Juventus & Lazio Combined XI: Only Three Aquile Made the Cut | OneFootball

Ahead of Sunday’s big showdown between Juventus and Lazio, it’s time to take a closer look at the two squads and how they compare to one another.

While the Turin-based giants no longer possess the same starpower that has long been associated with the club, they still host one of the most expensive squads in the country. On the contrary, the Biancocelesti have been systematically detaching themselves from top players over the past few years and replacing them with unsung newcomers.

Therefore, Juventus expectedly dominate the combined XI between the two clubs, but three Lazio stars were able to sneak in.

Juventus & Lazio Combined XI (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Ivan Provedel (Lazio)

With 11 clean sheets in 23 appearances, Provedel would get the nod over almost any other Serie A goalkeeper, including Michele Di Gregorio, who has been solid this season, but still not quite world-class.

Right-Back: Pierre Kalulu (Juventus)

This is a relatively easy pick, as the omnipresent Kalulu has been solid and reliable at the back, and has also been showing massive improvement in the attacking phase. Adam Marusic never stood a chance.

Right Centre-Back: Gleison Bremer (Juventus)

Lazio have a solid defender in Mario Gila, but when he’s fully healthy, Bremer is arguably the best defender in Serie A.

Left Centre-Back: Alessio Romagnoli (Lazio)

This was probably the most razor-tight call, as Lloyd Kelly has been fundamental for Luciano Spalletti’s team this season. However, Maurizio Sarri would tell you that Alessio Romagnoli is the one player Lazio can’t do without, although they tried to sell him last week.

Left-Back: Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus)

Cambiaso has been enduring a torrid campaign by his standards, but he remains an upgrade on the average Luca Pellegrini and the struggling Nuno Tavares.

Defensive Midfielder: Manuel Locatelli (Juventus)

Last season, Nicolo Rovella would have been selected at the expense of the Juventus captain. But with the Lazio Regista out of action since the start of the season, and Locatelli elevating his game under Spalletti, it becomes a rather obvious choice.

Right Central Midfielder: Weston McKennie (Juventus)

Perhaps there could have been a debate had Matteo Guendouzi been around, but McKennie has been superb this season. He can almost play anywhere on the pitch, but we’ll field him in his original role.

Left Central Midfielder: Khephren Thuram (Juventus)

Khephren Thuram has already established himself as one of the finest box-to-box midfielders in the league, while Kenneth Taylor still has a long way to go.

Right Winger: Francisco Conceicao (Juventus)

While it remains to be seen if the Portuguese winger will be fit enough to play on Sunday, he certainly is a better option than Matteo Cancellieri and Gutav Isaksen.

Striker: Kenan Yildiz (Juventus)

Juventus and Lazio have both been lacking a consistent goal threat upfront, even though Jonathan David has been showing improving signs. With nine strikes to his name, Kenan Yildiz is the leading goal-scorer among the two clubs, which justifies his selection as a centre-forward

Left Winger: Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio)

Truth be told, Yildiz was shifted to the central role because it would have been criminal to leave the Lazio captain out of the lineup. Sadly, he will miss the contest due to an injury.

Provided by Lineup Builder