Juventus will welcome Sampdoria to the Allianz Stadium this Tuesday night as the two clash in a Coppa Italia round of 16 tie where each of them will look to salvage something from what has so far been a disappointing season in both camps.
The Old Lady have gradually worked their way back up the Serie A table, but given how they have won practically everything in Italy for the past decade, anything but a first-placed finish in the Italian top flight is considered a negative for a club of their historic value and stature.
Nevertheless, the results have turned around greatly for Massimiliano Allegri just as it looked like the six-time Serie A winner was going to be heading for the exit door.
The club have now moved back up into fifth and have reinvested themselves in the title race to a certain extent, but more realistically in a fight to get back into the Champions League spots.
What has been the greatest difference between Allegri's five years in charge the first time to now is their lack of goals and wins over the five-year period where he bagged every Serie A title along the way.
There, the Juventus boss won 191 games and scored 511 goals, and in his 29 games so far since returning, he's won only 17 and scored just 45.
In the league, Juventus are on a eight-game unbeaten streak since losing to Atalanta at the end of November.
Victories over Genoa, Bologna, Cagliari, and Salernitana all came with a clean sheet and a 2-0 scoreline, and a draw with Napoli was not the worst result given how they are also competing for the title.
A famous 4-3 comeback victory over Roma and a win against Udinese last time out has thrown the Old Lady to within a point of fourth-placed Atalanta and nine within the champions and league leaders, Inter Milan.
As for Sampdoria, they come into this Coppa Italia tie after squeezing past Torino in the second round and edging past relegation-fighting Serie B side, Alessandria Calcio.
At the same time, they sit just four points above the relegation zone in the league and have conceded a frightening 40 goals in just 22 games this season.
It goes without saying that it puts Juventus as the clear favourites here and with not as much to play for in the league for Allegri, perhaps he will put all his eggs in this Coppa Italia basket.
Forebet predicts a game of over 2.5 goals and a win for the 14-time record holders of this competition, Juventus.
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