Juventus vs AS Roma Preview: A Clash for a Top 4 Spot in Serie A

The highlight of the Serie A round.

At 2:45 AM on December 21, 2025, all eyes in Italian football will be on the Allianz Stadium, where the highly anticipated clash between Juventus and AS Roma will take place. This is not just an ordinary match, but one that will directly determine the race for a top-four spot in the Serie A standings.

Current context: A fierce race

Ahead of the match, AS Roma currently holds the advantage, sitting in 4th place with 30 points. However, Juventus is close behind in 5th place with 26 points. A win would significantly narrow the gap for the home team, while a favorable result for the away team would solidify their position.

In terms of form, AS Roma has won 3 of their last 5 matches, showing relative stability. Conversely, Juventus has shown a less consistent performance with 2 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss. However, the biggest strength of "The Old Lady" is their unbeaten home record at the Allianz Stadium this season, with 4 wins and 3 draws in 7 matches played.

Head-to-head history: Balanced and low-scoring.

Recent encounters between these two historically significant teams have always been incredibly close and dramatic. In their last five meetings, the balance has been evident, with three matches ending in a draw. Each team secured a narrow victory.

One notable point is that these matches tend to have very few goals scored, with 4 out of the last 5 matches having a total score of 2 goals or less. This suggests that tactical caution and a defensive approach are always prioritized, promising a closely contested match.

Losses on both sides

Both coaches will face a difficult personnel dilemma ahead of this crucial match.

Juventus

The home team suffered a major blow as a number of key players were unable to play, including:

• F. Gatti: Absent due to knee injury.
• T. Koopmeiners: Suspended due to a yellow card.
• C. Pinsoglio: Absent due to calf injury.
• D. Vlahovic: Absent due to groin injury.
• A. Milik: His availability is uncertain due to a calf injury.

AS Roma

The visiting team also lacked their strongest squad, missing several key players:

• E. Bove: Absent due to cardiovascular issues.
• A. Dovbyk: Absent due to muscle injury.
• N. El Aynaoui: Absent due to international duty.
• E. Ndicka: Absent due to international duty.

Match analysis

With the home advantage and an impressive unbeaten record at Allianz Stadium, Juventus are expected to be the more proactive team. However, the absence of their main striker, D. Vlahovic, will seriously affect their attacking strength. Meanwhile, AS Roma, despite also facing personnel difficulties, still possesses a formidable counter-attacking style of play. The head-to-head history shows a balanced and tight contest, therefore a low-scoring match and a draw are very likely scenarios.

Team lineup updated at 02:23 on December 21, 2025

Official lineup

Juventus

Diagram: 3-4-3

CoachMassimo Brambilla

Starting lineup:

• 16. Michele Di Gregorio (G)
• 15. Pierre Kalulu (D)
• 3. Bremer (D)
• 6. Lloyd Kelly (D)
• 22. Weston McKennie (M)
• 19. Khéphren Thuram (M)
• 5. Manuel Locatelli (M)
• 27. Andrea Cambiaso (M)
• 7. Francisco Conceição (F)
• 20. Loïs Openda (F)
• 10. Kenan Yıldız (F)

Substitutes:

• 42. Simone Scaglia
• 1. Mattia Perin
• 25. João Mário
• 24. Daniele Rugani
• 40. Jonas Rouhi
• 44. Pedro Felipe
• 11. Edon Zhegrova
• 18. Filip Kostić
• 17. Vasilije Adžić
• 30. Jonathan David
• 14. Arkadiusz Milik

AS Roma

Diagram: 3-4-2-1

CoachPiero Gasperini Gian

Starting lineup:

• 99. Mile Svilar (G)
• 24. Jan Ziółkowski (D)
• 23. Gianluca Mancini (D)
• 2. Devyne Rensch (D)
• 19. Zeki Çelik (M)
• 4. Bryan Cristante (M)
• 17. Manu Koné (M)
• 43. Wesley (M)
• 18. Matías Soulé (F)
• 7. Lorenzo Pellegrini (F)
• 21. Paulo Dybala (F)

Substitutes:

• 95. Pierluigi Gollini
• 32. Devis Vásquez
• 22. Mario Hermoso
• 66. Buba Sangare
• 76. Jacopo Mirra
• 87. Daniele Ghilardi
• 12. Konstantinos Tsimikas
• 69. Muhammad Bah
• 3. Angeliño
• 35. Tommaso Baldanzi
• 31. Leon Bailey
• 61. Niccolò Pisilli
• 92. Stephan El Shaarawy
• 11. Evan Ferguson