Juventus host Fiorentina in tonight’s first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final, as Paul Pogba and Mohamed Salah face off.

It begins at the Juventus Stadium in Turin at 19.45 GMT, follow the action as it happens on our LIVEBLOG.

This fixture has always been a bitter grudge match, which only intensified last season after Juve knocked Fiorentina out of the Europa League.

Juventus host Fiorentina in tonight’s first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final, as Paul Pogba and Mohamed Salah face off.

It begins at the Juventus Stadium in Turin at 19.45 GMT, follow the action as it happens on our LIVEBLOG.

This fixture has always been a bitter grudge match, which only intensified last season after Juve knocked Fiorentina out of the Europa League.

The Viola reached the Coppa Italia Final last term, losing 3-1 to Napoli, so are eager to get back there.

Juventus boss Max Allegri makes changes, as he is without the injured Andrea Pirlo, Romulo, Kwadwo Asamoah and Luca Marrone.

Carlos Tevez is rested, but Paul Pogba returns to the starting XI after he was left out of the big 1-1 Serie A draw with Roma on Monday due to a muscular problem.

He also brings back the 4-3-3 system with Fernando Llorente given a chance to lead the line with 18-year-old prodigy Kingsley Coman and veteran Simone Pepe, who seems to have finally recovered after two years of an injury nightmare.

Fiorentina know all about injury nightmares and are without Khouma Babacar, Stefan Savic, David Pizarro, Giuseppe Rossi, Ciprian Tatarusanu and Federico Bernardeschi.

Mario Gomez is available again, but all eyes will be on Mohamed Salah, who is in sensational form since arriving from Chelsea in January.

Norberto Neto starts against what many believe will be his next club.

These teams have faced off 12 times in the Coppa Italia, the Viola ahead by five wins to three along with four draws.

However, Fiorentina haven’t beaten Juve in this tournament since September 1985, managing just three draws and a defeat.

Juventus: Storari; Caceres, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Padoin; Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba; Pepe, Llorente, Coman

Juventus bench: Buffon, Rubinho, Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Chiellini, Evra, De Ceglie, Sturaro, Pereyra, Tevez, Morata, Matri

Fiorentina: Neto; Richards, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Basanta, Marcos Alonso; Kurtic, Badelj, Mati Fernandez; Joaquin, Mario Gomez, Salah

Fiorentina bench: Aquilani, Bagadur, Borja Valero, Diamanti, Gilardino, Ilicic, Lazzari, Lezzerini, Pasqual, Rosati, Rosi, Vargas

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *