Wounded Juventus travel to Rome

Matchday 27 of Serie A brings a Sunday showdown between AS Roma and Juventus FC — a clash that could directly decide the final Champions League spot. The Giallorossi have a unique opportunity to push Juventus off the track for the UEFA Champions League and keep pace with SSC Napoli and Inter Milan, while the Bianconeri stand at a crossroads: rejoin the race for fourth place or enter a tense battle for a UEFA Europa League spot with Atalanta BC and Como 1907.

Everything revolves around one key question: how have Luciano Spalletti’s players psychologically handled their Champions League elimination, and how much have they recovered from the exhausting, nearly epic 120-minute battle with Galatasaray SK in Turin? History favors Juventus, but current form, recent results, league position, and the comfort of being satisfied with two out of three possible outcomes all tilt slightly toward Roma. The Old Lady has lost only one of the last 11 meetings with Roma, recording five wins and five draws. Moreover, in the last six matches against Roma on the banks of the Tiber, Juventus have left the field defeated only once.

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However, the hosts have taken seven of a possible nine points in their last three league matches, while Juventus have managed just one. At the Stadio Olimpico, Roma have gone six games unbeaten since losing to Napoli, winning five and drawing once (1–1 with AC Milan). By contrast, Juventus have returned empty-handed from two of their last three away matches. The schedule adds extra motivation for Roma not to play cautiously. Besides juggling two competitions — they remain in the Europa League race and will face Bologna FC 1909 in the Round of 16 — they also face a much tougher Serie A run-in. Gasperini, at least publicly, refuses to prioritize Serie A over the Europa League. He appears confident that his team can compete strongly on both fronts.

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Paulo Dybala has recovered from injury but is unlikely to start, while Matias Soule misses out entirely due to pubalgia. Roma are also without forwards Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson. Juventus will be without captain Manuel Locatelli (suspended) and injured Dusan Vlahovic. With Soule absent and Dybala not fully fit, Bryan Zaragoza is expected to get another start. A useful betting note: Roma rarely concede in the first 30 minutes. Mile Svilar has conceded just three goals in the opening half-hour this season — bettered only by the goalkeepers of Arsenal FC and Crystal Palace FC among Europe’s top five leagues.

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Roma rely heavily on their striker Donyell Malen. Since his debut in Round 21, the former Aston Villa FC player has scored five Serie A goals — the most in that span — while also leading in shots (30) and touches in the opposition penalty area (63). Juventus, meanwhile, look to Kenan Yildiz and the power of statistics. The Turkish talent has yet to score against Roma, but after a heroic display against Galatasaray, there is optimism he might finally break that taboo. Another boost is the return of Gleison Bremer, allowing Spalletti to revert to a back three. Notably, Lloyd Kelly performs significantly better alongside Bremer than as the dominant central defender. At the Olimpico, several intriguing duels await — starting with the French midfield battle between Manu Kone and Khephren Thuram. Mehmet Zeki Celik will also be under scrutiny, reportedly having a verbal agreement to join Juventus in June when his Roma contract expires. And then there is Svilar — Juventus’ top goalkeeping target for next season — provided, of course, that the Old Lady secure Champions League qualification.

SERIE A - MATCHDAY 27

Friday

Parma - Cagliari 1-1 (0-0)

/Oristanio 83 - Folorunsho 62/

Saturday

Como - Lecce 3-1 (3-1)

/Douvikas 18, Rodriguez 36, Kempf 44 - Coulibaly 13/

Verona - Napoli 1-2 (0-1)

/Akpa Akpro 64 - Hojlund 2, Lukaku 90+6/

Inter - Genoa 2-0 (1-0)

/Dimarco 31, Calhanoglu 70 pen/

Sunday

Cremonese - Milan 0-2 (0-0)

/Pavlovic 89, Leao 90+4/

17.00: (3.90) Sassuolo (3.60) Atalanta (2.00)

20.00: (2.85) Torino (2.95) Lazio (2.75)

22.45: (2.65) Roma (3.10) Juventus (3.00)

Monday

20.30: (4.00) Pisa (3.35) Bologna (2.05)

22.45: (3.25) Udinese (3.25) Fiorentina (2.40)

***odds are subject to change***