Udinese vs. Juventus: Issues and Decisions That Will Shape Serie a Game

Juventus excelled in January. Indeed, in their four Serie A fixtures in the first month of the year, the reigning Italian champions only dropped points in their draw with Internazionale.

Take their two cup victories into account, and the Bianconeri have outscored opponents by a staggering 16 goals to three in their six matches so far this year.

The latest of these saw a heavily rotated team edge past Parma in Wednesday’s Coppa Italia quarter-final.

Boss Massimiliano Allegri has managed the squad superbly, despite numerous injuries. The Juventus coach has done well to give rest to some of the star names at his disposal, and that could prove hugely beneficial down the line.

However, Allegri faces fresh concerns coming into Sunday’s game, with Arturo Vidal set to miss the contest and Claudio Marchisio suspended due to his accumulation of yellow cards.

It was announced on Thursday via the club’s official website that the Chilean was “suffering a sprained right knee.” However, a scan “ruled out any serious damage.” In any case, those two key absences in midfield will give the Juve boss plenty to consider as he prepares to face an Udinese team who sit in eighth place.

Already 22 points behind the Bianconeri, Andrea Stramaccioni has overseen just one win in his side’s last seven games, and they face a difficult run of fixtures in February. Following Juve’s visit to the Stadio Friuli, Udinese take on Napoli away and then Lazio at home in a challenging period for the former Inter coach.

Over the following pages is a look at the issues and decisions that are likely to decide Sunday’s result, looking at what it will take for Juventus to emerge with another victory as they seek a fourth successive league title. 

Marshalling Antonio Di Natale

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While reducing any side to just one player is difficult, that is becoming increasingly the case for Udinese with Antonio Di Natale. The 37-year-old has netted nine times in 2014-15, adding two assists. The team have struggled to find goals elsewhere, with only eight teams in Serie A scoring fewer times.

After a poor run of form, Juventus have registered three consecutive clean sheets, the defence returning to the dominant force it was earlier in the campaign. They will need to be at their best to contain Di Natale, but doing so is well within their capabilities. 

Selection Dilemma in Juventus Midfield

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Obviously the loss of Marchisio and Vidal presents a dilemma for Allegri, with Kwadwo Asamoah’s continued absence compounding the issue. The Ghanaian has yet to return to the side following surgery late last year, and Luca Marrone’s loan switch to Cordoba further reduces the options available.

The coach will still be able to call upon Andrea Pirlo and Paul Pogba, but if he were to continue with his 4-3-2-1 formation, he would need two more players to fill the midfield roles. Roberto Pereyra has proven to be an able deputy, while Simone Padoin and Simone Pepe are also worth consideration.

Allegri may opt to switch back to a back three as a temporary measure, with the solidity of that framework tried and tested over the last three years. 

Can Udinese Stop Paul Pogba?

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Despite the selection problem facing Allegri and Juventus in midfield, it is still the area of the pitch where the Bianconeri are most likely to cause problems for Udinese.

Paul Pogba will be central to that, clearly hitting a rich vein of form by scoring in each of his last four starts for the club. 

Searching for Goals in Attack

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While Juve’s recent record has been quite prolific, the continued struggles of Fernando Llorente have become cause for concern in Turin.

The Spanish striker has scored just once since November, and his issues were discussed at length in this column earlier in the week.

Carlos Tevez—who scored one goal and created the other when these sides met in September—continues to shoulder the burden in attack, and Juventus need to get their other front men firing before the Champions League recommences later this month.