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The first time Juventus and Fiorentina played against one another this season back in early December, it was a rather drab and uneventful scoreless draw that saw both teams combine for only four shots on goal. Sounds absolutely thrilling, doesn't it? Yeah, makes you want to hunt down some highlights and relive for next couple of hours.
Luckily for all of us, we have something to watch instead.
Like, ya know, a game happening in real time, not some video on YouTube that will put you to sleep sooner rather than later because those highlights are not actually highlights. Tonight's first leg semifinal in the Coppa Italia will give us all a chance — at least in theory — to see good things actually happen between two of the teams inhibiting the top five of the Serie A standings at the moment.
Match Preview
Now, in order to play some good football, the obvious Coppa Italia question will be answered by Max Allegri in due time before kickoff. Allegri said at his pre-match press conference the following: "Tomorrow I'll be picking what I deem to be the best starting line-up for the game. Fiorentina are one of the league's in-form sides and Montella's teams always play decent football." What the "best starting lineup" will be is always a mystery when it comes to the Coppa italia. We know Paul Pogba will start because Allegri told us so on Wednesday.
Just how much squad rotation will there be? Probably a good amount. Not that I'm some kind of guy with inside information, it's just a logical guess based on the trend of the Coppa Italia and what Allegri has done in the competition so far this season. Sure, Juventus aren't playing Parma or Hellas Verona, but the schedule is relatively busy these days and if Allegri wants to do some major squad rotation, this is going to be one of the few legit chances he will get.
So there. Let there be squad rotation!
There's also a bit of history when it comes to Juventus playing Fiorentina at home in the Coppa italia, you know...
STAT: We have won three of our previous five #CoppaItalia games with the Viola played on home soil. #JuveFiorentina pic.twitter.com/37AflL85hu
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) March 5, 2015
Hey, whatever helps, right? Right!
Starting lineups for both Juventus and Fiorentina will be posted RIGHT HERE when they become available. Let there be goals, let there more importantly be Juventus goals, and let there more important than all the rest be Simone Padoin. Why? Because when he starts a game, Juventus wins. THAT IS NOT MADE UP, FOLKS. Check the internet because this is a vital piece of information that cannot be forgotten.
UPDATE: STARTING LINEUPS ARE IN!
Juventus XI (4-3-3): Storari; Cáceres, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Padoin; Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba; Pepe, Llorente, Coman
Juventus bench: Buffon, Rubinho, Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Chiellini, Evra, De Ceglie, Sturaro, Pereyra, Tevez, Morata, Matri
Fiorentina XI (4-3-3): Neto; Richards, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Basanta, Marcos Alonso; Aquilani, Badelj, Mati Fernandez; Joaquin, Mario Gomez, Salah
Fiorentina bench: TBA
