Preview:Cremonese vs Juventus - prediction, team news, lineups

Amid more chaos at Italy’s most successful club, Juventus finally ended their long winless run in midweek, so they will seek back-to-back wins when visiting Cremonese for Serie A’s Saturday night contest.

The hosts also won on Wednesday, keeping themselves just one point behind crisis club Juve, who aim to start afresh under a new head coach.

Match preview

Taking drastic action to halt a worrying slide down the standings, Juventus relieved Igor Tudor of his duties earlier this week, following eight games without a win.

For the first time ever, the Turin club have changed managers mid-season in three consecutive years, and ex-Italy boss Luciano Spalletti will take up the significant challenge of reviving La Vecchia Signora.

Interim coach Massimo Brambilla did his part by overseeing a long-awaited victory on Wednesday, when Dusan Vlahovic scored an early penalty to end Juve's long goal drought and put them ahead against Udinese.

Though the Fruilani later equalised, Federico Gatti’s header and a late Kenan Yildiz strike secured maximum points - the first time Juventus had done so since edging a classic Derby d’Italia in mid-September.

Fired by his national team earlier this year, the vastly experienced Spalletti is set to inherit a team sitting seventh after nine matches, and with only two points from three games in the Champions League.

One of his main tasks will be to improve Juve’s dismal away form in Serie A, after collecting just four points on the road so far.

First up is a trip to Stadio Zini, where the Bianconeri won 1-0 on their most recent visit, back in May 2023.

Infrequent visitors to Italy’s top flight, Cremonese have taken just one point from their last six meetings with Juventus - but most took place several decades ago.

This time, the Grigiorossi are unusually close to their illustrious counterparts in the Serie A standings, having already claimed 14 points.

Returning to the top level after two years away, Cremo are flying high above the drop zone following an impressive start to life under new coach Davide Nicola.

Last time out, his side secured victory over potential relegation rivals Genoa, posting their first away win since shocking AC Milan at San Siro on the opening matchday.

While Jamie Vardy recently grabbed headlines for scoring his first Serie A goal, it was his partner who shone brightest at Stadio Ferraris, as Federico Bonazzoli bagged a match-winning brace.

Now, Cremonese return home to play Juve, having gone unbeaten in four league games at the Zini this season, posting one win and three draws.

Cremonese Serie A form:

D D L D D W

Juventus Serie A form:

D D D L L W

Juventus form (all competitions):

D D L L L W

Team News

It remains to be seen whether Spalletti will immediately ditch Tudor’s trademark three-man defence, which Brambilla also employed, or if the new Juventus boss opts for his favoured 4-3-3 formation.

South American defensive duo Bremer and Juan Cabal are still sidelined by injury, alongside long-term absentee Arkadiusz Milik, who scored the only goal on Juve’s last trip to Cremona.

Khephren Thuram is a doubt after being withdrawn from the squad to play Udinese, so Weston McKennie could keep his place in midfield; Kenan Yildiz and Lloyd Kelly are both unavailable.

Vlahovic has been in and out of the starting XI but has still scored five times across all competitions, including his 90th Serie A goal on Wednesday; meanwhile, Bonazzoli has been the main man for Cremonese.

The hosts’ top scorer with four league goals, he is set to partner Vardy up front, although Franco Vazquez will be vying for a recall.

First-choice goalkeeper Emil Audero - a graduate of Juve's primavera - returned from injury in midweek, but Alberto Grassi, Antonio Sanabria and Faris Moumbagna face fitness tests; Michele Collocolo is still ruled out.

Cremonese possible starting lineup:

Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Bianchetti; Zerbin, Payero, Bondo, Vandeputte, Floriani; Bonazzoli, Vardy

Juventus possible starting lineup:

Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Rugani, Gatti; Cambiaso, McKennie, Locatelli, Koopmeiners, Kostic; Openda, Vlahovic