Bologna, Sassuolo, Atalanta. If Juventus win these three matches, they will clinch Scudetto, regardless of Roma’s results and before the difficult trip to the Italian capital in the penultimate match day of the season.

In the recent history, Bologna has not been the easiest match up for Juventus, which have won only one of the last four home games against Felsinei. Moreover, Bologna have scored for nine games in a row against Juventus in Turin. Bologna beat Juventus only once in the last 24 matches, but they are also the opponent Juventus drew most times at home (25).

Anyway, Bologna used to have a much stronger team than the current one. They are in shambles, but their experience might lead them to another permanence in Serie A and send Sassuolo and Livorno to Serie B. Selling Diamanti and not replacing him was one of the biggest managerial blunders in the recent years, because Alino was the franchise.

Bianchi, Cristaldo, Moscardelli and Acquafresca basically have not been able to score at all: they have combined for eight goal this season. They are the second worst attack in the League with only 27 goals scored and they have the second worst scoring ratio, with 8.2%. They have won only one of their last 10 Serie A games, they have collected only two points in the last five away matches and only a win in the last 11.

To put in perspective how bad Bologna are going this year: only in 1990-91 they had fewer points after 33 games. That year, they finished last and got relegated. Will it happen also this year? It wouldn’t be surprising. They are also in the middle of a heavy financial crisis: the president clearly wants to sell (it would be the fifth change of ownership since 2008), but there are no buyers.

As Ballardini stated, he has finally found the right hierarchy and a stable tactic. They use an ultra-defensive and physical 3-5-1-1. The back three is usually composed by Antonsson, Natali and Cherubin: very muscular and experienced, but not quick.

Morleo and Garics have the task to cover the whole flank. In the middle, they can rotate Friberg, Pazienza, Perez and Ibson in two spots, while the third one is reserved to Lazaros Christodoulopoulos, the unlikely hero of this season, who is the only real spark of this Bologna. His runs are extremely dangerous.

The always dangerous Kone (even though he has been better as second fiddle than as a leader) will play behind Cristaldo who has the task to press everybody, be a point of reference for long balls, track back and fight on every ball, which leaves him with little energy and lucidity when he is in the box.

Ballardini is a Serie A veteran and they play a very pragmatic style of football. They cross a lot, they play with width, they shot from distance, they play aggressively and most of the time they park the bus and counter. A classical low-table team.

Kone is a doubt for Saturday due to a muscolar injury. If he doesn’t recover, Ibson might play as CAM (with Friberg in the midfield), or they might use Cristaldo behind Acquafresca. There are very few chances that the other midfielder Khrin recovers.

They come from two good draws against Parma and Inter, but Juventus have won all games at home. Despite the absences of Bonucci and Lichsteiner (disqualified), if Juve find an early goal (Bologna are the team that concede the most in the first 15 minutes), this hurdle should not be too difficult to overcome.

UPDATE: Kone and Khrin have not been called up.