The air at Juventus is heavy with anticipation. Sunday's early kickoff against Fiorentina is not just another Serie A fixture; it is a Champions League decider, a match that could define the club's immediate financial and sporting future. For Luciano Spalletti, the preparation has been a careful blend of managing injuries and fine-tuning a tactical setup that has recently found its rhythm. The penultimate step of this high-stakes journey now rests on a plan he has been crafting behind closed doors.
Central to that plan is the fitness of Khephren Thuram. The French midfielder missed the World Cup due to minor knocks but has been recovering steadily. Spalletti is optimistic about his availability, possibly from the first minute, to replace Teun Koopmeiners in a 4-2-3-1 formation that proved effective against Lecce. Thuram's energy and verticality could be the missing link in a midfield that needs to control the tempo against a dangerous Fiorentina side.
The tactical blueprint is clear: a fluid, attacking shape with Weston McKennie deployed as a false number ten. The American's role will be to drift into spaces, link play, and feed the lone striker—a role that demands both intelligence and physicality. That striker, without any doubt, will be Dusan Vlahovic. The Serbian is living through defining days, balancing personal milestones with the collective mission of securing a top-four finish.
Vlahovic enters the match on the back of two consecutive goals, both decisive. A third would mark his first such streak since October 2024, when he netted five times in three games across all competitions. In Serie A, you have to go back even further—early 2024 against Salernitana, Sassuolo, Lecce, and Empoli—to find a comparable run. The numbers underline his resurgence at the most critical moment.
History is also within reach. With 66 goals for Juventus, he stands level with Gonzalo Higuain in the club's all-time scoring charts. One more strike against his former club, against whom he has never scored, would push him past the Argentine into a rarefied space. It is a narrative that adds personal fuel to an already combustible context.
Off the pitch, the future remains clouded. His contract renewal is at an impasse. Juventus have tabled a two-year extension worth over €6 million including bonuses—a substantial offer by current standards. But Vlahovic and his camp are holding out for more. His historic agent, Darko Ristic, has been notably absent from recent talks, with reports suggesting he has been pushing the striker toward other destinations. The reality, however, is that only Saudi Arabia and Turkey could realistically offer both competitive wages and a starting role, markets he is currently unwilling to consider.
"It's a game of strength now," insiders describe the negotiation. "The time is running out, the opportunities are shrinking, and patience is wearing thin." This standoff puts Juventus in a delicate position: they need his goals to secure Champions League revenue, yet they cannot afford to break their carefully reconstructed wage structure. The outcome of these final 180 minutes of the season could tip the scales.
Spalletti is acutely aware of the stakes. The manager restarted the season with a clear idea: a Juventus with a physical reference point up front. Whether it is Vlahovic or another profile next season, the principle remains non-negotiable. The 4-2-3-1 with a false nine is not an experiment but a necessity born of the available personnel, and it has yielded results. The coach is banking on the same formula to navigate past Fiorentina.
The match also restores a sense of normalcy after days of uncertainty over scheduling and workloads. The squad has returned to full training, and the focus is singular. Millions of euros and a significant chunk of the club's immediate destiny ride on this result. For a club in transformation, missing the Champions League would be a severe blow, forcing a rethink of the entire market strategy.
Vlahovic embodies this crossroads. He has spent half the season watching from the sidelines, yet his scoring rate remains impressive. Now, he has the chance to lead the line in a match that could define his legacy in Turin. The ghosts of ex-players and the weight of history press down, but so does the simple arithmetic: Juventus need him more than he needs them, for now.
As the Viola loom, Spalletti's message is clear: "We start again from the same path that has given satisfaction." The dressing room knows that the road to the Champions League passes through a well-drilled system and a striker who, one way or another, will leave his mark. All that remains is the final execution on Sunday afternoon.
Based on reporting from Tuttosport.
