Three to Watch: Strong spine prepares Juventus for one final push

WIth Napoli just a point behind in the standings, anything but a win could be detrimental to the Giallorossi’s quest for automatic Champions League qualification.

The Old Lady has booked a place in both the Champions League and Coppa Italia finals, and Luciano Spalletti will be hoping his side can take advantage of Massimiliano Allegri’s divided attention to get an important win.

Nevertheless, Juventus have one of the deepest squads in Europe – and our columnist believes these three players will give their all to win the league on enemy ground...

Mario Mandzukic

The striker’s goal against Monaco in midweek was just another moment in the Croatian’s impressive season, but it fails to tell the whole story of his impact for the Bianconeri.

While Mandzukic has always been a physically imposing and hard-working player, his conversion to the left of Allegri’s attacking trident has been fundamental to his side’s success.

In the Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona, he averaged a total of six defensive actions – behind just Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, and Dani Alves.

Such determination provides balance and allows his counterparts to focus on their movement and finishing within the opponent’s defensive third – yet he has still managed to record nine goals and create four assists for himself.

With the treble in sight, it’s a sure bet that Mandzukic will be unwavering for Sunday night’s encounter.

Leonardo Bonucci

While taking time to care for his son who was struggling with a serious illness, and simultaneously battling in three different tournaments, it has been a top season for arguably the world’s greatest centre-back.

An anchor at the back for the Old Lady since his acquisition from Bari in 2010, Bonucci has gone on to win 10 major trophies for the club, and five different personal awards – including being named in the UEFA Team of the Year (2016) and as the Serie A Footballer of the Year (2015-16).

Having considered quitting earlier in the season – as family always comes first – Bonucci has been almost unfazed on a technical level. He has scored three times (some of them pivotal), and is averaging six defensive actions per match – making a total of 42 clearances and 16 interceptions won.

If there are any guarantees in life, one is Bonucci’s command of the backline.

Tomás Rincón

Following a move from Genoa in the January transfer window, the defensive midfielder added a further option to Allegri's midfield platform for the busy second half of the campaign.

The captain of the Venezuela national team has only been able to tally one assist but, when he has been called into the side, he has invariably been a stalwart in foiling the opponent’s attack and maintaining a lead.

Rincón has done well to push play forward after winning the ball – completing a total of 206 passes, with a pass accuracy of 90% - of which 69% were forward passes.

While he may not be the most dazzling of players on the field, he has been a necessary component to relieve the fatigue of some of his teammates - and, with a couple of midfield injuries having struck, could now get the chance to play a decisive role in the title denouement.