Juventus, which once ruled Italian football during the 2010s, is now battling to secure a top 4 finish, currently positioned 6th and just 3 points shy of the Champions League qualification spots.
In the Champions League, they are on track for the play-offs, sitting in 14th place after a strong 2-0 victory over Manchester City. However, their Serie A performance has been erratic.
The team had four consecutive draws, including 2-2 against Bologna and Venice, but managed to clinch a 1-2 win over Monza last weekend. They also advanced to the Italian Cup quarter-finals with a 4-0 triumph over Cagliari.
On the other hand, Fiorentina has been one of the standout teams this season in Italy. Just outside the top 4 before their Monday match against Udinese, they are only 3 points behind 4th place despite having played two fewer matches.
Their recent 1-1 draw against Bologna hasn’t overshadowed their strong season start. Fiorentina also performed well in the Conference League, finishing 3rd after a 1-1 draw with Vitoria Guimaraes last week.
Juventus is dealing with several injury issues for this match. Key players like Bremer, Cambiaso, and Milik remain out, along with substitutes Rouhi, Cabal, and Brazilians Douglas Luiz and Danilo.
Forward Son Weah, who has netted 4 goals in Serie A, is also sidelined. However, winger Nico Gonzalez, previously hampered by injuries, has returned to form and scored in their last match.
Fiorentina faces fewer injury problems, with only backup defender Pongracic unavailable. Right-back Dodo is expected to return after a suspension. Forward Kean, who has scored 9 goals in Serie A, is likely to keep his starting spot, supported by wingers Beltran and Gudmundsson.
Prediction
Considering Juventus’ home games typically feature under 3.5 goals, a trend seen in 13 of their last 14 home matches in Serie A, and Fiorentina’s similar record of under 3.5 goals in their past 25 matches, a low-scoring draw seems likely.
Prediction: Juventus 1 : 1 Fiorentina
