Aiming to enter the international break with another away win, unbeaten Juventus visit pointless Empoli on Sunday evening.
While Juve have picked up four points from their first two fixtures of the new Serie A season, their hosts are yet to even score following back-to-back defeats.
Match preview
© Reuters
After an impressive opening-day victory in Udine ensured Juventus started their 2023-24 campaign with maximum points, the Turin club were then held to a home draw by Bologna last weekend.
It took a Dusan Vlahovic equaliser in the 80th minute to deny the Rossoblu a rare win over their Bianconeri counterparts, the Serbian striker scoring with one of Juve's three shots on target.
This week, Juventus have looked on as their peers at discovered their respective fates in various European group-stage draws, but having been banned from UEFA competition for a year they at least have the benefit of more time on the training ground, under the watchful eye of Max Allegri.
Blooding more youngsters also seems to be part of the plan, as Nicolo Fagioli, Fabio Miretti and Samuel Iling-Junior have all featured prominently over the past few months, while former captain Leonardo Bonucci has just joined fellow veterans Juan Cuadrado and Angel Di Maria in exiting the Allianz Stadium.
Allegri now returns to his home region of Tuscany seeking to extend Juve's impressive away record, which stretches back to the end of last season; they have picked up nine points from their last four road trips in Serie A - just one fewer than in the previous eight.
With last year's runners-up Lazio - a likely top-four rival this term - the Bianconeri's first opponents after the international break, Allegri and co will be intent on avoiding the fate that befell them when they last visited Stadio Carlo Castellani.
© Reuters
After a stunning 4-1 home defeat of Juventus in late May, when they struck twice in each half to send their visitors home empty-handed, Empoli have now won two of the teams' last four league meetings - as many as in the first 24.
However, goals have been harder to come by since then for Paolo Zanetti's Azzurri, who failed to find the net on the final day of a 2022-23 campaign that ended in mid-table safety and have also fired blanks in both of their August fixtures this term.
Having exited the Coppa Italia to second-tier Cittadella, then succumbed to Hellas Verona on the opening day, Empoli were beaten 2-0 by Monza last Saturday and are still in search of their first points of the new season.
The Tuscan club have not suffered three straight losses to start a Serie A campaign since 2005, and they will clearly be keen not to do so this time around.
Eight of Empoli's 10 league wins last season came on home soil at the Castellani, so their fans can reasonably hope the Azzurri can push Juve all the way on Sunday - even if the form book is against them.
- L
- L
- L
- L
- L
- W
- D
Team News
© Reuters
Since returning to Juventus for a second - so far, less successful - spell as head coach, Max Allegri has changed his starting lineup in every match.
That streak could possibly end this week, as first-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has failed to fully recover from injury and Mattia Perin is set to deputise again; long-term absentee Mattia De Sciglio also remains sidelined.
With former skipper Leonardo Bonucci shipped off to Union Berlin, Juve's back three should be an all-Brazilian affair once again; meanwhile, Adrien Rabiot starts in central midfield, having been directly involved in four league goals versus Empoli in the past, more than against any other team.
Up front, Dusan Vlahovic will attempt to score in his first three appearances of the season for the first time in Serie A - nobody has done so for the Bianconeri since Paulo Dybala six years ago.
Empoli's front line could feature recent signing Mattia Destro, while another new-boy Etrit Berisha battles it out with Samuele Perisan for the goalkeeper's gloves; Elia Caprile is out until October.
Should Destro be consigned to the bench, another veteran goal-getter is likely to lead the hosts' front line: Francesco Caputo has played a direct part in seven top-flight goals against Juventus, including a brace in May's 4-1 win.
Another of Paolo Zanetti's forward options, Milan loanee Daniel Maldini, is ruled out by a muscular problem.
Empoli possible starting lineup:
Perisan; Ebuehi, Ismajli, Luperto, Cacace; Marin, Grassi, Haas; Baldanzi, Cambiaghi; Caputo
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Perin; Danilo, Bremer, Sandro; Weah, Fagioli, Locatelli, Rabiot, Cambiaso; Chiesa, Vlahovic
We say: Empoli 0-1 Juventus
Although a late flurry in the transfer market has bolstered Empoli's squad, they may still come up just short on Sunday; continuing their wait for a first point of the season. Juventus have the necessary firepower to see off their hosts and enter the international break on a high.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
