Serie A Saturday: Juventus seek form at Franchi, Palladino debuts | OneFootball

With the last break for national teams behind us before the World Cup playoffs, Serie A returns to the spotlight with a Saturday full of decisive clashes, especially for coaches who need to make an immediate impact.

Serie A, a Thrilling Saturday: Juventus Searching for Identity at the Franchi, Palladino Debuts in Naples

The twelfth matchday kicks off at 3 PM with Cagliari-Genoa and Udinese-Bologna, then heats up with Fiorentina-Juventus at 6 PM and Napoli-Atalanta at 8:45 PM.

Fiorentina–Juventus, 6 PM

A match that goes beyond the three points, marked by a historic rivalry and a technical condition that demands urgent responses. Luciano Spalletti's Juventus faces its first real test of maturity after the victory in Cremona and the home draws with Sporting and Torino. The coach has repeatedly emphasized to the team: “We need to show that Juve is a complete team, not just competitive.”

On the other side, Paolo Vanoli faces a steep mountain: last place in the standings, zero wins, and an environment demanding immediate signs of change. In Florence, the coach clarified his goal: “We start again with sacrifice and organization, only then can we rise again.”

Probable lineups Juventus (3-4-3): Kalulu, Gatti, Koopmeiners; Cambiaso, Locatelli, Thuram, McKennie; Yildiz; either Vlahovic or Openda; either Conceição or Kostic. Fiorentina (3-4-2-1): Pongracic, Pablo Marì, Ranieri; Dodò, Mandragora, Sohm, Nicolussi Caviglia, Fortini; Gudmundsson; Kean.

Napoli–Atalanta, 8:45 PM

The Maradona hosts a match full of significance. Antonio Conte's Napoli must react to the defeat in Bologna and regain immediate confidence. After days of internal discussions, the coach has asked the team for maximum cohesion: “We need a strong response, we must show that we still believe in the journey.”

Atalanta, on the other hand, starts a new cycle with the official debut of Raffaele Palladino, determined to present himself with balance and courage: “Entering the Maradona is a privilege. We will try to leave with a result that gives confidence.”

Probable lineups Napoli (3-4-3): Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Juan Jesus; Lobotka, McTominay; Politano, Hojlund, Neres. Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Hien, Kossounou, Ahanor; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Zalewski; De Ketelaere, Lookman; Scamacca.

Cagliari–Genoa, 3 PM

Genoa is looking for an away win that would ease the pressure of the standings. De Rossi, confident in the work done during the break, asks the team for greater clarity in the final thirty meters. Possible 3-4-2-1 with Martin and Vitinha behind Colombo.

Cagliari, after a good draw in Como, might respond with a similar setup, relying on a trident composed of Gaetano, Borreli, and Esposito.

Udinese–Bologna, 3 PM

Bologna continues to chase the dream of the top, just three points away. Italiano continues with his 4-2-3-1, focusing on the return of Ravaglia and the creativity of the Orsolini-Odgaard-Dominguez trio behind Castro.

Runjaic's Udinese, faithful to the 3-5-2, relies on the offensive duo Davis-Zaniolo, with the former Roma player seeking confirmation after his first goals of the season.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.