Juventus vs Fiorentina – News and Probable Lineups

Juventus is just two victories away from securing a spot in the Champions League for next season, as they prepare to host Fiorentina in their last home fixture of the 2025-26 season on Sunday.

The gap between the second and fifth-placed teams in Serie A is merely three points, with Juve currently holding the third position ahead of the penultimate matchday.

Match overview

Entering a crucial phase in their quest to qualify for Europe’s premier competition, Juventus find themselves in a strong position to control their own fate.

Currently one point ahead of both AC Milan and Roma, who sit in fifth place – with Como trailing by two more points – Luciano Spalletti’s squad can achieve a top-four finish by winning their remaining matches.

Although they squandered numerous opportunities and faced criticism from their disappointed head coach, Juve managed to secure a 1-0 victory against Lecce last week, thanks to Dusan Vlahovic’s goal which came just 12 seconds into the match.

Remaining unbeaten in the last 11 games across all competitions, the Bianconeri also lead Europe’s top five leagues with the best defensive record over the past nine fixtures.

While their attacking play may not be as sharp, Juventus have only conceded twice in that timeframe, recording an impressive seven clean sheets.

With just one league defeat at home this season, Spalletti’s team will be confident of getting the job done on Sunday.

Historical records indicate that Juve should be the strong favorites, having lost only once in their last 17 home matches against Fiorentina; the only defeat occurred when Vlahovic netted for the Viola in a surprising 3-0 loss.

However, after losing three consecutive encounters without finding the net, Fiorentina has managed to remain unbeaten in the previous three fixtures between the two sides, including a 1-1 draw at home in November.

Having finally secured their safety in their last outing with a dreary goalless draw against Genoa, the supporters of the Tuscan side will demand full commitment against Juventus, one of their fiercest rivals.

Following a poor start to the 2025-26 season, Fiorentina shifted its focus from qualifying for Europe to merely avoiding relegation, and they have ultimately succeeded with two matches still to go.

With 25 points accumulated in the latter half of this season – a significant improvement of 12 points from the first half – they have recorded the most substantial rise in Serie A.

Head coach Paolo Vanoli, who has salvaged a team previously in the relegation zone since his arrival, is expected to depart, thus he will strive to finish on a positive note.

Nonetheless, after three draws and a heavy 4-0 defeat to Roma, Vanoli’s team heads to Turin seeking a win after failing to achieve victory in four matches since bowing out of the Conference League quarter-finals.

Team News

For Juventus, only Juan Cabal and Arkadiusz Milik are on the sidelines, meaning Spalletti might field a lineup very similar to the one that won at Lecce.

Having been a substitute at the Via del Mare, Khephren Thuram may replace Teun Koopmeiners in midfield, but no major changes are anticipated.

Recently back from a lengthy absence, Vlahovic has scored in consecutive matches; however, the former Fiorentina forward has not yet found the net in a league match against the Viola since his departure.

Supporting Vlahovic from the left wing, Kenan Yildiz remains Juve’s leading scorer in Serie A this season with 10 goals, despite facing knee inflammation recently.

On the other hand, Moise Kean may be sidelined for a return to Turin due to an ongoing shin issue.

In more favorable news for Vanoli, Kean’s replacement, Roberto Piccoli, has returned to full training, which means rookie striker Riccardo Braschi is likely to move back to the bench.

Juventus probable starting XI:

Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Thuram, Locatelli; Conceicao, McKennie, Yildiz; Vlahovic

Fiorentina probable starting XI:

De Gea; Dodo, Pongracic, Ranieri, Gosens; Beans; Parisi, Ndour, Mandragora, Solomon; Small

Both teams have achieved a total of 12 clean sheets in their last 18 Serie A encounters, suggesting a closely contested match may be in store.

While Juventus possesses more attacking options and a stronger incentive; Fiorentina, now mathematically safe and looking forward to the summer, has managed just one goal in four matches, highlighting their struggles.