Juventus will have a big say on who qualifies for Europe next season as they take on the Europa League-chasing Fiorentina on the final day of the 2021/22 Serie A season.
Juve qualified for the 2022/23 Champions League following their victory over Sassuolo on Matchday 34, and they will end the season in fourth spot having dropped four points since.
They bade farewell to all-time great Giorgio Chiellini and contemporary hero Paulo Dybala in their final home game of the season against Lazio on Monday night. However, in a match that encapsulated their wretched season, Max Allegri’s side contrived to surrender a two-goal lead and draw 2-2 following a last-gasp Sergej Milinkovic-Savic equaliser.
The Serb’s strike was enough to earn Lazio a place in next season’s Europa League, and Fiorentina will be hoping to join them in the competition. However, they’ll need to beat the Bianconeri on Saturday and hope that AS Roma drop points away at Torino on Friday night.
Victory for La Viola at the Franchi will guarantee them European football next season. But, any slip-up and they’ll likely fall to eighth with Atalanta hosting Empoli in their final game of the campaign.
Fiorentina vs Juventus preview
Here’s our preview of Saturday night’s Serie A clash between Fiorentina and Juventus.
How to Watch Fiorentina vs Juventus
When is kick-off? Saturday 21 May
What time is kick-off? 19:45 (BST)
Where is it played? Stadio Artemio Franchi
TV channel/live stream? BT Sport 1 (UK), Paramount+ (US)
Referee? N/A
Fiorentina Team News
Youssef Maleh misses out for the home side due to suspension, while Gaetano Castrovill is sidelined with a meniscus injury.
Otherwise, Vincenzo Italiano has a full complement of players to select from for Saturday’s all-important clash.
Juventus Team News
Firing 🆙 for the season’s finale, #FiorentinaJuve 🏃♂️ pic.twitter.com/qlckUTOPCt
— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) May 19, 2022
Leonardo Bonucci is poised to partner Matthijs de Ligt at centre-back with Chiellini unlikely to start after Monday’s farewell. Dybala, though, should keep his place in the XI on his final Bianconeri outing.
There are no fresh injury concerns with Danilo and Arthur Melo having joined Federico Chiesa, Kaio Jorge and Weston McKennie on the sidelines.
Mattia De Sciglio’s status for the game is unknown after he missed the draw with Lazio.
Fiorentina vs Juventus Predicted Lineups
Fiorentina: Terracciano; Venuti, Milenkovic, Igor, Biraghi; Torreira, Bonaventura, Duncan; Gonzalez, Cabral, Saponara.
Juventus: Szczesny; Cuadrado, Bonucci, De Ligt, Pellegrini; Miretti, Locatelli; Bernardeschi, Dybala, Kean; Vlahovic.
Fiorentina’s Recent Form
Sampdoria 4-1 Fiorentina (16/05) – Serie A
Fiorentina 2-0 AS Roma (09/05) – Serie A
Milan 1-0 Fiorentina (01/05) – Serie A
Fiorentina 0-4 Udinese (27/04) – Serie A
Salernitana 2-1 Fiorentina (24/05) – Serie A
Juventus’ Recent Form
Juventus 2-2 Lazio (16/05) – Serie A
Juventus 2-4 (AET) Inter Milan (11/05) – Coppa Italia
Genoa 2-1 Juventus (06/05) – Serie A
Juventus 2-1 Venezia (01/05) – Serie A
Sassuolo 1-2 Juventus (25/04) – Serie A
Prediction
Fiorentina have been in free-fall since they were beaten by Juventus in the Coppa Italia semi-finals. They’ve won just one of their last five in Serie A and they head into Saturday’s bout having been beaten 4-1 at Sampdoria last time out.
Vincenzo Italiano’s side have also tasted defeat to Salernitana and Udinese (4-0 at home!) down the stretch to hinder their push for Europe.
Their woeful run of form means that Saturday’s clash against Juve is do or die for La Viola. With Atalanta expected to beat Empoli this weekend, Fiorentina must beat the Bianconeri to secure a spot in Europe next season.
Italiano’s side have caused Allegri’s Juve issues this season, but they’ve lost all three of their encounters this season. Their inefficiency in the final third has cost them. However, I’m backing the home side to turn it around on Saturday night and earn a crucial victory. Juve are going through the motions, and I’m expecting a raucous Franchi to push the hosts to all three points.
Prediction: Fiorentina 2-1 Juve