Undoubtedly the highest-billed clash of the midweek round in Serie A sees Fiorentina travel to most hated rivals Juventus on Wednesday evening. The Viola were triumphant in their previous clash with Max Allegri’s side, coming out 2-1 winners at the Stadio Artemio Franchi back in January. However, beating the six-time Champions on their own turf will be an entirely different prospect for Stefano Pioli’s men with the Old Lady unbeaten in their last 39 matches (36 wins, three draws) in Turin.
Around 480 Viola fans will head north to pack out the away section at the newly-named Allianz Stadium, all of them hoping to make their feelings known to their former number 10 Federico Bernardeschi. His 40 million euro move this summer sparked an angry reaction from those supporters, incensed that their home-grown talent could even contemplate moving to a side with such a long-standing rivalry with theirs. (Read more on the background to that issue in this previous column).
The 23-year-old is yet to start a match for his new side, and it seems as though he will remain on the bench once again. Wednesday’s encounter will be the first time he has come up against the team where he began his youth career back in 2003.
“Could Federico Bernardeschi start tomorrow? It’s not too soon, but I need to see the training session today,” Juventus boss Max Allegri told reporters at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday. “There are some situations I have to evaluate, especially when we have a game so close on Saturday. He could come into the game when it’s in progress, but right now the changes are crucial because otherwise you risk burning players out at the beginning of the season. We need everyone.”
The boss also confirmed that Wojciech Szczesny would start in goal, allowing 39-year-old Gianluigi Buffon to rest, a move that allowed rival boss Stefano Pioli to make an amusing quip. “My team? Max has said Buffon won’t play,” the coach told his pre-match press conference. “I’ll say that [Fiorentina first choice goalkeeper Marco] Sportiello will.”
Pioli arrived in Florence this summer, handed with the task of assembling a side that had seen nine departures and 11 arrivals to the first team. Back-to-back defeats in the opening two rounds were somewhat inevitable, but the Viola now face Juve after two straight wins. Five of Fiorentina’s new arrivals have made the scoresheet so far this, while the Juventus newcomers have failed to do so, and the coach believes that his young side have a unique strength.
“The carefree attitude of the youngsters can be a weapon for us. We respect Juventus, but we’re aware we can play a great match,” He continued. “We need to play with personality, to play well against the big teams we have to use the ball well. Juventus always push right from the start, so we have to be ready for that.”
A combination of Paulo Dybala in stellar form, an incredible home record and Juventus having achieved their best scoring record (13 goals) in the opening four rounds since 1959/60 means that any kind of result for the visitors is unlikely at best. The young and hungry newcomers will face a side that is well-versed in the art of winning, but Coach has brought a fresh mentality to the club, and this kind of belief is his best weapon in what should be a fascinating encounter.
“The lads know very well what this match means for the Viola fans. The lads live in the city, they know how important this match is,” Pioli concluded. We’re fired-up, there’s no doubt about that.” Having played for Fiorentina during the halcyon days of Gabriel Batistuta, the boss also knows all-too-well what this fixture signifies for them. And – at the moment at least – he’s doing and saying all the right things.
Juventus face Fiorentina at 19:45 BST.
