Juventus vs. Cagliari: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream and TV Info

This weekend could prove a strange one for Juventus, with a number of issues combining to lend a surreal air to their Serie A fixture with Cagliari. Foremost among the issues is, of course, the fact that the Bianconeri clinched the league title last week against Sampdoria, rendering this fixture a dead rubber from their perspective.

Secondly—and perhaps even more significantly—it comes sandwiched between the two legs of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid. As discussed in this previous column, Italian football’s grand Old Lady holds the slenderest of margins thanks to Tuesday’s 2-1 victory in Turin.

The final noteworthy issue will come in the stands, with the Curva Sud closed for two matches following crowd problems at last month’s Turin derby. According to their official website, Juventus will instead allow 9,500 youngsters to fill those seats, taking part in an educational programme provided by the club.

Amid these strange circumstances, Massimiliano Allegri is likely to heavily rotate the starting XI, looking to rest his stars ahead of Wednesday’s trip to the Spanish capital. As such, it will be a very different looking Bianconeri side who take to the field against Cagliari, only adding to the odd air surrounding this match.

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Date: Saturday, May 9, 2015

Time: 6 p.m. CET (5 p.m. BST/12 p.m. EDT)

Venue: Juventus Stadium, Turin

TV Info: BT Sport 1 (U.K. delayed), BeIn Sports (U.S. delayed)

Live Stream: BeIn Sports Connect (U.S.)

Form Lines

Last five domestic results:

Parma 1-0 Juventus	Genoa 2-0 Cagliari
Juventus 2-0 Lazio	Cagliari 0-3 Napoli
Torino 2-1 Juventus	Fiorentina 1-3 Cagliari
Juventus 3-2 Fiorentina	Chievo 1-0 Cagliari
Sampdoria 0-1 Juventus	Cagliari 4-0 Parma

Predicted Lineups

Juventus: (4-3-2-1): Storari; Padoin, Bonucci, Ogbonna, De Ceglie; Pereyra, Sturaro, Marchisio; Pepe, Coman; Matri

Cagliari: (4-3-1-2): Brkic; Pisano, Ceppitelli, Diakite, Avelar; Ekdal, Crisetig, Donsah; Cossu; Cop, Farias

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Player to Watch

Given Allegri is almost certain to field a largely reserve lineup, it is perhaps one of Juve’s lesser-known talents who will come to the fore on Saturday. Roberto Pereyra could well be that man. Overlooked in favour of Stefano Sturaro against Real Madrid, the Argentinian could well take to the field with a point to prove.

On the surface, the coach’s decision to go with the more defensive option was the right one, but Pereyra has proven this season that he can be vital in the biggest matches. His ability on the ball provides an attacking weapon no other player at the club possesses, making him deadly on the counter-attack.

That could well be essential at the Estadio Bernabeu, where the reigning European champions need a goal, which in turn means the Bianconeri must score themselves. Look for Pereyra to make his case for a start in that match by shining in this one.

Key Battle

Given the gulf in quality between these two sides, visiting goalkeeper Zeljko Brkic can expect a torrid evening at Juventus Stadium. Only rock-bottom club Parma (66) have conceded more goals than Cagliari, and this fixture pits them against the league’s best attack with Juventus netting on 64 occasions.

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The Serbian will no doubt be relieved that Carlos Tevez, Alvaro Morata and Fernando Llorente are unlikely to start, but the players the Bianconeri do field in attack are likely to be hungry for goals. Kingsley Coman and Alessandro Matri are expected to get the nod, with both seeking to show they deserve to feature more regularly.

Neither man has scored a Serie A goal for the Turin giants this term, but both have made telling contributions elsewhere. Matri tallied seven goals and five assists for Genoa before returning to Juve in January and struck as the Bianconeri overcame Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia semi-final.

Coman has also netted in the same competition but would love to open his league account as the club celebrate their title win in front of a home crowd.

Odds (via Odds Shark)

Away win: 151/20

Home win: 50/143

Draw: 199/50