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

Following their meek midweek cup exit, Juventus will seek an immediate response in Serie A, as they play host to Lazio on Sunday evening.

While Juve’s positive momentum was halted by being dumped out of the Coppa Italia, their visitors have been celebrating last week’s dramatic stoppage-time win.

Match preview

Transformed under the canny management of Luciano Spalletti, Juventus have won seven of their last nine Serie A matches while scoring 21 goals; only Scudetto favourites Inter Milan have posted more wins in that period.

As well as lifting themselves into Italy's top four, Juve are also through to the Champions League's knockout phase, further increasing the feel-good factor in Turin.

However, after putting four goals past Parma in last week’s league fixture - partly thanks to a double by Bremer - the Bianconeri were well beaten in Bergamo four days later.

Missing out on a potential semi-final against Lazio, who will play holders Bologna for a place in the last four next week, Juve suffered a chastening 3-0 defeat to Atalanta BC in Thursday’s Coppa Italia quarter-final.

Now, seeking a positive result before next week’s Derby d'Italia clash with Inter - and an upcoming Champions League playoff against Galatasaray - Spalletti’s side will head back to base.

One of two teams still with an unbeaten home record in Serie A, alongside reigning champions Napoli, they have conceded just eight league goals at the Allianz Stadium.

Having won their last three home games against Lazio, recent history will also be on the hosts’ side when they meet again this weekend.

That said, Lazio actually won the reverse fixture 1-0 in October, so they can now seek a first league double over Juventus since 1943.

Ex-Juve coach Maurizio Sarri is enduring a turbulent second spell in charge of the Biancocelesti, with the club’s transfer policy causing a very public rift in the camp.

Lazio have slumped down to eighth after shedding several key players from an already slim squad; now nine points adrift of sixth-placed Como, they look likely to miss out on Europe for a second straight season.

Yet, there was a glimmer of light amid the gloom last weekend, when Danilo Cataldi’s 100th-minute penalty decided a dramatic 3-2 win over Genoa.

As a result, Lazio have scored the most Serie A goals during second-half stoppage time this season, with a tally of five representing more than a fifth of their entire league total.

Before heading to Bologna for their Coppa Italia clash next Wednesday, Sarri must now return to Turin, hoping his team can improve a pretty weak away record.

No side has scored fewer goals on the road - six in 11 matches is also the Rome club’s worst tally at this stage since 1990 - and they have won just three times on their travels so far.

Juventus Serie A form:

D W W L W W

Juventus form (all competitions):

L W W D W L

Lazio Serie A form:

L D W L D W

Team News

Spalletti tweaked his team for Thursday’s cup tie, but first-choice goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and key creator Kenan Yildiz should both return to Juve’s starting XI.

Though the latter has been struggling with an adductor strain, he is set to feature this weekend, leaving only Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik on the sidelines.

In their ongoing absence, Jonathan David can compete with Lois Openda to lead the Bianconeri’s attack, while recent signing Jeremie Boga offers a fresh option out wide.

Once again, Bremer will pose a threat at set-pieces. Including his brace against Parma, the Brazilian has scored 21 times since his first Serie A strike in 2019; despite playing just 13 games this season, he has already registered five goal involvements.

Lazio’s injury list is headlined by club captain Mattia Zaccagni, while Samuel Gigot and Manuel Lazzari must also miss out.

Furthermore, experienced defender Alessio Romagnoli has been training separately, and a one-match ban will cost left-back Luca Pellegrini the chance to meet his old club.

Having started last week, evergreen winger Pedro is set to make his 150th Serie A appearance for the Biancocelesti - all after the age of 33.

Juventus possible starting lineup:

Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, McKennie, Yildiz; David

Lazio possible starting lineup:

Provedel; Marusic, Gila, Provstgaard, Tavares; Basic, Cataldi, Taylor; Isaksen, Maldini, Pedro