A fantastically poised tie in Florence and it is time to back Juventus to continue their terrific domestic form.
The Serie A champions elect face Fiorentina having been held 1-1 on home soil in the first leg but are Italy’s standout side and can prove it on Thursday.
Europa League glory will be a priority following the disappointment of exiting the Champions League at the group stage and quite rightly the Turin team are favourites in the outright.
Juventus have failed to win just four matches all season in the Italian top flight and their upcoming opponents currently trail the leaders by a whopping 27 points.
That’s a massive gap but doesn’t underestimate the difference in quality between these two and Fiorentina are struggling of late also, despite their excellent result in the north last week.
A 3-1 win over Chievo was a first for Vincenzo Montella’s men in six outings on the weekend and they have generally struggled for goals.
Striker Guiseppe Rossi is once again sidelined with a long-term injury and his absence has been keenly felt by the hosts.
In contrast, Juventus just keep on rolling and have won each of their last three away matches, all without conceding.
Andrea Pirlo, still the main man, was the hero at Genoa last time out, netting the only goal of the game in the dying minutes, and Juventus’ playing style means they are equally adept at getting a positive result on their travels as they are in front of their own fans.
It’s just one defeat all term on the road, admittedly at this ground, and their patchy European form is easily ignored given the nature of this all-Italian clash.
At odds against, I can’t turn down the opportunity to back Juventus in a match they need to win and I expect them to progress.
2pts Back Juventus (vs. Fiorentina) @ 11/10 (various)