Juventus vs Hellas Verona

Juventus’ unlikely bid to secure a top-four finish in Serie A continues at the Allianz Stadium against out-of-sorts Hellas Verona.

Juventus may have set an unwanted club record for having a history-low 30.7% ball possession on their mouth-watering trip to Inter Milan last time out, yet they rendered that feat meaningless by posting a 1-0 win. After winning six of their last seven league games (L1), including back-to-back triumphs in the build-up to this clash, ‘I Bianconeri’ have suddenly become a relevant factor in a top-four race despite a 15-point deduction. With fourth-placed AC Milan only seven points clear at the start of this round, Massimiliano Allegri’s side will be looking to tighten the noose by stretching their winning home league streak to four matches. Interestingly, their last two Serie A triumphs in Turin have yielded an identical 4-2 scoreline, contrasting the league’s joint record of 16 clean sheets after 27 matchdays.

Unlike their hosts, visiting Hellas Verona must have felt a massive sigh of relief when the international window put the brakes on their underwhelming five-game winless run in Serie A (D2, L3). Head coach Marco Zaffaroni has had a fortnight to rally his troops and draw a plan to help ‘I Rossoblu’ overcome a five-point gap on safety. Addressing Verona’s lack of firepower must’ve been his top assignment after his men failed to score over 1.5 goals in eight consecutive league games since late January. Another glaring issue that requires immediate resolution is Verona’s abysmal form on the road, as they’ve taken a league-low five points away from home this season and are one of only two teams yet to win a league match on hostile turf (D5, L8).