Juventus will hope to keep their good form going when they travel to Parma on Sunday evening.

Juventus arrive in Emilia-Romagna on Sunday night carrying the momentum of one of their most emphatic performances of the season, as Parma attempt to halt a slide that has left them uncomfortably close to the Serie A danger zone.

The Bianconeri sent a clear message last weekend by dismantling reigning champions Napoli 3-0 in Turin, a result that underlined the growing authority of Luciano Spalletti’s side. That victory came just days before Juventus wrapped up their UEFA Champions League league-phase campaign with a goalless draw away to AS Monaco, a result that denied them automatic qualification to the last 16, but still ensured progression into the knockout play-offs, where Galatasaray now await.

Europe will return soon enough, but Juventus’s immediate focus remains domestic. A demanding run lies ahead, with a Coppa Italia quarter-final and league clashes against Lazio and Inter Milan still to come. Before that sequence begins, this trip to Parma represents an opportunity to consolidate their revival and maintain pressure on the teams above them.

The win over Napoli was another step forward in what has been a quietly impressive turnaround. Since Spalletti’s arrival in Turin, Juventus have become one of Serie A’s most balanced sides. No team has conceded fewer goals in the league during that period, just eight across 13 matches, while only two sides have scored more.

The combination of defensive control and attacking efficiency has propelled Juve back into the Champions League conversation, leaving them just one point adrift of AS Roma and Napoli in the race for the top four. History also favours the visitors. Juventus have won 11 of their last 17 Serie A meetings with Parma, including a comfortable 2-0 victory on the opening day of the season. That match already hinted at the challenges Parma would face upon returning to the top flight.

Five months on, those fears have largely materialised. Parma sit on 23 points, part of a congested cluster hovering just six points above the relegation zone. Goals have been particularly hard to come by. The Gialloblu are the league’s second-lowest scorers and head into this fixture having failed to find the net in their last three matches.

A heavy 4-0 defeat away to Atalanta last time out only deepened concerns, following consecutive goalless draws against Napoli and Genoa. While Carlos Cuesta’s side have shown defensive organisation at times, their attacking limitations have repeatedly undermined them, with an overreliance on leading scorer Mateo Pellegrino leaving them short of ideas when he is nullified.

Stadio Tardini has offered little sanctuary either. Parma have won just twice in 11 home league games this season, and with daunting fixtures against Juventus, AC Milan, and Bologna looming in February, confidence is fragile. Repeating last season’s memorable home win over Juve would require a dramatic shift in form. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how the clubs could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.

Team News & Tactics

Parma Calcio 1913

Parma’s preparations continue to be shaped by personnel shortages, particularly in key areas of the pitch. Their attacking burden still falls heavily on Mateo Pellegrino, who has scored six of Parma’s 14 Serie A goals this season, accounting for 43% of the team’s total output. That statistic underlines both his importance and the lack of alternative scoring threats available to Carlos Cuesta.

In terms of squad availability, Parma remain without several first-team players. Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki is sidelined through injury, while Pontus Almqvist, Lautaro Valenti, Abdoulaye Ndiaye, and Matija Frigan also remain unavailable. On a more positive note, midfield reinforcements Hans Nicolussi Caviglia and Franco Carboni have arrived on loan and could feature in some capacity, depending on match fitness and tactical needs.

From a tactical perspective, Parma are expected to line up in a 3-5-2 formation, designed to offer defensive protection while allowing width through the wing-backs. Edoardo Corvi is likely to start in goal, shielded by a back three consisting of Enrico Delprato on the right, Alessandro Circati centrally, and Mariano Troilo on the left.

The wing-back roles should be occupied by Sascha Britschgi on the right and Lautaro Valenti on the left, both tasked with tracking Juventus’s wide threats while supporting attacks in transition.

In midfield, Adrian Bernabe is expected to dictate play from deeper areas, supported by Mandela Keita for ball recovery and physical presence, with Oliver Sorensen offering balance and distribution. Up front, Jacob Ondrejka is likely to partner Mateo Pellegrino, with the latter serving as Parma’s primary outlet and penalty-box presence as they look to threaten Juventus on the break.

Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Corvi; Delprato, Circati, Troilo; Britschgi, Bernabe, Keita, Sorensen, Valenti; Ondrejka, Pellegrino

Juventus

Juventus travel to Parma with relatively few fitness concerns, a welcome position as their schedule intensifies across multiple competitions. Daniele Rugani remains unavailable, while Dusan Vlahovic is still sidelined through injury. Long-term absentee Arkadiusz Milik continues his rehabilitation and will not feature.

Beyond those three, Luciano Spalletti has a largely settled squad to choose from, and there are no suspension issues affecting the Bianconeri for this fixture. Spalletti rotated heavily in midweek, handing rare starts to Mattia Perin, Juan Cabal, and Lois Openda, but several established starters are expected to return at Stadio Tardini.

Club captain Manuel Locatelli, creative fulcrum Kenan Yildiz, and versatile full-back Andrea Cambiaso are all in line to reclaim their places in the starting XI. Yildiz, in particular, arrives in excellent form; his goal against Napoli took him to eight Serie A strikes this season, already surpassing his total from the previous campaign. He also ranks among the league’s elite for attacking involvement, sitting second for both touches in the opposition box and successful take-ons.

Further forward, Jonathan David remains a key figure in Juventus’s attack. The forward, who scored in the reverse fixture against Parma, has found renewed confidence away from home, registering three goal involvements across his last three Serie A away matches after failing to contribute in his first eight on the road this season.

Tactically, Juventus are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, offering balance between defensive security and attacking fluidity. Michele Di Gregorio is set to start in goal, protected by a back four of Pierre Kalulu at right-back, Gleison Bremer as the central defensive leader alongside Lloyd Kelly, and Andrea Cambiaso operating from left-back.

In midfield, Manuel Locatelli is likely to anchor the double pivot, partnered by Khephren Thuram, whose athleticism and ball-carrying ability add dynamism through the centre. The attacking midfield line should feature Francisco Conceicao on the right, Weston McKennie in a central supporting role, and Kenan Yildiz drifting in from the left, giving Juventus creativity, pressing intensity, and goal threat behind the striker.

Finally, leading the line, Jonathan David is expected to operate as the lone centre-forward, tasked with stretching Parma’s back three and converting the chances created by Juventus’ fluid attacking unit.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, McKennie, Yildiz; David

Key Stats

• Juventus have conceded just eight goals in Serie A since Luciano Spalletti took charge, the best defensive record in the league over that period.
• Parma are the second-lowest scorers in Serie A, with only 14 goals this season.
• Mateo Pellegrino has scored 43% of Parma’s league goals.
• Juventus have won 11 of their last 17 Serie A meetings with Parma, including a 2–0 victory in Turin earlier this season.
• Parma have recorded just two wins from 11 home league matches.

Player to Watch

Kenan Yildiz

Embed from Getty Images

Yildiz continues to be one of the driving forces behind Juventus’s resurgence, and Sunday’s trip to Parma offers another opportunity for the young attacker to showcase his growing influence. Operating primarily from the left side of the attacking midfield line, the Turkish star blends flair with intelligence, regularly drifting into central pockets to overload defences and create shooting lanes.

What makes Yildiz particularly dangerous is his consistency in involvement. He is not a peripheral creator but a constant presence in the opposition box, as reflected by his high volume of touches in dangerous areas and his willingness to take defenders on. His eight Serie A goals already surpass last season’s total, underlining a marked improvement in end product alongside his technical development.

Against a Parma side likely to defend deep and narrow, Yildiz’s ability to beat his marker and combine quickly in tight spaces could be decisive. If Juventus are to break down a compact back five, much of that responsibility will fall on his movement, creativity, and composure in the final third.

Prediction

Parma 0-2 Juventus

Juventus arrive in Emilia-Romagna in strong form and with growing confidence, particularly after their emphatic victory over Napoli. Their defensive structure under Luciano Spalletti has been one of the most reliable in Serie A, and that solidity should serve them well against a Parma side that has struggled to create chances consistently.

Parma’s reliance on Mateo Pellegrino for goals leaves little margin for error, especially against a Juventus defence that concedes few clear openings. While the hosts may show discipline and fight in front of their own supporters, Juventus’s superior quality in midfield and attacking areas is likely to tell as the game wears on.

If the Bianconeri maintain their intensity and patience in possession, they should find the breakthrough without being overly exposed at the other end. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for Luciano Spalletti and his charges.