Following a disappointing draw against Bologna, Juventus now turn their attention towards the Coppa Italia, as they prepare to host Fiorentina in the second leg of the Semi Finals.
Although the Tuscans dominated the play in the first leg, the Bianconeri escaped with the advantage thanks to a last-gasp own goal from Lorenzo Venuti.
Nevertheless, Wednesday’s second leg will be the decisive encounter, and Max Allegri’s men still have another tough 90 minutes or so to seal their ticket to the final.
So here are our three ways to victory for Juventus ahead of the cup clash.
Forget the Lead
Those who follow Italian football know the drill by now. When a team takes a slight lead in a crucial match, you can expect the players to revert to defending until the last gasp.
For his part, Allegri has been one of the advocate of this old tradition. But entering the match in the hopes of maintaining the advantage from the first leg would be a major mistake from our part.
While it’s true that Fiorentina haven’t been able to struck our goal this season, if we give them the initiative for an entire match, it could be third time’s the charm for them.
Juventus must simply play their game and try to score a goal that would cement their lead in the double-header.
Dusan’s Revenge
In Florence, Dusan Vlahovic was expectedly booed, insulted and provoked for the whole duration of the first leg. With his Bianconeri teammates failing to provide service, this spelled a toxic combination for the Serbian who put up a forgettable display upon his return to his old turf.
With the memory still fresh on his mind, the hitman will be eager to erase it by making his old supporters pay for their nasty behavior.
Backed by the black and white army in the stands, Vlahovic can be the one who decides the battle, but it will be up to his teammates to support his cause and provide him with some decent service this time.
Solidify the Flanks
With Vlahovic out of the picture, Fiorentina have become more reliant on their wing talent. From Nico Gonzalez on the right flank to Jonathan Ikoné or Riccardo Sapnonara on the left side supported by the underrated Cristiano Biraghi.
Therefore, Allegri would do well to solidify his flanks from a defensive standpoint to prevent the Tuscans from causing too much havoc from the wings.
