Following the back-to-back draws against Milan and Hellas Verona, Juventus have no other option but to return to winning this weekend when they travel to Lecce.
Luciano Spalletti’s men remain ahead of Roma and Como in the Champions League race, but the Giallorossi have reduced the deficit to a single point, while the Lariani are only three points behind and have a superior head-to-head.
Therefore, the Bianconeri cannot afford any more slip-ups, especially with only three rounds remaining.
Dusan Vlahovic & Jonathan David vying for a starting role
According to the latest updates from La Gazzetta dello Sport and Tuttosport, Spalletti has already figured out the bulk of the starting lineup, with only one spot left up for grabs.
The Juventus boss will have to decide who will lead the line: Dusan Vlahovic or Jonathan David.
The 67-year-old has been almost exclusively relying on the Canadian in recent months. Nevertheless, this has been a choice born out of necessity rather than conviction, with Lois Openda being the only other available alternative.
However, Vlahovic is slowly but surely regaining his optimal physical condition, and Spalletti could be tempted to field him, especially after equalising the scoring with a stunning freekick against Verona.
This would be the Serbian’s first start since sustaining a serious adductor injury in November.
The rest of the Juventus starting lineup should remain intact
While it remains to be seen who will spearhead the charge against Lecce, Kenan Yildiz and Francisco Conceicao should constitute the supporting crew.
The Turkish international has seemingly recovered from the knee inflammation that has been impeding him in recent weeks. Spalletti and the fans are thus expecting more from the 20-year-old, who looked out of sorts against Verona.
In the middle of the park, Manuel Locatelli should be fit enough to combine with Khephren Thuram, despite the captain’s recent physical struggles.
Weston McKennie and Andrea Cambiaso should take the wing-back roles, while Pierre Kalulu, Gleison Bremer, and Lloyd Kelly form up the backline in front of Michele Di Gregorio.
Juventus XI (3-4-2-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly; McKennie, Locatelli, Thuram, Cambiaso; Conceicao, Yildiz; Vlahovic (David).