Game Time Thread: Juventus vs. Fiorentina

After a helter skelter run of games over the last month, Juventus is about to get a little bit of a break. Not because they’re playing a struggling side in Fiorentina. No, the break comes after the final fixture of the 2020 calendar year.

Juventus has just 90 minutes left of football to be played this year — which, based on how you feel about how 2020 has gone, can be a very good thing. It is tonight where Juve will host a Fiorentina side that has not won against Serie A opposition in nearly two months, and has been one of the more disappointing teams of the season that is currently on their second manager of the 2020-21 campaign.

Juventus. Struggling opponent.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

While we don’t know if Juventus will do to Fiorentina like they did to Parma over the weekend, but if there ever was a chance to pick up back-to-back impressive wins over bottom-of-the-table sides, this is it. Fiorentina have struggled to score goals this season, while Juventus seem to be finding some kind of form and slowly rounding into form under the direction of first-year manager Andrea Pirlo.

Pirlo wants to see his team build off what it’s done lately. So do we, really. It’s what we’ve been wanting to see all season whenever they play somewhat well.

Now, for the last time in 2020, we get to see if that happens and if Juventus can go into the Christmas break with some festive feelings a few days before all of the presents are opened and the players get some well-deserved time off. (Although, not much time off because this schedule is crazy and Juventus plays their next game in less than two weeks on Jan. 3.)

MATCH INFO

When: Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020

Where: Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy

Official kickoff time: 8:45 p.m. local time in Italy and across Europe; 7:45 p.m. in the United Kingdom; 2:45 p.m. Eastern Time; 11:45 a.m. Pacific Time

STARTING LINEUP

Juventus starting XI (4-4-2/3-5-2): Szczesny; Cuadrado, de Ligt, Bonucci, Alex Sandro; Chiesa, McKennie, Bentancur, Ramsey; Ronaldo, Morata

Juventus bench: Buffon, Pinsoglio, Chiellini, Danilo, Dragusin, Frabotta, Bernardeschi, Portanova, Kulusevski, Dybala, Da Graca

Fiorentina starting XI (3-5-2): Drągowski; Cáceres, Milenković, Pezzella, Igor, Biraghi; Valero, Amrabat, Castrovilli; Vlahović, Ribery

HOW TO WATCH

Television: TLN (Canada); Premier Sports 1 (United Kingdom); Sky Sport Serie A (Italy)

Online/mobile: ESPN+ (United States); DAZN (Canada); Premier Player HD (United Kingdom); Sky GO Italia, NOW TV (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.