Coppa Italia | Round of 16

Dec 17, 2024 at 8pm UK

Allianz Stadium

Juventus vs Cagliari

Match preview

Continuing an extraordinary trend of stalemate, Juventus have now drawn all four of their league games after Saturday's slip-up against bottom side Venezia.

Having previously shared points with AC Milan, Lecce and Bologna, the Bianconeri were held to a 2-2 draw by the Serie A bottom side at the weekend, with only a late equaliser from Dusan Vlahovic saving them.

Booed off the pitch at the final whistle by a sizeable section of their support, Juve have made their worst start on home soil since 1988, winning just three of nine top-flight games at the Allianz Stadium this season.

Although they are still unbeaten in domestic competition after 16 rounds, Thiago Motta's men have won just six times and sit nine points adrift of leaders Atalanta BC.

In the Champions League, however, things are going more smoothly, with Juventus beating Manchester City 2-0 last week to move up to 14th in the league standings - just two points adrift of the top eight with two games in hand.

With perhaps their best chance of winning silverware in the cup, Juve are back in the Coppa Italia for the first time since beating Atalanta in last season's final.

La Dea went on to win the Europa League a few days later and have since rocketed to the top of the Serie A standings with an impressive run of 10 straight wins, the last of which came at the expense of Cagliari.

Davide Nicola's side went down 1-0 on Saturday despite pushing hard for an equaliser after going behind midway through the second half, with both Yerry Mina and Leonardo Pavoletti seeing close-range headers saved by Marco Carnesecchi.

While Juventus will be hoping to stay in the Scudetto hunt - or at least finish in the top four - Cagliari, who sit just above the relegation zone, are involved in a multi-club battle at the foot of the table.

The Sardinians have only reached the Coppa Italia final once, in 1969, and have yet to lift the trophy, but having eliminated Carrarese and Cremonese in the previous rounds, they will be hoping to extend Juve's woes and reach the quarter-finals of this season's competition.

The winner of Tuesday's tie will face Empoli in February, with home advantage, so Nicola will be looking to cause a shock and set up a mouth-watering last-eight clash with his old club.

Recent Performance

Juventus form (all competitions):DDDDWD

Cagliari Coppa Italia form:WW

Cagliari form (all competitions):LDDWLL

Team News

Ahead of a high-pressure league clash with Monza, Thiago Motta - back on the bench after serving a touchline ban - could make several changes to his Juventus XI.

Big-money summer signings Douglas Luiz and Nico Gonzalez are both back from injury and could start on Tuesday, while the likes of Manuel Locatelli, Mattia Perin and Francisco Conceicao will be hoping to make their mark from the bench.

Dusan Vlahovic - Juve's top scorer this season with 11 goals in 19 games - could be rested despite the lack of alternatives.

The Serbian striker's deputy Arkadiusz Milik joins ACL victims Juan Cabal and Bremer on the sidelines, while it remains to be seen whether full-backs Andrea Cambiaso and Jonas Rouhi will recover in time to play.

In contrast to his counterpart, Cagliari coach Davide Nicola should have a full squad to choose from, although mercurial winger Zito Luvumbo, who twisted his ankle on Saturday, is a doubt.

Nicola will also have his eye on an upcoming visit to relegation rivals Venezia, so expect some rotation.

Possible starting lineup

Juventus possible starting lineup:

Perin; Danilo, Kalulu, Gatti, Rouhi; Luiz, Locatelli, Fagioli; Conceicao, Weah, Mbangula

Cagliari possible starting lineup:

Scuffet; Wieteska, Palomino, Obert; Azzi, Deiola, Marin, Felici; Viola; Lapadula, Pavoletti