The Allianz Stadium in Turin will host a midweek Serie A clash as Juventus welcome newly-promoted Parma on Wednesday evening. After an exhilarating 4-4 draw against Inter Milan in the Derby d’Italia, the Bianconeri aim to get back to winning ways and keep pace with league leaders Napoli. Meanwhile, Parma will be looking to cause an upset and climb further away from the relegation zone.
Juventus enter this fixture on the back of a thrilling 4-4 draw against Inter Milan at the San Siro. The Bianconeri showed tremendous resilience, coming back from 4-2 down to salvage a point thanks to a brace from teenage sensation Kenan Yildiz. This result extended Juventus’ unbeaten run in Serie A to six matches, though they have drawn four of those games.
Parma, on the other hand, come into this match after a disappointing 1-1 home draw against Empoli. The Gialloblu had a golden opportunity to secure all three points but Ange-Yoan Bonny missed a crucial penalty. This result leaves Parma just three points above the relegation zone, having won only once in their last eight league matches.
Dusan Vlahovic remains Juventus’ main goal threat and currently leads the Capocannoniere charts. The Serbian striker will be eager to add to his tally against Parma’s defense. Kenan Yildiz’s impressive cameo against Inter Milan might have earned him a starting berth, and the young Turk will be keen to score his first league goal at the Allianz Stadium.
For Parma, the attacking burden is more evenly distributed, with their last six goals coming from six different players. Ange-Yoan Bonny will be looking to make amends for his penalty miss, while the creative spark could come from any of Dennis Man, Matteo Cancellieri, Valentin Mihaila, or Pontus Almqvist.
Juventus have a formidable record against Parma, especially at home. The Bianconeri have scored in all 26 of their previous top-flight home games against the Gialloblu, averaging 2.5 goals per game. Moreover, Parma have won just one of their last 14 league matches against Juventus, suffering 10 defeats in the process.
Thiago Motta’s Juventus have been defensively solid this season, with the four goals conceded against Inter being as many as they had let in during their previous 10 league matches combined. The Bianconeri will likely look to control possession and create chances through their dynamic attacking players.
Parma, under Fabio Pecchia, will need to be defensively resolute and look to hit Juventus on the counter. Their recent goal-scoring record suggests they have multiple players capable of finding the net, which could be crucial in a tough away fixture.
Team News
Juventus manager Thiago Motta is expected to make some changes to the lineup that faced Inter Milan. Kenan Yildiz, who made a significant impact as a substitute, could be handed a start. The Bianconeri will still be without long-term absentees Bremer and Arkadiusz Milik, while summer signings Teun Koopmeiners and Nico Gonzalez remain doubtful. Douglas Luiz is also a slight concern due to a thigh issue.
For Parma, manager Fabio Pecchia has fewer injury concerns. The defensive duo of Yordan Osorio and Alessandro Circati are the only confirmed absentees, with Circati sidelined until next year following ACL surgery. Ange-Yoan Bonny is expected to lead the line despite his penalty miss against Empoli, while Dennis Man and Matteo Cancellieri are likely to retain their spots in the attacking trio.
Expected Starting XIs
Juventus: Di Gregorio; Savona, Kalulu, Gatti, Cabal; Thuram, Locatelli; Conceicao, Yildiz, Weah; Vlahovic
Parma: Suzuki; Coulibaly, Del Prato, Balogh, Valeri; Sohm, Bernabe; Man, Hernani, Mihaila; Bonny
Match Prediction
Given Juventus’ strong home record against Parma and the visitors’ struggles on the road, the Bianconeri are clear favorites. While Parma have shown they can compete against top sides, as evidenced by their victory over AC Milan earlier in the season, Juventus’ quality should shine through.
Expect Juventus to control the game and create numerous chances. Parma will likely set up defensively and try to frustrate the hosts, but the Bianconeri’s attacking talent should eventually break through. A 2-0 victory for Juventus seems a likely outcome, with Vlahovic and Yildiz potential goalscorers.
This match presents an opportunity for Juventus to close the gap on the league leaders and build momentum heading into a crucial part of the season. For Parma, even a point would be considered a positive result as they battle to establish themselves in Serie A following promotion.
Prediction: Juventus 2-0 Parma
