Game Time Thread: Juventus vs. Fiorentina

Just as the case was last Saturday in Ferrara, today could very well be Scudetto Day.

Let’s just hope that this Saturday doesn’t go something like last Saturday.

Or something like that.

Chance No. 2 for Juventus to clinch their eighth consecutive Scudetto comes this evening when Fiorentina makes their way to Allianz Stadium looking to avenge their early-December loss in Florence. For Juventus, it’s simple — just like it was last Saturday. All Max Allegri’s squad needs to do is not lose. A draw can do it. A win will obviously do it. Just as long as by the time the final whistle sounds, we’re not sitting here once again talking about how Juventus dropped points for the second consecutive league game.

A rather anticlimactic theme and way about things have surrounded the Serie A title “race” for weeks now. It’s been Juve’s title to lose all season long — especially the last couple of months when their lead has routinely been in the teens, sometimes even pushing (and going over) 20 points before Napoli plays that given day or weekend.

So that means, just like last weekend, Napoli’s result doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t. The title-clinching stipulation isn’t one that involves help from the team that has been in second place for much of the season. It’s in Juventus’ hands to get the job done once and for all — and that’s probably the way Max Allegri would want it over anything else.

Winning an eighth straight title will be special for this group even if it’s seemingly been inevitable for months. And it will seem like a little bit of the juice is out of it because of how big the Serie A lead is and what happened on this same Allianz Stadium field a few days ago in the Champions League against Ajax.

But, as you know, winning Serie A titles will never get old for the likes of Allegri and his players. Same goes for many of us even with as much of a relative slow trot to the finish line it has been. Either way, Scudetto No. 37 is almost done loading — and, if I’m going to be completely honest with you all, I don’t feel like writing this exact same thing for next weekend’s game thread when Juve plays Inter.

MATCH INFO

When: Saturday, April 20, 2019

Where: Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy

Official kickoff time: 6 p.m. local time in Italy and across Europe; 5 p.m. in the United Kingdom; 12 p.m. Eastern Time; 9 a.m. Pacific Time

STARTING LINEUPS

Juventus starting XI (4-3-3): Szczesny; Cancelo, Bonucci, Rugani, Alex Sandro; Emre Can, Pjanic, Matuidi; Cuadrado, Ronaldo, Bernardeschi

Juventus bench: Pinsoglio, Del Favero, Barzagli, De Sciglio, Spinazzola, Bentancur, Nicolussi Caviglia, Kean, Mavididi

Fiorentina starting XI (3-5-2): Lafont; Milenković, Pezzella, Ceccherini; Chiesa, Benassi, Veretout, Dabo, Hancko; Simeone, Mirallas

HOW TO WATCH

Television: RAI Italia America (United States); TLN, RAI Italia America (Canada); Premier Sports 1 (United Kingdom)

Online/mobile: ESPN+ (United States); DAZN (Canada); DAZN (Italy)

Other live viewing options can be found here, and as always, you can also follow along with us live and all the stupid things we say on Twitter. If you haven’t already, join the community on Black & White & Read All Over, and join in the discussion below.