Juventus will be aiming to continue their perfect start to the season when they welcome BSC Young Boys to the Allianz Stadium on Tuesday.
Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League kicks off this week, as teams continue looking to make early inroads in the group stage. One of the early fixtures on Tuesday will take place in Turin, as Juventus play hosts to Swiss champions BSC Young Boys at the Allianz Stadium for their second group.
Juventus boast an unblemished record after the first six weeks of the 2018-19 season, having won each of their first eight games. In the UEFA Champions League, the Italian champions completed a comfortable 2-0 win, although it came with a cost as Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off on European debut for the Bianconeri.
BSC Young Boys, on the other hand, have continued from where they left off last season, as far as league football is concerned, having already built up a 12-point lead at the top of the table. But, the start to their Champions League campaign was hardly ideal, as they were beaten by Manchester United on Matchday 1.
The tie on Wednesday will be the first ever time when Juventus and Young Boys will lock horns against each other. Ahead of their maiden meeting on Tuesday, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter.
Team News & Tactics
Juventus
Massimiliano Allegri has a few roster issues to deal with ahead of the visit of Young Boys. On Tuesday, the Juventus boss could be without as many as four first-team players, none bigger than Cristiano Ronaldo, who will serve his one-match ban after being sent off against Valencia on Matchday 1.
The other certain absentees are Mattia De Sciglio (thigh) and Douglas Costa (ankle), while the availability of Sami Khedira is in doubt, even though he has been included in the matchday squad by Allegri. But, the Juventus manager has enough firepower in his squad to cover for those on the treatment table.
At the back, De Sciglio’s void can be filled by Joao Cancelo, with Alex Sandro lining up on the opposite flank. At the heart of the defence, Leonardo Bonucci will have Andrea Barzagli as his partner, with Allegri deciding to give Giorgio Chiellini a rest.
In midfield, the Juventus boss has a raft of options despite Khedira’s absence. On Tuesday, Blaise Matuidi, Miralem Pjanic and Emre Can are likely to get the nod, with Rodrigo Bentancur having to make do with a place on the bench, for now.
Upfront, Federico Bernardeschi should fill Ronaldo’s void, with Allegri deploying him on the right side of the Juventus attack. The change in formation would mean that Paulo Dybala will start on the left, although he will likely move in-field regularly, allowing Alex Sandro to overlap and amp up the hosts’ threat in the final third.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Szczesny; Cancelo, Bonucci, Barzagli, Alex Sandro; Can, Pjanic, Matuidi; Bernardeschi, Mandzukic, Dybala
BSC Young Boys
Gerardo Seoane has a number of injury concerns on his hands before his side’s group stage tie against Juventus. On Tuesday, the Young Boys manager could be without as many as five first-team players, with the likes of Gregory Wuthrich, Jordan Lotomba and Pedro Teixeira definitely missing out.
Kevin Mbabu and Djibril Sow face late fitness tests to determine their availability on Tuesday night. But, the mood in the Young Boys is positive surrounding the duo, who should thus, be named in the starting lineup in all likelihood.
The presence of Mbabu, in particular, will be crucial, with the Swiss right-back being the X-Factor for the visitors with his marauding runs and pinpoint delivery. At the back, the former Newcastle United man is astute and solid as well, and will trade blows with Alex Sandro for the most part.
The back four will likely be completed by first-choice trio Mohamed Camara, Loris Benito and captain Steven von Bergen, with David von Ballmoos lining up in the Young Boys goal. Sow should be fit enough to start at the heart of the midfield, with Sekou Sanogo being his partner.
Christian Fassnacht and Miralem Sulejmani are expected to be the wide midfielders, who will remain narrow while defending to create overloads against their counterparts from Juventus. The duo will look to achieve a similar objective while on the ball as well, albeit in the final third, with the full-backs providing the width in attack.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Von Ballmoos; Mbabu, Camara, von Bergen, Benito; Fassnacht, Sow, Sanogo, Sulejmani; Assale, Hoarau
Key Stats
- Juventus and BSC Young Boys are facing off against each other for the first time, with the visitors, in fact, making their maiden appearance in the Champions League group stage.
- Juventus have been on the wrong end of the result just twice in 33 European games at home (W19 D12).
- Not only have Juventus won both their previous home games against Swiss opposition, they are yet to concede a goal as well.
- Young Boys face a daunting task, having managed to win just two of their last 11 games in Europe (D4 L5).
- Young Boys have won once and lost once on their previous visits to Italy.
Player to Watch
Paulo Dybala
With Cristiano Ronaldo not available for the tie, Paulo Dybala will have to shoulder more responsibility in attack for Juventus. While the Young Boys defence was suspect against Manchester United on Matchday 1, their group stage bow will have given them enough experience to make amends when they visit Turin.
Dybala though, is brimming with confidence after breaking his duck for the season in a recent league game, and will look to build on his form when the Swiss champions come visiting. A rare outing that will provide the Argentine hotshot to step out of Cristiano Ronaldo’s shadows.
Prediction
Juventus 3-0 BSC Young Boys
Cristiano Ronaldo might be absent on Tuesday, but Juventus still have a squad good enough to dispatch the high flying Swiss champions. Young Boys could pose some threat in the final third, with Giorgio Chiellini not playing. However, the Bianconeri’s defence is astute enough to absorb whatever little they threaten.
With the likes of Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala picking up some form, it should ideally be a straightforward outing for the Italian champions. And, The Hard Tackle predicts the same, with Juventus cruising to a 3-0 win on Tuesday.
