runners going into their final match before the World Cup in Turin. Lazio are currently ahead of Juventus, Milan, Inter, and archrivals Roma.
Given that they have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four away games, the Biancocelesti can legitimately expect to frustrate their hosts this weekend. In fact, Lazio hasn’t had a better run of road shutouts since the late 1990s, when they were coached by Scudetto winner Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Felipe Anderson, a converted winger, has performed admirably up front while being supported by veteran forward Pedro and Italy international Mattia Zaccagni. This is despite captain Ciro Immobile’s continued absence. The question of whether the trio can now overcome Juve’s teak-tough rearguard is entirely different.
Juventus Team News
After Juventus’ victory in Verona, both Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic resumed their workouts; however, both forwards will, at best, sit on the bench on Sunday. Since moving to Italy, the latter has scored four Serie A goals against Lazio, three of which were scored on Italian soil.
Wojciech Szczesny, who was rested at the Bentegodi, should start again, and Moise Kean, who won the match last week, will try to beat out Fabio Miretti to back up Arkadiusz Milik up front.
After a resurgence, the hosts’ midfield trio is unlikely to be altered, and Max Allegri is anticipated to stick with his recent 3-5-2 formation. Paul Pogba, who missed the World Cup, is still on the mend, joining English starlet Samuel Iling-Junior and Mattia De Sciglio in the outfield. Alex Sandro is required to serve a suspension for his tardy dismissal against Verona.
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Danilo, Bonucci, Bremer; Juan Cuadrado, Fagioli, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Moise Kean, Milik
Lazio Team News
Lazio hopes to have Ciro Immobile, who began his top-flight career at Juventus, back from injury for Sunday’s 2022 championship game. This is perhaps even more crucial for Lazio than Vlahovic’s participation for their hosts. Additionally, Mattia Zaccagni should recover from a calf injury, expanding Maurizio Sarri’s options up front.
To compensate for Manuel Lazzari’s calf injury against Monza, the former Juventus coach will have to make a change at right-back. Elseid Hysaj should move over from the left flank. Adam Marusic and Danilo Cataldi are expected to play after both withdrawing in midweek; the latter will partner Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in midfield. The Serbian maestro has contributed four assists in his last four away games after scoring an equaliser in the 96th minute of his previous appearance at the Allianz Stadium back in May.
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Provedel; Hysaj, Casale, Romagnoli, Asam Marusic; Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Cataldi, Vecino; Cancellieri, Anderson, Pedro
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