The final rush has arrived. The hottest period of the Juventus championship begins this evening against Empoli (20.45 pm), an 8-day tour de force which, according to the plans for Corso Galileo Ferraris, should lead to the fifth consecutive Scudetto. However, there are still many obstacles between Juventus and dreams of glory: Napoli first of all, but also injuries and suspensions that complicate Allegri's plans a lot. This evening the Tuscan coach will have to give up Bonucci, Alex Sandro, Khedira and Dybala, a very thick list that "lost" Barzagli, Chiellini and Marchisio only at the last moment. The emergency is great and makes today's match much more insidious, otherwise rather obvious. “We will have to be careful, from now on a mini-championship begins in which nothing can be wrong – thought Allegri. – Empoli are a technical team, they have reached their seasonal objective and have nothing left to lose. Let's try not to make a mistake in the approach, the Scudetto will go through home games and we have 5. We know that Napoli will not give up but if we win we'll stay ahead”. On paper, the 31st matchday doesn't appear prohibitive either for the black and whites or the blues, expected tomorrow afternoon from the away match in Udine. In short, the calendar will reserve far more complicated appointments as long as you don't underestimate your opponents, an always concrete risk in these cases, especially after a break that has seen the players travel all over the world.
“The team is doing well, we have some absences but whoever is there is in good condition – explained Allegri. – Now what really matters is to stay focused, we are approaching the season finale and that's where things are decided. Our goals are the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia, we have to think only of this”. And then down with Empoli, an opponent that is anything but prohibitive beyond the eleventh place in the standings. In fact, Giampaolo's team hasn't won since 10 January (1-0 over Turin) and is safe only by virtue of a great first leg, which even made them dream of the Europa League. But then came a rather evident drop, both in terms of results (6 draws and 5 defeats) and in terms of play, which is why the Lady, even if decimated, shouldn't have major problems. Bonucci's absence and Barzagli's far from dazzling conditions make the choice of formation almost obligatory, that 4-3-1-2 used several times in recent times. Lichtsteiner, Rugani, Chiellini and Evra will act in front of Buffon, with Sturaro, Hernanes and Pogba in midfield, Pereyra in the frontline (Cuadrado, who only returned from Colombia on Thursday, will start from the bench) and the Morata-Mandzukic duo in attack. Respectable training, God forbid, yet without people like Bonucci, Barzagli, Alex Sandro, Marchisio, Khedira and Dybala: a condition that Giampaolo wants to exploit in favor of him. His 4-3-1-2 will see Skorupski in goal, Zambelli, Costa, Tonelli and Mario Rui in defence, Zielinski, Paredes and Croce in the midfield, Saponara behind the strikers Pucciarelli and Maccarone.
