For much of the 2026 calendar year, Juventus have barely had much time to breathe. They’ve been playing every three or four days, they’ve logged a whole lot of minutes and they’ve had to play a good chunk of those same minutes under circumstances in which they’ve
But Juventus just got something they haven’t seen much of ever since the early days of 2026: They got nearly a week between in between fixtures.
Of course, that is a result of Juve getting dumped out of the Coppa Italia and not having to play
the first leg of the semifinals against Lazio at the same Stadio Olimpico in which they claimed a last-minute 3-3 draw against Roma. So, instead, Juve players and coaches alike may have been watching it from home rather than playing in it.
But, because they didn’t have yet another midweek fixture to contend with, Juventus now head into Saturday night’s matchup at the Allianz Stadium with 19th-place Pisa probably as well rested as they have been since the turn of the new year. Or at least that’s the hope as the schedule lets up a little bit over the next couple of weekends and Luciano Spalletti’s squad is able to take a breath following an absolutely brutal month of February followed by yet another roller coaster ride to begin March.
So now, with just Champions League qualification to fight for and ticked off the list of the season’s objectives (which feels like a major letdown), Juve know they have 11 games left to try and get something out of what has become the latest silverware-less season in which the Bianconeri have fallen apart in February.
They have 11 games to try and overcome a four-point deficit to Roma.
And, thanks to last weekend’s results, Juve now have Como in between themselves and Roma to make the final rush toward Champions League qualification just that much more difficult because Cesc Fabregas’ side is proving that they aren’t going anywhere as the season has gone on.
So now Juve enter Saturday night’s matchup against one of the worst teams in the league knowing the situation and that they have to jump over at least two clubs to get into the top four and qualify for the Champions League next season. Not exactly the easiest thing to do, but also something that Spalletti is not going to be shying away from over the next couple of months.
“I’m convinced we’ll do well in this final part of the season because we’ve shown the performance of a proper team during a difficult period in our journey,” Spalletti said during his pre-match press conference. “It’s the difficulties that show your worth. We’ve had too many bad moments, and this has brought out this group’s desire to fight. This gives me hope for the upcoming matches.”
But you want to know something amusing? Or, in this case, somewhat depressing about Juventus’ month of February? Check this out …
- Juventus points in their last four Serie A games: 2
- Pisa points in their last four Serie A games: 1
That’s … yeah, that’s not good. Pisa are a club that look destined to be one-and-done in Serie A, with relegation feeling quite inevitable considering how far off they are from actually getting out of the drop zone with 11 games to go. So for Juventus to have just one more point than a club that hasn’t won a game since early November — and well before they face the Bianconeri the first time this season — is just a total punch to the gut when thinking of where Spalletti’s squad is at form-wise.
Juve need points. There’s 33 points left on the table and they need to start making up ground on Roma and Como before it’s too late and they enter the final few weeks of the 2025-26 season needing a miracle in the same way that they did against Galatasaray last week.
What better way to hopefully get back on the horse a little bit than against one of the worst Serie A has to offer?
Maybe a little provincial opposition can work its magic in March just like we saw back in the first few weeks of 2026. Certainly ain’t going to be if March just ends up being an extension of February.
TEAM NEWS
- Dusan Vlahovic has returned to training this week!
- Also back in training … Arek Milik! No, seriously!
- Neither striker will not be available to play against Pisa, though, according to Spalletti at his pre-match press conference on Friday. Spalletti said he is hopefully that Vlahovic will be back in the squad for next weekend’s trip to the Friuli to face Udinese.
- Other than Vlahovic and Milik, the only other player who is out due to injury is Emil Holm.
- Juventus will see Manuel Locatelli return to the squad after being suspended for last weekend’s draw with Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.
- Just has been the case for the last few weeks, Weston McKennie is one yellow card away from having to serve a one-game suspension of his own.
JUVENTUS PLAYER TO WATCH
Now that Juventus don’t have midweek fixtures, there is a pretty good chance that we see a lot of the same names in the starting lineup the rest of the way. Yes, even more than before considering Spalletti didn’t rotate all that much unless he was forced to because of injury or suspension.
But there is one spot that seems a little uncertain to say the least entering Pisa’s visit to Turin.
That involves the only player on the field who can legally use his hands within the Bianconeri’s 18-yard box.
When it comes to predicted lineups ahead of Juventus’ visit from Pisa, it’s total mixed bag. Some say it will be Mattia Perin just as it has been against Galatasaray and then Roma this past weekend. Others say that Michele Di Gregorio will retake his starting spot after having the mental break that Spalletti spoke about him likely needing amidst his recent struggles.
Spalletti spoke about the goalkeeper situation at Friday’s pre-match press conference and didn’t exactly give us any hints as to who might be in goal against Pisa. Here’s what he had to say …
Di Gregorio? I’ll name the lineup tomorrow … I think, based on what they’ve shown this week, they’re both doing well. I was disappointed by what was said about Di Gregorio: it’s pointless to single out individual players when there are team difficulties. We put heart and soul into it, but almost no one in there has shone because we’re in a difficult moment. Once we’re in a positive, confident moment, and the team wins the first match, it becomes easier to highlight our brilliant players.”
But, because we don’t know truly know who the start will be, let’s just go with Perin. Why? Because, honestly, a lot of the same stuff about Perin can also be said about Di Gregorio. Juventus just need a better overall product from their goalkeepers. It doesn’t matter if it’s Perin, it’s Di Gregorio or if it’s Carlo Pinsoglio suddenly having to play for the first time in a couple of years in a game that actually has stakes to it. Juve just need better.
The question truly is: Can we expect them to?
Right now, it’s hard to say — and that’s why Spalletti is in the position he’s in. Do you think he would even want to consider changing keepers in the second leg of a key Champions League knockout fixture? Of course not. The only reason you should be doing that is because of an injury or suspension. But with Di Gregorio clearly struggling, Spalletti was essentially forced into it because his starting goalkeeper was on such shaky ground a change needed to happen.
Now, we don’t know how much longer that change will continue. For all we know, it’s Di Gregorio back in the starting lineup on Saturday night and walking out of the tunnel after Manuel Locatelli normally does. But if it’s Perin, then it’s a pretty clear sign of where Spalletti’s thinking about his goalkeeper situation is at.
And considering these next 11 games are a situation where Juve need as many points as possible, the last thing Spalletti needs to see happen is his starting goalkeeper choice suddenly become a revolving door as the team continues to leak goals right and left.
MATCH INFO
When: Saturday, March 7, 2026.
Where: Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy.
Official kickoff time: 8:45 p.m. local time in Italy and across Europe, 7:45 p.m. in the United Kingdom, 2:45 p.m. Eastern time, 1:45 p.m. Central time, 11:45 a.m. Pacific time.
HOW TO WATCH
Television: TLN (Canada), Sky Sport Uno, Sky Sport Calcio, Sky Sport 251 (Italy).
Online/Streaming: Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network, Amazon Prime USA, DAZN USA, fuboTV (United States); DAZN Canada; fuboTV Canada (Canada); DAZN UK (United Kingdom); DAZN Italy (Italy).
Other live viewing options can be found here, and as always, you can also follow along with us live and all the stupid things we say on Bluesky. If you haven’t already, join the community on Black & White & Read All Over, and join in the discussion below.
