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

Though Juve are on a five-game winning streak and have just cruised into the Coppa Italia semi-finals, they now meet the only team to beat them so far this season.

Match preview

Since their shock 4-2 defeat in September's game at Sassuolo's Mapei Stadium, Juventus have not lost again while racking up 11 league wins from 14 subsequent matches - the best performance in Serie A over that time period.

A tally of 36 points from then on is three more than title rivals Inter Milan, and following last week's late win against 10-man Salernitana, the Bianconeri have accrued an overall total of 46 from the first half of the season.

Juve have gone on to win the Scudetto on the last five occasions they have fared so well at this stage, and a stoppage-time strike from Dusan Vlahovic down at Stadio Arechi kept them on track for a potential domestic double.

Coming after a 6-1 thrashing of the same opponents in the Coppa Italia just three days earlier, that much more closely fought 2-1 win was to be followed by another cup success on Thursday evening, when Max Allegri's men strode past Frosinone and into the semi-finals.

Arkadiusz Milik helped himself to a hat-trick and Turkish teenager Kenan Yildiz continued his breakthrough campaign by scoring again, as Juventus moved one step closer to lifting the Coppa for a 15th time - they will take on Lazio over two legs in the semis.

Between now and April, though, Allegri will have his squad fully focused on reeling in Inter, who moved five points clear on Saturday; so Juve - who now play their game in hand and could then go top by beating Lecce while the Nerazzurri take part in the Supercoppa Italiana - cannot afford to slip up against Sassuolo.

While Allegri's well-drilled team have conceded just eight goals in the last 16 matches at their Turin headquarters - and have also won eight out of 10 at home to Tuesday's opponents - memories of Wojciech Szczesny's costly blunder and Federico Gatti's ugly own goal in the reverse fixture should serve as a warning against any complacency.

Following September's sensational victory over a bewildered Bianconeri, Sassuolo have won three of their last five league matches against Juventus, including both of the last two - they had managed just one win from the previous 16, losing 12.

Andrea Pinamonti was on target that day, and the ex-Inter striker found the net again versus Fiorentina last time out, as the Neroverdi halted their visitors' fine run of form to snatch three precious points in their bid to move further away from danger.

Finally keeping their first clean sheet of the season, Alessio Dionisi's side had a slim share of the ball and scored from their only shot on target, but victory at the Mapei Stadium moved them four points clear of the Serie A drop zone.

Sassuolo have now achieved three of their five league wins against top-four contenders - Inter, Juve and Fiorentina - and with Pinamonti and inspirational winger Domenico Berardi on board, they often cause trouble for the calcio establishment.

Though Dionisi cannot be content with the first half of the season, his team have at least picked up two more points than at this stage last year, and celebrating their 400th Serie A fixture with another giant-killing would certainly boost morale for the months ahead.

Juventus Serie A form:

W

W

D

W

W

W

Juventus form (all competitions):

D

W

W

W

W

W

Sassuolo Serie A form:

L

L

D

L

L

W

Sassuolo form (all competitions):

L

D

L

L

L

W

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Team News

Juventus are optimistic about the recovery of Adrien Rabiot, who missed last week's Coppa Italia tie with a thigh problem but should return to the starting lineup on Tuesday: the French midfielder could replace Weston McKennie, who is suspended.

Federico Gatti must also serve a one-match ban, so recently returned Alex Sandro is in contention with Daniele Rugani to feature in the hosts' back three.

While Federico Chiesa may overcome a knee injury to take a place on the bench and Moise Kean is unavailable due to a shin problem, Arkadiusz Milik and Dusan Vlahovic appear to be in direct competition to partner rookie striker Kenan Yildiz.

Sure to play a part at some stage, Vlahovic will aim to continue his scoring streak versus Sassuolo: he has found the net in all three of his home games against the Neroverdi, including a brace at the Allianz Stadium in August 2022.

Meanwhile, the visitors are expected to name Marcus Pedersen and Mattia Viti as their full-backs, as Jeremy Toljan (hamstring) and Matias Vina (knee) are both ruled out by injury.

Up front, last week's matchwinner Andrea Pinamonti should be supported by Domenico Berardi - who came close to joining Juve in August - and Armand Lauriente. The latter's only league goal this season came in September's reverse fixture, and since then he has attempted 29 shots without scoring again.

Juventus possible starting lineup:

Szczesny; Danilo, Bremer, Rugani; Cambiaso, Miretti, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Vlahovic, Yildiz

Sassuolo possible starting lineup:

Consigli; Pedersen, Erlic, Ferrari, Viti; Boloca, Henrique; Berardi, Thorstvedt, Lauriente; Pinamonti

We say: Juventus 2-1 Sassuolo

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