Fiorentina vs Juventus preview - Allegri aware of home threat

Posted Thursday, December 04, 2014 by PA

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri expects a stern test when he takes his side to Tuscany to face Fiorentina on Friday night.

The Bianconeri lost 4-2 at the Artemio Franchi stadium last season despite leading that game 2-0 after 65 minutes and are well aware that Fiorentina will be no pushovers.

"It's never easy to play in Florence," Allegri told the Italian media. "But we want to win this game.

"We are in good form but we will face a team that plays good football.

"Fiorentina have won their last two games and will be eager to give continuity to those results."

Juve are riding a six-match winning streak in all competitions.

Last weekend's 2-1 triumph over Torino in the city derby, courtesy of Andrea Pirlo's last-gasp winner, lifted the Bianconeri three points clear of Roma at the top of the Serie A standings.

A win on Friday would be a big boost in confidence for Juve ahead of next week's crucial Champions League Group A match against Atletico Madrid.

Allegri insists that his side, who need a point on Tuesday in Turin to join Atletico in the last 16 of Europe's elite club competition, are fully focused on the game in Florence.

"There are still five days left before our meeting with Atletico," he said. "Only after tomorrow's match will we be thinking about the Champions League."

Juve suffered a double blow this week with injured midfielders Kwadwo Asamoahb and Romulo ruled out for three months.

Allegri will also be without suspended defender Stephan Lichtsteiner this weekend.

Fiorentina head into the encounter on the back of last weekend's 4-0 triumph at Cagliari, their biggest win of the season.

The outcome was the Viola's third straight win in all competitions and lifted them to eighth in the standings, 15 points behind Friday's rivals.

"We are in good form but we know that Juve are the strongest team in Italy," Fiorentina defender Stevan Savic said. "We will try to get a positive result with the support of our fans."

Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella is set to field Mario Gomez, who ended his nine-month goalscoring drought at Cagliari, alongside Juan Guillermo Cuadrado in attack.