There was one Serie A match played earlier today: Atalanta took a grip on fourth place by winning 2-0 at third-placed Napoli. Mattia Caldara scored twice for the visitors, who had Franck Kessie sent off. It leaves the top end of the table looking a little bit like this:

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The bottom three have been rather cut adrift in Serie A, but Empoli could still do with a few more points. They've picked up just a single point from their last four matches, although they were perhaps a little unlucky to lose to Lazio last weekend.

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Empoli have never beaten Juventus away from home, so it would be a huge upset if we got anything other than a victory for Allegri's team tonight.

But then strange things can happen in football, no?

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Martusciello's team, beaten 2-1 at home by Lazio last time out, make two changes: One of them sees former Middlesbrough striker Massimo Maccarone drop to the bench to be replaced by Guido Marilungo, the other sees Jose Mauri brought into midfield for Daniele Croce. Top scorer Levan Mchedlidze is injured.

Empoli: Skorupski; Laurini, Bellusci, Costa, Pasqual; Krunic, Diousse, Mauri; El Kaddouri; Pucciarelli, Marilungo.

Substitutes:  Pelagotti; Zambelli, Dimarco, Maccarone, Croce, Veseli, Zajc, Barba, Cosic, Thiam, Buchel, Tello.

"Hey, Mike," I hear you cry. "Do you always refer to Juventus' manager as Max Allegri because it's too much effort for you to type out Massimiliano?"

Erm, yes. Yes, you got me.

"Hey, Mike," I hear you cry. "What are you going to do, then, when you have to type out the name of Empoli's manager Giovanni Martusciello?"

Shut up.

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Max Allegri has shuffled his pack like an expert conjuror this evening; Juventus have the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final against Napoli on Tuesday, and that would appear to be a factor in his decision to make six changes.

Leonardo Bonucci returns as three of the back four and the goalkeeper are replaced, Claudio Marchisio steps in for Sami Khedira in midfield, Stefano Struaro replaces Paulo Dybala in attack.

Juventus: Neto; Dani Alves, Rugani, Bonucci, Alex Sandro; Marchisio, Pjanic; Cuadrado, Mandzukic, Sturaro; Higuain.

Substitutes: Buffon, Audero, Lichtsteiner, Benatia, Barzagli, Chiellini, Asamoah, Lemina, Rincon, Pjaca, Dybala. 

All seems to have been smoothed over now - as Allegri suggested at a press conference yesterday.

"Leonardo is available for the game against Empoli," he said.

"He is a key player for us. He has made an apology and the case is closed as far as I am concerned."

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Bonucci, as punishment, was dropped for Wednesday's Champions League round of 16 first-leg visit to face Porto. Did it hurt Juve? Not one bit. They won 2-0 in Portugal and look certainties for the quarter-finals.

Image source, AFP

Image source, Getty Images

Defender Leonardo Bonucci had an almighty row during Juventus' match against Palermo eight days ago. It didn't stop Juve recording their sixth league win in a row, though - 4-1 the score.

(I couldn't find a picture of their row - although it's not the first time the two men have been animated when in close proximity, if the snap above from two years ago is anything to go by.)

At most clubs, a row between the manager and one of his players on the touchline, during a match, in full view of everyone, would be considered the sign of a crisis.

Not at Juventus. You see, the thing is: They just keep on winning. Can anyone deny them a sixth successive Serie A title?