Juventus and AS Roma clash in a crucial Serie A fixture on Saturday evening, with both sides eyeing a vital victory at the Allianz Stadium in Turin.
The contest marks Matchday 16 of the 2025-26 campaign, with the Bianconeri aiming to close the four-point gap separating them from the Giallorossi in fourth place.
Juventus will be looking to continue their good home form this season as they have yet to lose a match at home in Serie A this term, while AS Roma have won the most points away from home.
Juventus vs AS Roma – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 20th December
- Kick-off: 7:45pm BST
- Venue: Allianz Stadium, Torino
- Referee: Simone Sozza
- Last meeting: AS Roma 1-1 Juventus, Serie A, 6th April 2025
Juventus team news
Juventus face multiple injury issues heading into this showdown. Most prominently, striker Dusan Vlahovic has undergone surgery on his left adductor and will be sidelined until at least March, meaning he will miss a crucial stretch of fixtures, including the Roma clash. The absence of their top goalscorer forces Spalletti to choose between Jonathan David and Lois Openda, both of whom scored in recent Champions League victories over Bodo/Glimt and Pafos.
Defensively, Federico Gatti is ruled out after suffering a knee injury during the Coppa Italia victory over Udinese and will miss at least a month, while fellow centre-back Daniele Rugani is only recently returning from a calf strain that cost him four matches. Gleison Bremer has returned from a knee injury sustained in late September but is being eased back into action, meaning Juventus may turn to Lloyd Kelly or Pierre Kalulu in defence.
Midfielder Teun Koopmeiners will serve a one-match ban after accumulating his fifth yellow card in the previous round against Bologna, forcing Spalletti to reorganise his midfield. The Dutch midfielder’s absence represents a blow to Juventus’ midfield control, and his creative influence will be missed in a contest against defensively resolute Roma. However, Spalletti is reportedly implementing a tactical shift toward a hybrid 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 formation, with Weston McKennie expected to play a key role in midfield.
On a positive note, Kenan Yildiz remains available. The 20-year-old Turkish has been voted as Juventus’ November MVP. Francisco Conceicao is also fit and available to provide attacking impetus alongside Yildiz.
AS Roma team news
Artem Dovbyk could return on Saturday after missing four to six weeks with a muscle injury. His return would provide a significant boost to Gian Piero Gasperini’s attacking options, though initial reports suggested he may only be available for late December fixtures.
Neil El Aynaoui and defender Evan Ndicka are unavailable as they are away for the Africa Cup of Nations. Edoardo Bove is still suffering from a heart problem and will not be in the squad.
Wesley has overcome a contracture sustained in training and is fully available after missing a brief period. The Brazilian wing-back has been devastating on both flanks and was instrumental in Roma’s recent 1-0 victory over Como, where he scored the decisive goal assisted by Matias Soule.
Form
Juventus: WWLWW
The Bianconeri defeated Bologna 1-0 away in the previous Serie A round, a result that showcased their tactical discipline. Before that, Juventus claimed a comfortable 2-0 victory over Pafos in the Champions League. Juventus won five out of their last six games losing only against Napoli.
AS Roma: WLLWW
The Giallorossi secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory at home against Como on Monday, with Wesley netting the decisive goal in the 61st minute after assisting from Matias Soule. This result followed consecutive defeats to Cagliari and Napoli in the league but showcased Roma’s resilience and pragmatic approach to grinding out results.
The club boasts the league’s best defensive record with just eight goals conceded in 15 Serie A matches, and during 2025, Roma recorded 18 clean sheets across all competitions—the highest tally of any team in Europe’s top five leagues, surpassing Bayern Munich and Manchester City.
Predicted lineups
Juventus: Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly; McKennie, Locatelli, Thuram, Cambiaso; Conceicao, Yildiz; David
AS Roma: Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Hermoso; Wesley, Kone, Cristante, Rensch; Soule, Pellegrini; Ferguson
How to watch Juventus vs AS Roma?
In the UK, the fixture will be broadcast on DAZN’s free-to-air service.
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