MX23RW : Thursday, March 28 23:38:32| >> :120:22120:22120:
[monks data]
Attendance: 40,597
Juventus logo
Serie A | Gameweek 14
Dec 1, 2019 at 11.30am UK
 
Sassuolo logo

2-2

Bonucci (20'), Ronaldo (68' pen.)
FT(HT: 1-1)
Boga (23'), Caputo (47')

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

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Serie A clash between Juventus and Sassuolo, including team news and predicted lineups.

Juventus will be looking to make it seven straight wins in all competitions when they welcome Sassuolo to the Juventus Stadium on Sunday.

Maurizio Sarri's side are currently top of Serie A with 35 points, while Sassuolo occupy 14th position with 13 points to show from as many matches this season.


Match preview

Cristiano Ronaldo in action for Juventus on October 1, 2019© Reuters

Juve could be forgiven for thinking that a record of 11 wins and two draws from their 13 Serie A matches this season would leave them fairly clear at the top of the table.

However, while the Italian champions are at the summit, Inter Milan are just a point behind in second, meaning that the Turin giants have no wiggle room as they attempt to hold off the threat of Antonio Conte's side.

Juve have had to grind out a series of victories this season, and Sarri's team impressively won 3-1 at Atalanta BC last weekend without the services of the injured Cristiano Ronaldo. Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala were instead paired as the front two, and both players found the back of the net in the two-goal success.

Ronaldo returned for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid, and the Italian side put another win on the board courtesy of a brilliant free kick from Dybala.

The champions will now switch their attention back to league matters and will fancy their chances of overcoming a team who have lost each of the last seven Serie A fixtures between the two sides.

Sassuolo striker Domenico Berardi celebrates scoring in the Serie A clash with Inter Milan on August 19, 2018© Reuters

Four wins, one draw and seven defeats - that is how Sassuolo have performed in Serie A this season. A total of 13 points has left them in 14th position in the table, just three points clear of the relegation zone.

The omens are not exactly terrific for the visitors heading into this match considering that they have lost their last seven Serie A meetings with Juve, although a 1-0 home victory was recorded in October 2015.

Roberto De Zerbi's side only lost one of their four league matches between October 25 and November 8, overcoming Hellas Verona and Bologna in the process to move up the table.

The Black and Greens suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Lazio last weekend, though, and only two teams in Italy's top flight - Brescia and SPAL - have lost more times in Serie A during the 2019-20 campaign.

It is not as if they have a kind fixture list in the weeks ahead either with clashes against Cagliari and AC Milan to follow this weekend's game against the finest side that Italy have to offer.

Juventus form: WLWWWW

Sassuolo form: LWLDWL


Team News

Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot pictured during a pre-season friendly in July 2019© Reuters

Juve will again be without the services of key central defender Giorgio Chiellini due to a long-term knee injury, while Douglas Costa is also unavailable for selection this weekend.

Alex Sandro could return from injury to line up at left-back, though, and Adrien Rabiot is also being tipped to recover in time for Sunday's Serie A contest.

Federico Bernardeschi could return to the XI in place of Aaron Ramsey, while Higuain, Juan Cuadrado and Sami Khedira could also be recalled having been named on the bench against Atletico.

Ronaldo, who has struggled with a troublesome knee issue in recent weeks, is also available for the champions after coming through the European tie unscathed.

As for Sassuolo, a lengthy injury list includes the likes of Rogerio, Vlad Chiriches, Gianluca Pegolo, Domenico Berardi, Gian Marco Ferrari and Gregoire Defrel.

As a result, De Zerbi does not have many options for change, meaning that the XI will have a similar look to the one that started against Lazio last time out.

Francesco Caputo was on the scoresheet against Simone Inzaghi's side and should again lead the line with support from Manuel Locatelli in a slightly withdrawn position.

Juventus possible starting lineup: Szczesny; Cuadrado, Bonucci, De Ligt, Sandro; Khedira, Pjanic, Matuidi; Bernardeschi; Higuain, Ronaldo

Sassuolo possible starting lineup: Consigli; Toljan, Romagna, Marlon, Kyriakopoulos; Duncan, Magnanelli; Djuricic, Locatelli, Boga; Caputo


Sports Mole Logo

We say: Juventus 2-0 Sassuolo

Sassuolo's lengthy injury list means that it is very, very difficult to predict an upset in Turin this weekend. Juve are on an impressive winning run at the moment and we fully expect that to continue on home soil.



ID:381094: cacheID:381094:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:9745:No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Tottenham Hotspur's Christian Eriksen celebrates scoring their first goal on September 1, 2019
Read Next:
Juventus to rival Madrid for Eriksen next summer?
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Inter Milan29244171145776
2AC Milan29195555332262
3Juventus29178444232159
4Bologna29159542251754
5Roma29156855352051
6Atalanta BCAtalanta28145951321947
7Napoli29129844331145
8Fiorentina2812794132943
9Lazio29134123633343
10Monza2911993236-442
11Torino29101182826241
12Genoa29810113136-534
13Lecce29610132645-1928
14Udinese29415102844-1627
15Hellas VeronaHellas Verona2968152639-1326
16CagliariCagliari2968152950-2126
17Empoli2967162243-2125
18FrosinoneFrosinone2966173760-2324
19SassuoloSassuolo2965183356-2323
20Salernitana2928192359-3614


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!