Match Coverages
Match preview: Juventus aim for victory against Sassuolo to keep European dreams alive
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Juventus are hoping to secure three crucial points on Sunday as they take on Sassuolo in their latest Serie A match.
Currently sitting in seventh place and facing a points deduction, the Italian giants are still vying for a spot in European football next season.
However, following a recent loss to Lazio, Juventus have some ground to make up. Their opponents, Sassuolo, have had a mixed run of form, with one point from their last two games after a four-match winning streak.
In a bid to bounce back from their recent league defeat, Juventus secured a 1-0 win over Sporting in the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday, putting one foot in the semi-finals.
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Although goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was withdrawn due to chest pains, his replacement, Mattia Perin, made several smart saves to preserve the win.
While Juventus’ Coppa Italia semi-final tie against Inter remains in the balance, winning either the Coppa Italia or the Europa League may be the team’s best route back into European competition.
Currently, they sit four points shy of the top six in the Serie A standings, having been docked 15 points in January.
Juventus have won five of their last six visits to the Mapei Stadium and beat Sassuolo 3-0 in August’s reverse fixture.
However, Sassuolo has won three of their last four meetings with opponents inside the league’s top seven, with three wins out of five home fixtures during the second part of the season.
Paul Pogba is available for selection on Sunday after his latest substitute appearance on the road to recovery, while Domenico Berardi’s participation for Sassuolo is in doubt due to an adductor problem.
Juventus will be without Alex Sandro due to suspension, Mattia De Sciglio and Moise Kean who are absent due to injuries, and it remains to be seen whether Szczesny will return to the goal post, but it’s very likely that Mattia Perin will start from the beginning.