Luciano Spalletti remains confident in Juventus' potential despite a challenging start under his leadership. Since replacing Igor Tudor, Spalletti has secured one victory in three matches across all competitions. Juventus currently sits sixth in Serie A after 11 games, trailing leaders Inter by five points and three points shy of the top four. Their attack has been less effective this season, scoring 14 goals compared to last year's tally at this stage.
Spalletti is optimistic about Juventus' chances of contending for the title, even though they haven't won the Scudetto since 2019-20. "We have quality, and we have to start from here," Spalletti stated via Ilbianconero.com. He emphasised the importance of teamwork and using their strengths effectively
during matches. Despite his optimism, the Opta supercomputer predicts only a 2.6% chance for Juventus to finish atop Serie A.
Facing Fiorentina at Stadio Artemio Franchi presents a familiar challenge for Spalletti, who has encountered them 26 times with seven different teams in Serie A. He has achieved 12 wins against Fiorentina, with his teams scoring 45 goals and conceding 31. "I know the environment well because I've spent many years there," Spalletti remarked. He anticipates a tough match but expects his players to perform well.
Kenan Yildiz's Future
Kenan Yildiz has been impressive for Juventus this season, contributing three goals and four assists in all competitions. Although linked with a move away from Turin, he remains under contract until 2028-29. Giorgio Chiellini, Juventus' director of football strategy, mentioned there's no urgency to renew Yildiz's contract. Spalletti commented on Yildiz's situation: "I won't discuss the renewal thing; it is not up to me. "
Fiorentina's Struggles
Fiorentina have yet to secure a win after 11 Serie A games this season (D5 L6). The last team to avoid relegation after failing to win any of their first 11 games was Reggina in 2007-08. In the three-points-per-win era, Cagliari in 2005-06 survived without winning any of their first 12 matches.
Juventus have struggled offensively, failing to score in four of their last six Serie A matches (averaging 0.8 goals per game). This is as many goalless games as they had in their previous 38 league matches (averaging 1.6 goals). They've also won two, drawn one, and lost two of their first five away games this season.
Players to Watch
Roberto Piccoli has scored for six different clubs since netting his first Serie A goal in 2020-21. He's scored twice against four different teams and previously netted against Juventus for Empoli in May 2023.
Kenan Yildiz and Nico Paz are the only two players with at least 20 shots and chances created in Serie A this season. Yildiz hopes to make an impact against Fiorentina despite limited playing time against them previously.
Fiorentina have won two of their last four home games against Juventus (W2 D1 L1), matching their total from the previous 19 meetings (W2 D10 L7). They kept a clean sheet in their last home match against Juventus and could achieve consecutive shutouts for the first time since 1998.
The Opta win probability suggests a competitive match: Fiorentina at 27%, Draw at 26.9%, and Juventus at 46.1%.
