Luciano Spalletti will not hold his eve-of-match press conference before Sunday's trip to Fiorentina. Juventus arrive on two straight wins, chasing fourth place, against a coach Spalletti has never beaten.
Juventus will travel to Florence without the usual preview from their coach. Sunday’s game at the Franchi kicks off at 20:45. The squad got back to Turin overnight from the Netherlands. The reason given is the club’s crowded run of fixtures, TuttoJuve reported. It is the last game before the international break.
The run began with a 2-0 win over Napoli at the Allianz Stadium on 1 November. Kerim Alajbegovic scored in the 70th minute. Aged 19 years and 41 days, no foreign player had ever found the net at a younger age in a Serie A game between Juventus and Napoli.
Four days later, Juventus won 2-1 away at AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League. Teun Koopmeiners and Randal Kolo Muani scored. The result takes them to 10 points from four games in the competition. After the match, Spalletti described himself as very pleased with a solid team display against strong opponents. He felt his side should have added a third goal.
The league position still needs work. The club’s stated aim this season is fourth place, and Como currently hold that spot. The defence gives some grounds for confidence. Going back to last March, no side can match the Bianconeri’s tally of 12 shutouts. Roma are next on 11.
Vanoli and Spalletti have faced each other only twice as coaches. Both meetings were Fiorentina-Juventus fixtures last season. Last November they drew 1-1 at the Franchi. Filip Kostic gave Juventus the lead before Rolando Mandragora equalised with a long-range shot.
The hosts’ struggles on their own pitch offer Juventus an opening against a side yet to find its footing at home.
The fixture carries plenty of history. Sunday’s game is the 175th Serie A meeting between the sides, according to the club’s statistical preview. Juventus have won 82, Fiorentina 37, and 55 have ended level. Juventus have scored 275 top-flight goals against Fiorentina. Two more would draw them level with Inter’s 277, the highest total by any side against the Viola.
Once the international break is over, Juventus’s next Serie A match is on 22 November.
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