Aiming for a first Serie A win since August, Juventus return to action on Sunday night, as they host Bologna in Turin.
Humbled by Monza just before the international break, the Bianconeri are already dropping behind the pace set by their potential title rivals and are desperate for three points this weekend.
Match preview
© Reuters
Now on a run of just one win from eight matches, Juventus followed another failure in Europe by faltering against rock-bottom Monza just before international football intervened.
The first-half dismissal of Angel Di Maria certainly did not help, but being beaten by winless opponents who had just fired their coach and appointed a rookie replacement will have damaged some already diminished pride.
With only 10 points on the board and their last victory coming back in August, against Spezia, Juve sat eighth after seven rounds of the Serie A season and are still pointless in their Champions League group following a 2-1 home defeat to Benfica last time out in Europe.
Despite overhauling their attacking options during the summer, the Bianconeri have managed just 25 shots on target in domestic competition this term - their lowest tally after seven games since such data was first collected in Italy, back in 2004.
As a result, Allegri is under severe scrutiny from all sides; with inadequate results matched by an aimless style of play, and only a prohibitive payoff package apparently why the board have not acted to remove him.
Before tackling Milan next week, Juve are presented with two more winnable fixtures, as they host Maccabi Haifa on Wednesday after welcoming Bologna to the Allianz Stadium.
© Reuters
Such is their supremacy in this match-up, Juve have lost just one of their last 39 league games against Sunday's visitors, and Bologna's only success during an otherwise barren spell came back in February 2011.
Thiago Motta's current side arrive in Turin having lost their new coach's first game in charge, as they went down 1-0 to fellow strugglers Empoli a fortnight ago.
Appointed in the aftermath of Sinisa Mihajlovic's emotional departure, the new Bologna boss was frustrated that his team's dominance of the ball counted for nothing at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, and will now seek a first win on an altogether more high-profile occasion.
However, the Rossoblu's chances of adding another setback to their hosts' growing woes are slim, based on a lack of success away from Dall'Ara in 2022.
Bologna have won only one of their 13 away games in the league since the turn of the year - and that came against Serie B-bound Genoa in May - so Motta may well have to wait a little longer.
Team News
© Reuters
Somewhat easing their debilitating injury list, a fortnight's break has given Juventus quartet Wojciech Szczesny, Adrien Rabiot, Alex Sandro and Manuel Locatelli the opportunity to recover.
The former should replace Mattia Perin in goal, while Rabiot and Locatelli could join forces in the hosts' midfield; Angel Di Maria is suspended, though, and long-term absentees Paul Pogba and Federico Chiesa remain sidelined.
Joining Dusan Vlahovic up front, Poland striker Arkadiusz Milik returns from suspension, having scored twice in each of his two Serie A home games against Bologna to date; both for Napoli.
Recently named Serie A's September 'Player of the Month', Marko Arnautovic will lead the line for Bologna on Sunday, having has scored six of his club's seven goals in the current campaign.
The Austrian striker is now aiming to become only the second Rossoblu player in the last 50 years to score at least seven times in the Rossoblu's first eight games - and the first since Roberto Baggio in 1997.
Often Arnautovic's foil up front, Musa Barrow is unavailable due to injury, so Nicola Sansone and Joshua Zirkzee will compete to replace him.
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Bremer, Bonucci, Danilo; De Sciglio, Locatelli, Paredes, Rabiot, Kostic; Milik, Vlahovic
Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; Kasius, Soumaoro, Lucumi, Cambiaso; Schouten, Dominguez, Soriano; Orsolini, Arnautovic, Sansone
We say: Juventus 1-0 Bologna
With several important players back at Allegri's disposal, Juve can stop the rot - however, it may take a struggle to get the better of Bologna. Perhaps a single goal will decide the destiny of the points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
