Serie A: The Old Lady Can’t Expect Any Favours In Florence

Fiorentina vs Juventus

The Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence is the place to be on Sunday for Serie A: Fiorentina vs Juventus, a match with potentially serious consequences at either end of the league table.

Florence is a lovely city to visit but I Bianconeri are not there for a weekend break, they need points to keep their top four challenge on track, while La Viola have been in an unexpected relegation fight. Both teams come into the game on the back of a midweek victory and we can expect an entertaining and, quite possibly, tense affair.

Let’s take a look at the latest news, the form and mood of the two teams and the SBOTOP odds, and work out which way this fascinating clash is going to go.

Talking Points

Vlahovic can fire Fiorentina to safety

At the start of the 2020/21 campaign Fiorentina would have hoped for better following a tenth-placed finish last season, but they have misfired for much if this campaign and have been dangerously close to the drop zone. A 2-1 win away to Hellas Verona on Tuesday night has pulled Giuseppe Iachini’s team away from the drop zone, now five points clear of 18^th placed Cagliari. Dusan Vlahovic was on target in the victory and that made it 16 for the season for the 21-year-old Serb striker. At 6ft 3in he is a powerful presence with a cool head in front of goal, and he’s stepped up for La Viola following the departure of Federico Chiesa at the start of the campaign.

Dusan Vlahovic scored in Fiorentina's recent win in Serie A against Hellas Verona — Dusan Vlahovic in action during Fiorentina’s match against Atalanta

Iachini has quality and experience to call on. French winger Franck Ribery has provided six assists while Giacomo Bonaventura and Jose Callejon are big game players. La Viola has lost three in the last six games, but the defeats have come against Milan, Atalanta and eighth-placed Sassuolo, and none without a good fight.

This is a team which should pull further away from trouble and can be a dangerous opponent.

Top four is back in the Old Lady’s hands

Andrea Pirlo has had a torrid season in charge at Juventus and the very least his employers will expect is a qualification for next season’s Champions League, particularly following the collapse of the European Super League project which would have made qualification unnecessary. Whether that’s a good thing or not depends on your perspective, but it is easy to see why the board at Juventus were keen.

But now the Old Lady will have to manage her own affairs and a top four place is a must.

Defeat to Atalanta last week was another blow and the chasers could smell blood; but, away from the European Super League noise a 3-1 victory over struggling Parma on Wednesday night got Juventus back on track. Alex Sandro scored a brace and Matthijs de Ligt added a third with a powerful header.

The result leaves I Bianconeri in third place and with a five point cushion over Napoli in fifth, though the Azzurri is making a charge and has a game in hand.

Cristiano Ronaldo is homing in on the Capocannoniere, leading the way with 25 goals and four ahead of Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku, and he’ll be in the hunt for more, but former Fiorentina front man Chiesa is sidelined.

Crashing out of the 2020 Champions League to Porto seemed to take the wind out of Juventus’ sails, but Pirlo now needs to steer them to a strong finish and that will take nerves of steel.

History

I Bianconeri have dominated the head-to-head Fiorentina vs Juventus results over the past 54 games, winning 30 and drawing 16 while La Viola have won only eight.

But the last meeting threw up a major shock, just four months ago in Turin, when Fiorentina won 3-0 to derail Juve’s title push. Vlahovic opened the scoring, on just three minutes, and after Juan Cuadrado was sent off midway through the first half La Viola cruised to victory.

Fiorentina have gone four games at home without winning, but the last two home defeats, against Milan and Atalanta both finished 3-2 and could easily have gone the other way.

Betting Tip

	Fiorentina vs Juventus	Double Chance Fiorentina or Draw @ 2.35
	April 25, 21:00 (GMT-8)

The Fiorentina vs Juventus betting odds hand Juventus the hot favourite position at a price of 1.53 and they looked the part against Parma on Wednesday night. Fiorentina to win is at 5.99 with the draw at 3.73, and La Viola are a better side than their position suggests.

It all adds up to a mouth-watering clash. Both teams want to win, but a draw will suit the hosts more than their visitors.