Juventus will host Benfica at the Allianz Stadium this Wednesday evening in a key UEFA Champions League match, with both teams eager for a positive outcome in the league phase.
Luciano Spalletti’s team is currently in 17th place with nine points from six matches. They will face a Portuguese side managed by José Mourinho, which has shown significant improvement after a rocky start to the competition.
Benfica is positioned 28th with six points but comes into the match with recent momentum, having won their last two matches. This match promises to be an intriguing clash of strategies and current form.
Juventus vs Benfica – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Wednesday, January 21.
- Kick-off: 8pm BST.
- Venue: Allianz Stadium, Torino.
Juventus Team News
Juventus faces several injury concerns ahead of this match. Dusan Vlahovic is out with a tendon injury, expected to return in late March. Daniele Rugani is also recovering from a calf injury, while Jonas Rouhi and Arkadiusz Milik are unavailable.
Manager Spalletti is also worried about potential suspensions, as Andrea Cambiaso and Juan Cabal are one booking away from missing the next phase match against Monaco.
Kenan Yildiz has been a key player, contributing three assists in the competition. Spalletti may implement three tactical changes to his starting lineup following a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Cagliari, possibly reintroducing Francisco Conceição for added attack.
Benfica Team News
José Mourinho’s team also has injury issues as they prepare for the match in Turin. Dodi Lukebakio is sidelined with a fractured ankle and is likely to return in March. Alexander Bah is out due to a cruciate ligament injury, while Richard Ríos is recovering from a shoulder injury.
Despite these challenges, Mourinho has most of his key players available. Vangelis Pavlidis has excelled in domestic play, scoring 17 goals in 18 Primeira Liga matches this season and becoming the first Benfica player since Eusébio in 1965 to reach 42 goals in a calendar year.
Leandro Barreiro, who has scored in the last two Champions League matches, will be important in the midfield.
Form
Juventus
Spalletti’s team recently ended a strong seven-match unbeaten streak with a surprising 1-0 loss to struggling Cagliari.
In the Champions League, Juventus bounced back after a rough start with wins against Bodø/Glimt (3-2) and Pafos (2-0), putting them back in contention for the playoffs.
Benfica
Benfica has had an inconsistent record lately, facing two domestic cup defeats to Porto and Braga. However, they returned to form with a 2-0 victory over Rio Ave in the Primeira Liga.
Contrasting their mixed domestic results, their Champions League form has improved, with recent wins over Ajax (2-0) and Napoli (2-0).
Predicted Lineups
Juventus: Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, McKennie, Yildiz; David.
Benfica: Trubin; Dedic, Otamendi, Araujo, Dahl; Barreiro, Aursnes; Prestianni, Sudakov, Schjelderup; Pavlidis.
How to Watch Juventus vs Benfica?
In the UK, the match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 5.
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