Top meets bottom in Serie A this weekend, as runaway leaders Juventus make the trip to crisis-hit Parma.
A fourth successive Scudetto is almost in the hands of the Bianconeri and a victory would see them open up a commanding 17-point lead over Roma in the table.
Parma
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Parma fans must be wondering what has happened to their club in the past year, as their very existence beyond this season is in doubt.
The Gialloblu had enjoyed a great season and finished sixth in Serie A, but due to an unpaid tax bill they were banned from competing in the Europa League.
Following a summer of upheaval their form deteriorated and they lost eight of their opening nine league games, although the huge scale of their problems had yet to emerge.
There had already been reports that a number of players had not been paid, which led to high-profile stars like Antonio Cassano leaving, before they were eventfully declared bankrupt by a court in Italy three weeks ago.
They have been allocated €5m (£3.6m) by the Italian league to complete the season and it appears that it will be their last in the top flight for the foreseeable future.
Despite their problems, they have managed to hold Roma and Inter Milan to draws away from home, while they picked up their first win in 11 games by beating Udinese on Wednesday.
Recent form: DDLLDW
Juventus
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There just seems to be no stopping Juventus at the moment and they are absolutely flying as the season enters its final stretch.
They are 14 points clear at the top of Serie A and only an unthinkable collapse would prevent them from winning the title for a fourth consecutive season.
It is not just in the league where they are enjoying success this campaign, as they booked their place in the Coppa Italia final on Tuesday evening, by coming back from a first-leg defeat to earn a thumping 3-0 victory over Fiorentina.
They could very well be on for a treble, as Monaco await them in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, with the first leg of that clash set to take place in Turin week.
As you would expect, their recent form has been nothing short of sensational, with six wins from their last six matches. They haven't even conceded in any of those games and against Parma that run seems likely to continue due to the lack of goals scored this season by their opponents.
Recent form in Serie A: WDWWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WWWWWW
Team News
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Juventus are expected to rest a number of key players ahead of their European clash with Monaco, so the likes of Carlos Tevez and Andrea Pirlo will probably not be risked.
Stephan Lichtsteiner may also sit the game out after missing their Coppa Italia victory with a bruise to his right thigh, while Paul Pogba remains on the sidelines.
Due to Tevez's absence, Alessandro Matri could keep his place up front, while Fernando Llorente will also be battling for a starting spot.
Meanwhile, Parma will be without the suspended Alessandro Lucarelli, while Ishak Belfodil could replace Massimo Coda in the attack.
Parma possible starting lineup:
Mirante, Cassani, Santacroce, Costa, Feddal, Jankovic, Lodi, Nocerino, Ghezzal, Varela, Belfodil
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Buffon, Padoin, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra, Vidal, Marchisio, Pereyra, Sturaro, Matri, Lorente
Head To Head
In the reverse fixture, Juventus eased their way to the biggest win in Serie A this season by recording a crushing 7-0 victory over Parma.
It was much tighter when they met in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia in January, as a late goal from Alvaro Morata ensured a 1-0 win for the Bianconeri.
Juve are actually unbeaten in their last eight games against Parma, with six of those ending in wins, and rather unsurprisingly this is a fixture that they have tended to dominate over the years.
We say: Parma 0-2 Juventus
It's hard to see anything other than a Juventus victory, as Massimo Allegri's side are in irresistible form. Even without some of their key players, they should have far too much quality for Parma, which is why we are tipping the Bianconeri to comfortably seal the points.
Alex Meyers
