Juventus look to close the gap at the top against familiar victim

Juventus return to Serie A action on Monday night as they begin the second half of the season at home to Cremonese, still hovering on the edge of the Scudetto conversation but firmly focused on maintaining their upward momentum.

The Bianconeri arrive in confident mood after a commanding midweek victory away at Sassuolo, a result that underlined their steady resurgence after a brief stumble against Lecce. That 1–1 draw denied them a fifth consecutive league win, but Juve wasted no time in responding. They struck early in Reggio Emilia and controlled proceedings throughout, rarely allowing Sassuolo a route back into the contest.

Jonathan David’s long-awaited league goal proved the highlight, as the Canadian forward put a frustrating scoring drought behind him and helped seal a convincing 3–0 triumph. The strike offered some redemption following his costly missed penalty in the previous round.

David's redemption brings Juve a win over Sassuolo

Under the guidance of experienced head coach Luciano Spalletti — whose current deal runs out at the end of the campaign — Juventus have pieced together an impressive run, winning eight of their last ten matches in all competitions. While talk of a title push has not been discouraged, the club’s primary objective remains a top-four finish and a return to Champions League football.

Juventus’ formidable home record only strengthens their case for another positive result. They are unbeaten in 13 league games in Turin and boast a perfect historical record against Cremonese on home soil. Indeed, Cremonese have lost all eight of their Serie A visits to Juve, conceding 23 goals and scoring just three.

The Lombardy outfit have managed only four points from 17 top-flight meetings overall, including a narrow 2–1 defeat in the reverse fixture earlier this season. Recent form offers little encouragement either, leaving head coach Davide Nicola searching for solutions.

Losses to Napoli and Torino, coupled with a scoreless draw against Lazio, were followed by a setback against struggling Fiorentina at the turn of the year. Most recently, Cremonese let a commanding position slip at home to Cagliari, surrendering a two-goal lead despite first-half efforts from Dennis Johnsen and Jamie Vardy.

Class is permanent: Vardy is Serie A 'Player of the Month' for November

Although that match ended a lengthy goal drought, the draw left Cremonese with just two points from their last five league outings. They remain comfortably mid-table, but their inability to score in any of their previous three away games makes the challenge of upsetting Juventus in Turin an imposing one.

Juventus may still be without Francisco Conceicao, who was sidelined earlier in the week, while Dusan Vlahovic, Daniele Rugani and Federico Gatti continue their recovery. Cremonese are expected to rely on Vardy and Federico Bonazzoli in attack, with Johnsen pushing for another start after his goal against Cagliari — though Nicola could opt for a more cautious setup by reinforcing the midfield.

SERIE A - MATCHDAY 20

Saturday

Como - Bologna 1-1 (0-0)

/Baturina 90+4 - Cambiaghi 49/

Udinese - Pisa 2-2 (2-1)

/Kabasele 19, Davis 40 pen - Tramoni 13, Meister 67/

Roma - Sassuolo 2-0 (0-0)

/Kone 76, Soule 79/

Atalanta - Torino 2-0 (1-0)

/De Ketelaere 13, Pasalic 90+5/

Sunday

Lecce - Parma 1-2 (1-0)

/Stulic 1 - Gabriel 64 og, Pellegrino 72/

Fiorentina - Milan 1-1 (0-0)

/Comuzzo 66 - Nkunku 90/

Verona - Lazio 0-1 (0-0)

/Nelsson 79 og/

Inter - Napoli 2-2 (1-1)

/Dimarco 9, Calhanoglou 73 pen - McTominay 26, 81/

Monday

20.30: (2.10) Genoa (3.20) Cagliari (3.80)

22.45: (1.25) Juventus (5.70) Cremonese (13.0)

***odds are subject to change***