The 180th Derby della Mole takes center stage in Serie A this weekend as Juventus host city rivals Torino at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday evening. The Old Lady will be aiming to extend their remarkable unbeaten run against their neighbours, while Torino desperately need a result to arrest their recent slide down the table.
Juventus enter the derby in solid if unspectacular form under new manager Thiago Motta. The Bianconeri remain the only undefeated side in Serie A after 11 matches, though their six draws have left them in 6th place, already trailing the league leaders by several points.
Most recently, Juve fought back for a 1-1 draw away to Lille in the Champions League on Tuesday, with Dusan Vlahovic netting his 50th goal for the club from the penalty spot. That result keeps them in contention to progress from the group stage, but Motta will be eager to see his side turn draws into wins more consistently.
The Old Lady’s defensive solidity has been their calling card so far this campaign. They have conceded just 7 goals in 11 league matches, keeping 6 clean sheets in the process. At the other end, Vlahovic leads the line with 6 Serie A goals, while young talents like Kenan Yildiz and Nicolo Savona have shown flashes of their potential.
Juventus are unbeaten in their last 18 Turin derbies dating back to 2015, winning 13 of those encounters. Another victory on Saturday would extend that run to a record 19 matches without defeat against their local rivals.
While Juventus have made steady progress under their new coach, it’s been a different story across town for Torino. After a bright start under Paolo Vanoli, the Granata have hit a major slump in recent weeks that has seen them slide down to 10th in the table.
Torino have lost 5 of their last 6 Serie A matches, including three straight defeats heading into the derby. Their most recent outing saw them fall 1-0 at home to Fiorentina last weekend. More concerningly, Vanoli’s men have failed to score in their last two league games.
The loss of captain and top scorer Duvan Zapata to a season-ending injury has been a major blow to Torino’s attack. Without the Colombian striker leading the line, goals have dried up for the Granata. Young forward Alieu Njie has shown promise but lacks experience at this level.
Defensively, Torino have also struggled mightily of late. They’ve conceded 10 goals in their last 6 league matches and have allowed the most shots of any team in Serie A this season. Facing Juventus’ stingy backline, Torino will need to rediscover their scoring touch to have any chance in the derby.
The midfield battle will be crucial, with Juventus’ Manuel Locatelli looking to dictate play against Torino’s energetic duo of Samuele Ricci and Nikola Vlasic. Out wide, Juve’s Chico Conceicao will aim to exploit spaces behind Torino wing-back Valentino Lazaro.
Up front, Dusan Vlahovic will fancy his chances against a shaky Torino backline. At the other end, Antonio Sanabria will need to be clinical with any opportunities that come Torino’s way against Juve’s miserly defense.
Team News
Juventus will be without center back Bremer, who was recently ruled out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury. However, captain Danilo returns from suspension to bolster the defense. Douglas Luiz is also back in contention after recovering from injury, though Nico Gonzalez and Arkadiusz Milik remain sidelined.
Thiago Motta may rotate his squad after the midweek European fixture. Tim Weah, Weston McKennie and Nicolo Savona are all pushing for starts after impressing off the bench recently.
For Torino, striker Che Adams faces a late fitness test after picking up a thigh strain last weekend. If he’s unavailable, teenager Alieu Njie could partner Antonio Sanabria up front. Ivan Ilic is in contention to make his first start since returning from injury, but Duvan Zapata and Perr Schuurs remain long-term absentees.
Expected Starting XIs
Juventus: Di Gregorio; Savona, Kalulu, Gatti, Cambiaso; Locatelli; Conceicao, McKennie, Koopmeiners, Yildiz; Vlahovic
Torino: Milinkovic-Savic; Coco, Maripan, Masina; Pedersen, Ilic, Ricci, Vlasic, Lazaro; Njie, Sanabria
Match Prediction
Given the contrasting form and fortunes of the two sides, it’s difficult to see past a comfortable Juventus victory. The Old Lady’s defensive solidity should prove too much for Torino’s struggling attack. Expect Juve to control possession and create chances, with Vlahovic likely to get on the scoresheet.
Prediction: Juventus 3-0
