Turin is preparing for a party today when a point against Palermo will be enough to earn Juventus their second straight scudetto, and their 29th in total.
With four games of the season to go, the Bianconeri have established an 11-point lead over second-placed Napoli, and coach Antonio Conte now wants them to take the final step and bring on the celebrations at the Juventus Stadium.
“We need to win the title this weekend, no ifs or buts,” he said.
“We want to bring an end to this fantastic season which has seen us lead the way from start to finish.
“It’s quite rare for you to start and finish on top. We have maintained a high rhythm despite playing in the Champions League, which many people say can take precious energy away from you.
“This is the crowning point of two extraordinary years in which we have taken a short cut in a project which foresaw us winning the title for the first time only next year.”
May 5 is not just any old day for Juve fans either.
Eleven years ago the Bianconeri, including Conte as a player, clinched the title on the final day of the season in dramatic circumstances with a win at Udinese while Inter were defeated by Lazio.
“That day, we had 0.01 per cent chance of winning the title, but something incredible happened and destiny gifted us the title we had lost a year earlier at Perugia when the title was 99.99 per cent ours,” said Conte.
“We are just a dot away from the title and that dot needs eliminating tomorrow (today).”
Palermo are not going to be a pushover, though, since they need the points to stay up.
“The stadium is going to be full but we must not be put off by who we are playing against, we need to play our game,” said their coach Giuseppe Sannino.
“We know we are going to have to suffer in a black and white stadium, but we need points.”
Meanwhile, Napoli will be looking to claim an automatic Champions League place against Inter tonight, but coach Walter Mazzarri says he will not be popping any champagne corks unless Milan are also beaten by Torino.
Seven points currently separate second-placed Napoli and Milan in third, but Mazzarri admits he will not be able to sit comfortably if the gap remains unaltered with three games of the season to go.
“We may have an advantage right now, but if Milan manage to finish level on points with us that could change,” he said.
“We must not think of that and I don’t think we will do, just like we will not look at what the others are doing.”