TURIN, ITALY - OCTOBER 22: Francisco Conceicao of Juventus and Jamie Leweling of VfB Stuttgart compete for the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD3 match between Juventus and VfB Stuttgart at Juventus Stadium on October 22, 2024 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
TURIN, ITALY - OCTOBER 22: Francisco Conceicao of Juventus and Jamie Leweling of VfB Stuttgart compete for the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD3 match between Juventus and VfB Stuttgart at Juventus Stadium on October 22, 2024 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
A depleted Juventus side will visit Aston Villa in a crucial Champions League match on Wednesday, as Weston McKennie’s latest injury added to Thiago Motta’s problems, depriving him of another midfield option.
It kicks off at 21:00 CET (20:00 GMT) at Villa Park in Birmingham.
epa11736958 Juventus’s head coach Thiago Motta gives instructions during the Italian Serie A soccer match AC Milan vs Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan, Italy, 23 November 2024. EPA-EFE/DANIEL DAL ZENNARO
epa11736958 Juventus’s head coach Thiago Motta gives instructions during the Italian Serie A soccer match AC Milan vs Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan, Italy, 23 November 2024. EPA-EFE/DANIEL DAL ZENNARO
The Bianconeri coach is left with a limited number of outfield players available and will have no other possibility than fielding Manuel Locatelli and Kephren Thuram as holding midfielders in his 4-2-3-1 formation.
Dusan Vlahovic is also still absent, meaning Timothy Weah should replace him up front, with Francisco Conceicão, Kenan Yildiz and Teun Koopmeiners set to start behind him, as the latter should have seen his condition improve in recent days after playing with high fever against Milan last Saturday.
MILAN, ITALY - NOVEMBER 23: Teun Koopmeiners of Juventus is challenged by Youssouf Fofana of AC Milan during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on November 23, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 23: Teun Koopmeiners of Juventus is challenged by Youssouf Fofana of AC Milan during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on November 23, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
With Juan Cabal ruled out for months with a knee injury, Andrea Cambiaso will be necessarily deployed as a left full-back, with Nicolò Savona on the opposite flank.
Thiago Motta’s side currently sit 16th in the standings with seven points from four games, and missing out on a win against Aston Villa would complicate their path towards a spot in the round of 16, considering they’ll host Manchester City in the following Champions League match.
Aston Villa vs Juventus – Where to watch on TV
In the UK, Aston Villa vs Juventus will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 2 and fans can stream the match through Discovery+. Supporters in the USA will be able to stream the game live online on Paramount+.
Join us on the pre-match build-up, in-game coverage and post-match reactions on the Football Italia LIVEBLOG.
Aston Villa vs Juventus – Probable line-ups
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Torres, Konsa, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Bailey, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins.
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Savona, Gatti, Kalulu, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, Koopmeiners, Yildiz; Weah.
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