Preview: Fiorentina vs. Juventus - prediction, team news, lineups

While Juve conceded a stoppage-time equaliser to Lazio last time out, and are consigned to fourth place, the Viola are faltering towards the finish line and have already lost to their old rivals three times this term.

Match preview

Failing to close out a home victory over Lazio on Monday - letting their two-goal lead slip during the second half - Juventus are set to end the Serie A season with a maximum of 73 points - the club's worst total in 11 years.

Currently on 70, they are six points adrift of third-placed Napoli, and a full 13 off the summit occupied by champions-elect Milan ahead of the final round.

The latest episode in a troubled campaign for Max Allegri's men saw Sergej Milinkovic-Savic steal a 2-2 draw with his 96th-minute strike at the Allianz Stadium, which followed hot on the heels of Juve's Coppa Italia final defeat to Inter and an unexpected setback at Serie B-bound Genoa.

After being deposed as Kings of Calcio last year, following nine years of domestic dominance, the Bianconeri have missed out entirely on silverware and will now finish fourth for a second straight season.

Though Allegri seemed to have shored up the Juventus back line during a previous 16-game unbeaten run, they have now conceded at least once in each of their last seven league matches, and are set to say goodbye to long-serving defensive rock Giorgio Chiellini - a former Fiorentina loanee - at the end of Saturday's game.

They reprise their febrile relationship with the Viola - who they beat 3-0 on aggregate in the Coppa semi-finals and 1-0 in November's reverse fixture - holding a psychological edge, borne of their ability to lure stars such as Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa away to Turin.

While the latter remains sidelined by injury, the former is very much motivated by the race for the Capocannoniere crown, and trailing Lazio's Ciro Immobile by three goals in those rankings, he will be keen to respond to a raucous reception at the Franchi by scoring on his old stomping ground.

In a rare moment of parity with their long-reviled rivals, Fiorentina have actually equalled the number of Serie A goals scored by Juventus through 37 games, though of course, Vlahovic previously played a large part.

During the past decade particularly, they have struggled to compete with the Bianconeri in direct combat, and have won only two of their last 16 league matches against them - failing to score in half.

At the conclusion of a promising campaign, too, Vincenzo Italiano's current side have now lost four of their last five Serie A fixtures, following a surprise 4-1 defeat at the hands of struggling Sampdoria on Monday.

That run has seen Fiorentina suffer as many defeats as in their previous 20 league outings - of which they won 11 - and comes on the back of their cup defeat to Juve last month.

Nonetheless, picking up an impressive 38 points at their Tuscan headquarters sees them one more win away from a 41-point haul, which would rank behind only reigning champions Inter in home matches this season.

Twelve wins from 18 in Florence so far has helped Italiano's attack-minded outfit to within touching distance of qualifying for European competition for the first time since 2017, though they enter the final round locked together on points with seventh-placed Atalanta, and one behind Roma in sixth.

Fiorentina Serie A form:

Fiorentina form (all competitions):

Juventus Serie A form:

Juventus form (all competitions):

Team News

Approaching a summer of change at Juventus, the final game of their season should see the soon-to-depart Alvaro Morata start in support of Dusan Vlahovic up front, as Paulo Dybala - who bade a tearful goodbye to the Bianconeri faithful on Monday - will not be selected.

Both having previously worn the iconic Viola jersey of Saturday's opponents, Giorgio Chiellini and Federico Bernardeschi are set to make their final appearances for the club back at the Franchi, with the latter most likely to feature from the bench.

Meanwhile, midfielder Weston McKennie recently returned to full training and should also be included among Max Allegri's substitutes following a long injury layoff.

Fiorentina may make changes after their embarrassing defeat to Sampdoria, and while they still have long-term absentee Gaetano Castrovilli out of action due to injury, fellow midfielder Sofyan Amrabat is now available following suspension and could start.

The Morocco international is vying with Lucas Torreira for a slot in the hosts' central trio - though both could feasibly feature as Youssef Maleh serves a one-match ban - and Alvaro Odriozola is also expected to challenge for Lorenzo Venuti's place at right-back.

Up front, Vlahovic-replacements Arthur Cabral and Krzysztof Piatek once again go head-to-head for the centre-forward role in Vincenzo Italiano's familiar 4-3-3 formation.

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:

Terracciano; Odriozola, Milenkovic, Igor, Biraghi; Bonaventura, Amrabat, Duncan; Gonzalez, Cabral, Ikone

Juventus possible starting lineup:

Perin; De Sciglio, De Ligt, Chiellini, Pellegrini; Cuadrado, Locatelli, Miretti, Rabiot; Morata, Vlahovic

We say: Fiorentina 1-1 Juventus

Fiorentina can end their losing streak against Juventus by taking a point from Saturday's Serie A finale, but that may not be enough to secure European football - their fate depending on what transpires elsewhere.

A season of toil and trouble for Juve finally comes to an end, and they may not be entirely focused on football matters this week, ahead of further upheaval at the club.

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