After experiencing very different emotions in midweek, Italian giants Juventus and AC Milan meet on Saturday, with second place in Serie A still up for grabs.
While Milan watched on as their arch-rivals claimed the Scudetto at San Siro, Juve squeezed through to the Coppa Italia final thanks to a late goal in Rome.
Match preview
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Though they let a two-goal lead from the first leg slip and faced an embarrassing exit, a late twist in Tuesday's 3-2 aggregate win over Lazio eventually saw Juventus book their return to the Italian capital for next month's cup final.
Arkadiusz Milik scored only moments after coming on as a substitute to send the Bianconeri through from their semi-final tie, and they will be back at Stadio Olimpico for the decider against Atalanta BC in less than three weeks time.
Max Allegri's men can therefore salvage some silverware from another difficult season - with a 15th Coppa Italia trophy now in touching distance - having dramatically fallen off the pace in Serie A of late.
A run of two wins from 12 - including draws in their last two top-flight matches, against city rivals Torino and then Cagliari - has left them a distant third place in the table, five points behind Milan and some 22 adrift of top spot.
Still on course to secure a return to the Champions League - Allegri's often-stated objective - Juve have managed to overcome their woes on the road to maintain some impressive home form, losing only once in 16 league games at the Allianz Stadium this season.
Now, they return to Turin in search of a victory that would keep them in contention to finish runners-up, ahead of a summertime review in which Allegri's future will be discussed.
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While Allegri once coached Milan and enjoyed great success, his opposite number this weekend represented Juventus as a player - but both men could be looking for new employment in just a few weeks time.
Stefano Pioli stands on the precipice, as Milan's sixth straight loss in the Derby della Madonnina was surely the bitterest of all: losing 2-1 to Inter Milan on Monday saw the Nerazzurri formally anointed Serie A champions, after what turned into a tempestuous clash at San Siro.
Though Fikayo Tomori's 80th-minute header gave the Rossoneri some hope of delaying their old foes' title party, having conceded either side of the break, they could not find a late leveller as a dramatic derby ended in chaos.
There were three dismissals in stoppage time, with Theo Hernandez and captain Davide Calabria both being given their marching orders during the dying moments: Milan have now received the highest number of red cards in Serie A this season (eight).
As a result of their third loss from four matches, including a recent Europa League exit to domestic rivals Roma, Pioli's second-placed side were left 17 points behind Inter with just five games to go.
Beating Juventus would all but wrap up second spot, though, and recent history suggests that may prove possible: after previously suffering nine straight away defeats to the Bianconeri in Serie A, Milan have gone unbeaten in their last three visits to the Allianz Stadium, winning twice.
Team News
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Max Allegri is not expected to rotate his squad despite being involved in an intense Coppa Italia semi-final on Tuesday, and swapping Wojciech Szczesny for cup 'keeper Mattia Perin may be his only change this weekend.
While Arkadiusz Milik returned to action in spectacular style, Moise Kean (knee) will be missing again this weekend, while midfielder Fabio Miretti may not return from a foot injury in time to make the bench.
Although both Milik and Kenan Yildiz are also vying for selection, Federico Chiesa - who has been directly involved in six Serie A goals against Milan - and Dusan Vlahovic (10 goals from 12 league appearances in 2024) are set to be retained up front.
Meanwhile, Milan's experiment with Rafael Leao leading the line and MLS-bound Olivier Giroud occupying the bench backfired in Monday's derby defeat, so the latter - who scored the winner when these sides last met in Turin - should return to Stefano Pioli's starting XI.
The absence of Theo Hernandez, Davide Calabria and Fikayo Tomori due to suspension will necessitate further changes to the Rossoneri's lineup; Malick Thiaw's return from a one-match ban only slightly soothes a selection crisis in defence.
Simon Kjaer and Pierre Kalulu are still sidelined by injury, so Thiaw should partner Matteo Gabbia at the heart of Milan's back four, with Alessandro Florenzi stepping into one of the vacant full-back places.
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; Cambiaso, McKennie, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Chiesa, Vlahovic
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Musah, Thiaw, Gabbia, Florenzi; Adli, Reijnders; Pulisic, Loftus-Cheek, Leao; Giroud
We say: Juventus 1-0 AC Milan
Across the last six Serie A games between Juventus and Milan, only once have both sides scored. Another tight contest is on the cards for Saturday, but as the visitors must field a makeshift defence, their hosts can capitalise and close the gap to second place.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
