In the buildup to the least meaningful Juventus game in recent memory, I got a chance to catch up with old friend Danny Penza of Black & White & Read All Over, who is the only Bianconero this website actively likes. Here’s our conversation talking about how Notts County Junior’s been doing and what to expect for Sunday morning’s festivities.
Viola Nation: Hey Danny. Hope everything’s well and you’re enjoying these cool spring evenings before the summer heat kicks in. Crazy how the Serie A season is
over and Fiorentina’s got this weird friendly against Juventus in May but what can you do? Hahaha but really Juve’s going to put 7 past this edition of the Viola, right?
Danny Penza: Hi, Tito! Would you be jealous if I told you I am writing this as I sit on the back patio with a drink right next to me — since we are friends you can probably guess what it is since it rhymes with “smulleit smurban” — and enjoying a lovely day? Of course you’re not. Because you are my friend. And you get me.
Can you promise me that Fiorentina will actually allow seven goals? That would make the news that this game is a Sunday lunchtime kickoff — aka hell for both of us and the time zone we live in — a little easier to digest. Clearly the genius folks who run Serie A continue to make wonderful decisions …
VN: Wow. Even with a little sipper of Smulleit Smurban, you’re pessimistic about this one. Really thought that going 2 months unbeaten and surging back into the Champions League places while playing at least fairly well would leave you a bit more chipper. Chipperer? Skip it. As the bartender asked the horse, “Why the long face?” You know, besides the Serie A schedulers making like King Julian with the kickoff and demonstrating how much they like to move it, move it.
DP: I’m pessimistic because I’ve watched every minute of Juventus this season and … yeah, I’ve come to expect some sort of letdown at some point in time. Oh, they’re undefeated over the last two months? Well, here’s a 1-1 draw against a Hellas Verona team that just got officially relegated to Serie B. As much help as Juventus have gotten from other teams that has allowed them to move within a couple of points of second place all of about six weeks after we were preparing to start their obituary and learn the Europa League anthem by heart, there’s always going to be that little birdie on our shoulder reminding us this team is its own worst enemy.
VN: That’s fair. That 1-1 against Verona and the 0-1 at Lecce are of particular interest to me as a fan of a team that’s at the foot of the table and plays in a fashion not dissimilar from the Mastini or the Salentini. Is there something about those very bad teams that Spalletti’s Juve has struggled with?
For context, the last Juventus game I watched was the 0-0 at Milan and I thought the approach to break down a typically stubborn Max Allegri defense was correct and could’ve borne fruit on a different day. It feels to me like there’s enough creativity in the squad (i.e. Kenan Yıldız, Francisco Conceição, Khéphrem Thuram, Vasilije Adžić, whatever primal nature spirit has possessed Jérémie Boga) to break down deep blocks so am I missing something? Or rather, yeah, I’m missing something. Danny, what am I missing?
DP: I think it’s just Juventus’ problem from the last few years is that they have struggled to consistently beat the teams in the bottom half of the table. Feel free to throw out the cliché of “Win titles by beating the provinciale” or whatever you want, but it’s been a struggle against the smaller clubs in the league. Or when they do beat them, it’s not like they’re putting them away with room to spare. Some of that is due to bad finishing, some of it is due to your friend and mine Dusan Vlahovic [ed. note: something got cut here] being unable to stay onside when Juve do score a pair of goals. These things happen in football as a wise man who now coaches in Milan used to say.
And let’s be honest, it’s not like the Juventus of 2026 can really cut it with the Juventus of the two Champions League finals a decade ago. The quality of this squad just ain’t what it used to be, boss.
VN: Huh. That plays right into Paolo Vanoli’s hands, given that Fiorentina has turned itself into about as provinciale a side as you’re going to find in Serie A these days (e.g. 3rd-lowest shots on target percentage in the league). The Viola are an interesting case study in defensive vulnerability in that they’re willing to be scored on in a variety of ways. How do you think Juve approaches this? Is it going to be patient possession and death by a thousand cuts or is it going to be a full frontal bombardment relying on physicality and intensity?
DP: I think it’s going to be a lot of what you’ve seen from Juventus against provincial sides under Spalletti — a lot of possession, a good number of chances be created and the biggest thing we’re left talking about is if they can finish those chances and/or if they’ve done something to shoot themselves in the body part of anybody’s choosing. Basically what I’m trying to say is that I expect things will be a lot like what we saw when Juventus frustratingly played to a 1-1 draw with Hellas Verona, but hopefully they don’t actually play to a draw — or worse! — this time because I would really like to not rely on help from others and have to win in the Turin derby next weekend.
That’s a reasonable ask for somebody who will have to watch this game in the middle of the night on Sunday, right? I think so.
VN: Danny, you’ve never been anything but reasonable, despite what’s running through both our minds while we’re sitting in the dark and staring at laptop screens at 3 in the morning on Sunday. For those unfortunate enough to join us in that accursed activity, is there anything you’ll be looking for on your end from a tactical perspective? Anyone who’s running hot that paranoid opposing fans ought to keep an eye on? Anyone that that your paranoid fandom paints as particularly vulnerable? Any vibes worth monitoring besides Spallettone looming over some too-bold videographer like the displeased ghost of a funeral director?
DP: It may seem like the easy pick, but it makes sense since this might be the last time Dusan Vlahovic is on the Juventus side of the rivalry with Fiorentina. He’s got six weeks or so left on his current contract, we aren’t totally sure when any of the rumored contract talks might actually happen based on conflicted reporting and who the hell knows if he will even re-sign with Juve after the season. So … last hurrah against the old club from Florence?
Sure, that’s the easy narrative, but there’s also the fact that Vlahovic has actually played well since he’s come back from injury. He’s scored in both appearances, including the lone goal all of 12 seconds into the game last weekend. He’s also done classic Vlahovic things that make you shake your hit a little bit (or a lot). Or maybe it will make you laugh if you’re a Fiorentina fan because you’re looking at that €80-something million and fanning yourself with all that cash. But when it comes to giving Juventus the best chance to score goals, he’s basically it right now. Jonathan David has been a disappointment and has not proven to be the goal scoring threat he was in Ligue 1. It’s best if we not speak about Loïs Openda. So that leaves Dusan — for better or worse. Spalletti clearly likes him, reportedly wants him to stay and that’s not nothing. Let’s just hope it’s three games with a goal in a row. [ed. note: let’s not]
VN: That seems like as good a place to wrap this sucker up as anywhere. Hit me with a prediction. What’s the final score, who gets the goals, and what’s the general outline of the game?
DP: I think I will go 2-1 in favor of the guys I root for. I will say Dusan continues his scoring streak and Weston McKennie does Weston things to get the winner. Maybe there’s some Ex Effect thrown in there with Moise or Nicky Beans getting a goal as well. Either way, I’m not expecting a Juventus blowout — but happy to be wrong!
Thanks as ever, Danny. You can read the other half of our chat over on BWRAO.
