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Juventus vs Benfica | Preview and Expected Lineup

Published

12 months ago

January 28, 2025

Juventus is set to face SL Benfica at the Allianz Stadium on Wednesday in a UEFA Champions League match. With the goal of clinching a top-eight spot.

This season, Juventus has only managed three victories out of seven in the tournament and comes into the match following a loss to Napoli in Serie A. It will be intriguing to see if they can recover with a strong performance this midweek.

On the other hand, Benfica has lost their last two games, including a dramatic 5-4 defeat to Barcelona. They will be eager to return to winning form after a period of strong performance prior to these losses.

Historically, Benfica has had success against Juventus in their recent encounters, giving them confidence against the unpredictable Bianconeri. The Hard Tackle provides an in-depth look at this forthcoming clash.

Team News and Tactics of the Bianconeri

Juventus will be without several players due to injuries. Including Gleison Bremer, Juan Cabal, and Arkadiusz Milik, along with Andrea Cambiaso who is also unavailable.

They are likely to adopt a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Michele Di Gregorio as goalkeeper. Full-backs Nicolo Savona and Weston McKennie are expected to contribute both defensively and offensively. Federico Gatti and Pierre Kalulu will form the central defense.

In midfield, Manuel Locatelli will partner with Douglas Luiz in a double pivot, aiming to provide defensive stability and support. Francisco Conceicao and Mbangula are expected to bring pace and creativity. While Teun Koopmeiners will contribute creatively and chip in with goals. Dusan Vlahovic will be the focal point of Juventus’ attack.

News & Tactics of SL Benfica

Benfica will be missing Alvaro Carreras and Arthur Cabral due to suspensions, alongside injured players Renato Sanches and Tiago Gouveia. They are set to play in a 4-3-3 formation, with Anatoliy Trubin in goal. Full-backs Alexander Bah and Jan Niklas Beste will be tasked with maintaining defensive solidity while countering against Juventus. Tomas Araujo and Nico Otamendi will anchor the defense.

Frederik Aursnes will provide creativity and control in midfield, partnering with Orkun Kokcu and Florentino Luis, who will focus on disrupting Juventus’s plays and regaining possession.

Kerem Akturkoglu and Angel Di Maria are expected to bring pace and goal-scoring ability from the wings, while Vangelis Pavlidis will lead Benfica’s attack against Juventus on Wednesday.