Juventus will welcome Fiorentina to Turin on Saturday night knowing that a win in front of their own supporters would seal an eighth straight Serie A title.
The Old Lady will enter the match off the back of a hugely disappointing result, though, with a 2-1 loss to Ajax on Tuesday night seeing them exit the Champions League at the quarter-final stage.
Juventus
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This was supposed to be the season where Juve ended their long wait for a third European Cup. Indeed, Cristiano Ronaldo was signed last summer with the view to triumphing in Europe for the first time since 1996. Their wait will go on, though, following Tuesday's 2-1 home defeat to Ajax.
The quarter-final was delicately poised following a 1-1 draw in Amsterdam, but Ajax, who have been so impressive this season, recorded a 2-1 victory in Turin to book their spot in the semi-finals.
There is no getting away from the fact that it was a hugely, hugely disappointing result for Juve, who are set to end the campaign with just the Serie A title. Indeed, there will be no Coppa Italia crown this term following their 3-0 loss to Atalanta at the end of January.
It is difficult to say that winning just the Serie A title would be seen as a disappointing season, but that is certainly the case. The truth of the matter is that Juve did not need to sign Ronaldo to win the Italian title - the Portuguese was purchased with the view to finally securing more European success.
The Old Lady are sure to come again, but they will see this season as a huge opportunity missed. Indeed, there is not one outstanding team left in the competition and overcoming Ajax would have seen Juve move to within one step of making another Champions League final.
Massimiliano Allegri's side have to move on, though, and at least know that a win this weekend would seal the Serie A title. It has been an outstanding 2018-19 Serie A campaign for Juve, but they suffered a 2-1 loss at SPAL last weekend in a match where Allegri made a number of changes.
Only a miracle will prevent Juve - 17 points clear of second-placed Napoli - from winning the title, but they will travel to Inter Milan after hosting Fiorentina and could ultimately be made to wait until the start of May to be officially crowned the champions.
Saturday will be a special occasion for all involved with the Old Lady if they collect all three points, but there is no question that the disappointment of the Champions League will still be very much in their minds.
Recent form: WLWWWL
Recent form (all competitions): WWWDLL
Fiorentina
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Eight wins, 16 draws and eight losses - that is how Fiorentina have performed in Serie A this season. It is a set of results which has brought them 40 points, leaving them in 10th position in the table.
It does seem unlikely that Fiorentina will be able to finish higher than 10th this season when considering that they are eight points behind ninth-placed Sampdoria. La Viola could certainly finish lower, though, with just five points separating them from 14th position entering Week 33.
Fiorentina finished fourth in Serie A for four straight seasons between 2012 and 2015, before posting fifth in 2015-16. They have finished eighth in the last two campaigns but are facing their lowest position since 2011-12.
Now under the management of Vincenzo Montella, the 44-year-old oversaw a goalless draw with Bologna in his first match in charge last weekend. It is now nine games without a win in all competitions for the Purples, though, including eight in Serie A.
Fiorentina have lost the same number of league matches this season - eight - as third-placed Inter Milan, but no team has posted more draws - 16. Eight wins from 32 matches is simply not good enough for a team with hopes of finishing in the top six and it will have to go down as a disappointing campaign.
The two-time Serie A winners are in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia, though, and drew 3-3 with Atalanta in the first leg of their last-four clash at the end of February. The second leg will take place next Thursday and there is no question that is a bigger match for the club than this weekend's trip to Juve.
Fiorentina have actually only won one of their last 10 meetings with Juve, while they suffered a 3-0 loss in the reverse match on home soil earlier this season.
Montella's side certainly have players capable of upsetting the Old Lady, though, namely Federico Chiesa, who has 12 goals in all competitions this season and is said to be coveted by some of Europe's biggest clubs.
Recent form: DLDDLD
Recent form (all competitions): DLDDLD
Team News
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Juve are still without the services of Mattia Perin, Giorgio Chiellini and Martin Caceres, while Allegri is expected to make alterations from the clash with Ajax.
Moise Kean, Joao Cancelo and Rodrigo Bentancur were the three players off the bench against Ajax and all three could start this weekend, while Sami Khedira is also expected to earn a spot in the XI.
There could also be a position for Leonardo Spinazzola as Allegri prepares to rotate, with Paulo Dybala and Emre Can amongst those expected to drop out for the Italian champions, but Ronaldo should start.
Mario Mandzukic should also shake off a knee problem to feature.
As for Fiorentina, Montella is expected to continue with the 3-5-2 that he used against Bologna, meaning that there could again be a wing-back role for Chiesa.
Luis Muriel and Giovanni Simeone have 12 Serie A goals between them this season and should again start as the front two, although Kevin Mirallas is an attacking option for the visitors.
Croatian attacker Marko Pjaca remains a long-term absentee for the away side.
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Cancelo, Bonucci, Rugani, Spinazzola; Pjanic, Khedira, Bentancur; Kean, Mandzukic, Ronaldo
Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
Lafont; Milenkovic, Pezzella, Hugo; Chiesa, Benassi, Gerson, Veretout, Biraghi; Muriel, Simeone
Head To Head
Juve have won eight of the last nine Serie A meetings between the two teams, including a 3-0 victory in the reserve match earlier this season.
Juve also ran out 1-0 winners when the pair last met in Turin, while Fiorentina have not triumphed away from home against the Old Lady in Serie A since March 2008.
In their previous 177 meetings, Juve lead the head-to-head 82 wins to Fiorentina's 39.
We say: Juventus 2-0 Fiorentina
Fiorentina have bigger fish to fry as they attempt to make the Coppa Italia final, and Juve will be determined to return to winning ways following the disappointment of the Ajax result. We fancy a routine home victory.
No Data Analysis info
