10 matches unbeaten. The run, which comprises seven wins and three draws, has brought Juventus a total of 24 points from a possible 30. No other team in Serie A has collected as many points over the same period.
Juve have climbed the table, but as self-confessed pragmatist Massimiliano Allegri declared in the press conference before Sunday's showdown, Inter, Milan and Napoli are still too far ahead to make reeling them in a serious consideration. An analysis which leaves one team in direct contention for the elusive fourth place, this weekend’s opponents, Atalanta.
Two matches at his new club and Dušan Vlahović’s instant impact has propelled him into the hearts of the Bianconeri faithful. A goal on his debut in the black and white striped shirt against Verona in Serie A displayed all his finisher’s instincts and, although not officially recognised as his, the late winner against Sassuolo in the Coppa Italia was just reward for a determined, single-minded explosion of pace and power. And DV7 knows his way to goal against Atalanta, too.
At his former club, Vlahović scored back-to-back braces against the side from Bergamo. In fact, it was a Dušan double that inflicted the first defeat on the Dea this season, in Match Day 3 in Bergamo. And it has been at home that Atalanta have struggled this campaign.
Of the team’s 12 victories, only three have come at home. Following defeat to Cagliari last weekend, the number of defeats in Bergamo now reads four.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side, now considered as one of the Seven Sisters of the Italian game after qualifying for the Champions League three years in succession, must contend with the respect that opponents now show for them, respect that is translated in obliging Atalanta, a team constructed to be devastating on the counter-attack, to dictate the play - a style that doesn’t come naturally.
Coaches in Italy are renowned for their preparation, relentlessly studying videos of their opponents, analysing each and every tactical nuance. It may have taken three seasons to come up with the countermeasures to Gasperini, but now opposing tacticians have devised a method to limit the scoring threat of his side. In three of the last five Serie A fixtures, Atalanta have failed to score. Previously, 39 games were required to reach the same number of matches without hitting the back of the net.
One factor worth considering is the absence of Duvan Zapata. Since 2018/19 in the 18 matches without the Colombian striker, Atalanta’s winning percentage fell from 59% to 44%, or an average point drop from 2 to 1.7.
Further tests are required before knowing the full extent of Zapata’s current injury, but what is sure is that the match winner from the meeting when Atalanta visited the Allianz Stadium will be sidelined. Also out is goalkeeper Juan Musso, serving a one-match ban after being sent off against Cagliari.
Atalanta know more than one route to goal, however. With 17 different players on the scoresheet - more than any other team - the threat comes from all over the park. And once they have the advantage, they seldom let it slip. From a leading position, Atalanta have never lost, winning 12 and drawing two of the 14 games in which they struck first.
Defensive solidity, though, is the foundation stone of the Juventus revival, as demonstrated by their nine clean sheets in 13 Serie A matches. In that run, Allegri and his men have succumbed to just one defeat, against this weekend’s opponents. In late November that setback saw Juve slip to seven points behind Atalanta. Since, there has been a shift in favour of the Lady, who now have a two-point lead but have played one game more.
When it comes to the crunch, Sunday’s showdown is a classic six-pointer, the match that can shift the momentum of the remainder of the season. Allegri has stated that it is time Juventus got back into the habit of winning, archiving that victory, and then going out and winning again. There would be no better place to instil this habit than Bergamo.