Juventus is set to face Hellas Verona this evening at the Allianz Stadium, hoping to close the gap with Serie A leaders Inter Milan. The match kicks off at 20:45 CET (19:45 GMT) and follows the Bianconeri's disappointing elimination from the Coppa Italia just five days ago.
Manager Thiago Motta is expected to implement tactical changes amid injury woes, with several key players unavailable for the match. Juventus will enter this contest without the services of Gleison Bremer, Juan Cabal, Arkadiusz Milik, Renato Veiga, Nicolò Savona, Douglas Luiz, and Francisco Conceição. Motta confirmed the team's struggles with injuries, stating, "Cabal, Bremer, Milik, Conceicao, Douglas Luiz, Renato Veiga, and Savona will not be there. We have seven absences." This has put significant pressure on the squad to deliver against Verona.
Despite the tensions following their recent cup defeat to Empoli, Juventus is determined to secure three points to remain competitive in the league. To achieve this, Motta has chosen to start Michele Di Gregorio as goalkeeper, returning from his absence during the cup match. The backline remains unchanged, featuring Timothy Weah, Federico Gatti, Lloyd Kelly, and Andrea Cambiaso.
Midfield duo Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram will anchor the center of the pitch, aiming to create scoring opportunities for the forwards. Weston McKennie is set to take on the role of attacking midfielder, pushing Teun Koopmeiners to the bench. On the wings, left-footed Nicolas Gonzalez and right-footed Kenan Yildiz will look to capitalize on any defensive weaknesses from Verona.
Randal Kolo Muani will lead the attack as he resumes his natural position after having been played on the wings previously. His pace and finishing ability will be pivotal for Juventus, especially since Dusan Vlahovic, who started the last two matches, will be on the bench.
On the opposite side, Hellas Verona, managed by Paolo Zanetti, enters the match with their own challenges. They will be without key players Martin Frese, Abdou Harroui, Suat Serdar, and Luis Mosquera. Zanetti will also not be on the sidelines due to a one-match ban, which could influence the team's performance. Verona's formation is likely to be a 3-4-2-1 system, with Domagoj Bradarić returning to the left wing after serving his suspension.
The expected starting XI for Hellas Verona includes goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipò, defenders Dawidowicz, Coppola, and Valentini, along with Tchatchoua, Duda, Niasse, and Faraoni tackling the midfield roles. Livramento and Suslov will support the attack alongside Amin Sarr.
This match is particularly significant for Juventus, who currently sit well behind Inter Milan. Hence, they aim for more consistency moving forward, especially after drawing their last match against Empoli and facing penalty miss challenges.
Supporters of both teams can watch the match live via various channels. For those located in Italy, coverage will be provided by Sky Sport on multiple channels, including Sky Sport 251 and Sky Sport Calcio. Fans tuning in from the United States can catch the live stream on Paramount+, with fuboTV covering viewers from Canada. For UK fans, the match can be streamed on OneFootball.
With the stage set and the stakes high, Juventus desperately seeks to vindicate themselves and secure much-needed points against Hellas Verona. Only time will tell if they can rise to the occasion at the Allianz Stadium this evening.