Juventus lost their first league game of the season against Genoa before the international break and while their lead at the top isn't under threat, the club will be keen to return to winning ways against Empoli.
It looks a straightforward task on paper for Massimiliano Allegri's men, but they will be without star man Cristiano Ronaldo who suffered injury while on international duty.
Empoli will be boosted by the Ronaldo news, while their recent victory over Frosinone combined with their focus on surviving relegation will undoubtedly motivate Aurelio Andreazzoli's side to win even further.
They hold just a one-point advantage over Bologna in the relegation zone, so every point is crucial at this stage in the season for Serie A club.
| Game | Juventus vs Empoli |
| Date | Saturday, March 30 |
| Time | 5:00pm GMT / 1:00pm ET |
TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch
In the United States (US), the game can be watched on ESPN+.
| US TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ | ESPN+ |
In the United Kingdom (UK), the game will be shown by Premier Sports and streamed on the Premier Sports Player app.
| UK TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| Premier Sports 1 | Premier Sports Player |
Squads & Team News
| Position | Juventus players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Szczesny, Pinsoglio, Perin |
| Defenders | Chiellini, Caceres, Bonucci, Cancelo, Rugani, Spinazzola |
| Midfielders | Pjanic, Matuidi, Can, Bentancur, Caviglia |
| Forwards | Ronaldo, Dybala, Mandzukic, Kean, Bernardeschi |
Cristiano Ronaldo is absent for Saturday's clash after the 34-year-old suffered a minor thigh injury while on international duty with Portugal. Mario Mandzukic and Federico Bernardeschi lead the forward line in his absence. Paulo Dybala was due to start but was injured in the warm-up, with Rodrigo Bentancur taking his place.
In defence, Leonardo Bonucci is rested with Daniele Rugani recalled while Wojciech Szczesny returns in goal ahead of Mattia Perin. Douglas Costa, Juan Cuadrado and Andrea Barzagli are all still sidelined.
Juventus starting XI: Szczesny; Cancelo, Rugani, Chiellini, Alex Sandro; Emre Can, Pjanic, Matuidi, Bentancur; Bernardeschi, Mandzukic,.
| Position | Empoli players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Provedal, Perucchini, Dragowski |
| Defenders | Di Lorenzo, Veseli, Antonelli, Polvani, Maietta, Pasqual, Silvestre, Rasmussen, Diks, Dell'Orco, Nikolaou |
| Midfielders | Brighi, Pajac, Traore, Bennacer, Acquah, Capezzi, Krunic, Ucan, Buchel |
| Forwards | Oberlin, La Gumina, Farias, Caputo, Mchedlidze |
Empoli make just one change from the side that beat Frosinone before the international break with Frederic Veseli coming in for the suspended Matias Silvestre.
Empoli starting XI: Dragowski; Veseli, Maietta, Dell'Orco; Di Lorenzo, Traore, Bennacer, Krunic, Pajac; Farias, Caputo.
Betting & Match Odds
Juventus are 1/4 favourites with bet365. Empoli are priced at 11/1 outsiders to secure victory, while a draw can be backed at 5/1.
Match Preview
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Juventus look destined for an eighth Serie A title this season with the club currently holding a 15-point gap over Napoli with 10 games left to play.
However, a recent 2-0 defeat to Genoa will undoubtedly inspire Massimiliano Allegri's men to return to form to help build some momentum heading into their Champions League quarter-final clash against Ajax.
The 51-year-old manager also stated after the shock defeat he hoped the loss would encourage his players to not get complacent and keep improving on the pitch.
"You can't play every game to the best of your abilities," Allegri said after the Genoa defeat. "I think, if anything, this defeat can do us good and wake us up."
The Turin side are also without star striker Cristiano Ronaldo for this upcoming a game, and it will give Allegri a chance to assess his side's goalscoring capabilities without the Portuguese talisman in the side
In Ronaldo's absence, the attacking duties will be shifted more onto the likes of Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic who will be keen to impress heading into the crunch stage of the Champions League.
Empoli, meanwhile, are gearing up for an intense relegation scrap and three points over the league leaders would be a brilliant result in their quest to secure survival.
They claimed a 2-1 victory over Frosinone in their last game before the international break, and will be carrying some momentum heading into the clash against Juventus.
Following their tie against Juventus, they then take on Napoli so any points acquired in their next two fixtures will be a positive outcome for the Serie A strugglers.
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