Game Time Thread: Juventus vs. Fiorentina

Ah, Juventus vs. Fiorentina. What an interesting way to start out the month of December. What an even more interesting way to start out the final month of 2014 considering what Juventus' visit to the Stadio Artemio Franchi went like last season.

I won't talk about what went down 14 months ago in Florence. That was discussed enough in the match preview on this site and others around the grand old internet over the past few days. What I will talk about is the present day — and that involves the first meeting of two heated rivals which also kicks off one hell of an important month for Max Allegri's squad.

Playing well going into the Christmas break won't only give Juventus another round of bragging rights as winter champions, but also put them in position to continue their European journey in the Champions League. It all starts today. It also starts in less than 90 minutes or so.

Juventus vs. Fiorentina is the marquee of what is an interesting Serie A weekend. There are matchups that may cause upsets up and down the fixture. But there's one that everybody is looking at Friday night in Florence. That's Juventus against Fiorentina, with everything from last season being thrown in there to boot.

That's just how the schedule has stacked up.

And today, the first Friday in December, is the latest test for Allegri's boys in what will certainly be a huge five-day span for Italy's best team. It's not just the Champions League Juve need to focus on — and they definitely know that.

Starting lineups for both Juventus and Fiorentina will be posted RIGHT HERE when they become available. Will all those rumblings of Allegri temporarily going back to a 3-5-2 formation due to injuries prove to be actual truth? And will Kingsley Coman get the chance to unleash his super mohawk powers on La Viola? I personally think that would be cool.

UPDATE: LINEUPS ARE IN! RELEASE THE COMAN!

Juventus XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Pereyra, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Evra; Llorente, Coman

Juventus bench: Storari, Rubinho, Padoin, Mattiello, Marchisio, Pepe, Tevez, Giovinco, Morata

Fiorentina XI (3-5-2): Neto; Gonzalo Rodriguez, Savic, Basanta; Joaquin, Mati Fernandez, Pizarro, Borja Valero, Alonso; Gomez, Cuadrado

Fiorentina bench: Tatarusanu, Hegazi, Richards, Tomovic, Badelj, Aquilani, Lazzari, Kurtic, Vargas, Marin, Ilicic, Babacar

More from Black & White & Read All Over

Follow @JuventusNation Follow @SBNationSoccer

• Juventus vs. Fiorentina Preview: Round 14 — Back to the scene of the crime
• Everything is pointing toward Manolo Gabbiadini's future being away from Juventus
• It's time for Álvaro Morata to get his chance in Juventus' starting lineup — consistently
• OFFICIAL: Juventus rule out Kwadwo Asamoah for four months after knee surgery
• Report: Juventus close to signing Boca Juniors midfielder Tomas Pochettino