Juventusvs.Lecce

Last week's draw in Rome left Juve with ground to make up, so maximum points are surely essential if they are to salvage Champions League qualification from a sub-par campaign.

Match preview

Despite putting in an impressive shift at Stadio Olimpico, Juventus had to settle for one point from their tussle with fellow top-four contenders Roma, having failed to preserve a lead earned by midfielder Manuel Locatelli.

Named club captain by new coach Igor Tudor, Locatelli has now scored three of his last four league goals from outside the box - including last week's strike in the capital - but his latest mid-range strike was cancelled out just after half time.

That leaves the Bianconeri a point shy of fourth-placed Bologna with only seven games to go, while both Rome clubs, Fiorentina and even ailing AC Milan are still in contention.

As well as exiting Europe and the Coppa Italia before the latter stages, Juve have put a modest total of 56 points on the board in Serie A - their worst tally at this stage of any season for 14 years.

After winning his first home fixture since arriving as interim manager - 1-0 against Genoa - Tudor now takes his team back to their Turin headquarters in search of more precious points.

For all their failings, Juventus have won five of their last six league games at the Allianz Stadium - as many as throughout the previous 16 combined - and no team has kept more clean sheets on home turf in 2025.

Having also lost only one - and won 13 - of 18 previous home games against Lecce in Serie A, history is firmly on their side too.

To that effect, Lecce have won just four of the clubs' 37 top-flight meetings to date, failing to even score on 18 occasions.

The Salento side did draw 1-1 in December's reverse fixture down at Via del Mare, though, as Ante Rebic netted a last-gasp leveller.

With their survival in some jeopardy, Marco Giampaolo's men would love to repeat that result on Saturday evening, as they sit two points above the drop zone after last week's draw against second-bottom Venezia.

Powerhouse defender Federico Baschirotto - one of only four outfield players to have played all 2,790 minutes possible in Serie A this season - headed home the Giallorossi's equaliser, ending a run of five consecutive defeats.

However, Lecce have now gone eight league games without a win, which represents their worst such run since 2023, so a weekend trip to Turin is far from ideal.

Juventus Serie A form:

W

W

L

L

W

D

Juventus form (all competitions):

L

W

L

L

W

D

Lecce Serie A form:

L

L

L

L

L

D

Team News

While Khephren Thuram should overcome some muscular fatigue that has caused him to miss training, Juventus will again be without centre-back Federico Gatti, reserve goalkeeper Mattia Perin and young winger Samuel Mbangula due to injury.

Igor Tudor could opt for one or two changes, but new skipper Manuel Locatelli is set to start in midfield. The Italy international has not only made the most successful passes in Serie A this season, he has also completed the third most line-breaking passes throughout Europe's top five leagues, only trailing Bundesliga stars Joshua Kimmich and Granit Xhaka.

Dusan Vlahovic should spearhead a 3-4-2-1 formation, but Randal Kolo Muani could be brought in to either replace or support Juve's misfiring striker; neither has found the net since February.

Meanwhile, Nikola Krstovic will be the visitors' focal point up front, having recently hit double figures in Serie A. Only three other Lecce players have scored more than once in the league so far - one being now-departed Patrick Dorgu.

Long-term absentee Filip Marchwinski is the sole name on the Giallorossi's absence list, so Marco Giampaolo has a virtually full squad to choose from.

Juventus possible starting lineup:

Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Veiga, Kelly; Cambiaso, Locatelli, Thuram, McKennie; Gonzalez, Yildiz; Vlahovic

Lecce possible starting lineup:

Falcone; Guilbert, Gaspar, Baschirotto, Gallo; Coulibaly, Ramadani; Pierotti, Helgason, Morente; Krstovic

We say: Juventus 3-0 Lecce

There have been distinct signs of improvement from Juventus since Thiago Motta was shown the door, with a more direct style getting more out of several underperforming players.

Written by

Jonathan O'Shea

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