Aston Villa plays host to Juventus at Villa Park on Wednesday evening as the Villans look to keep their perfect home record intact in their maiden Champions League campaign while Juventus seek a vital win that will see them leapfrog their English counterparts in the group standings.
Match Preview
Aston Villa: Dream start gets a test
Aston Villa’s Champions League debut season began spectacularly, with three consecutive wins against Young Boys, Bayern Munich, and Bologna. However, their momentum was halted earlier this month with a 1-0 loss to Club Brugge.
The Villans have struggled for consistency, recording just five wins in 12 Premier League matches. A 2-2 draw against struggling Crystal Palace over the weekend further showed their defensive frailties, as they had to claw back twice to have a point.
Despite these domestic form, Villa has a great European home record, winning eight out of nine continental fixtures at Villa Park. The experience of European campaigner manager Unai Emery knows how to tame Juventus, having outwitted them twice in the Champions League as he hopes to guide his team past the Italian giants.
Juventus: Resilient but without momentum
Juventus have traditionally been a European heavyweight, but they have had a mixed bag of fortune this season. Their strong wins over PSV Eindhoven and RB Leipzig in the group stages were followed by a momentum-sapping 1-0 defeat to Stuttgart. They are currently unbeaten in Serie A, boasting the league’s best defensive record, conceding just seven goals in 13 matches.
Recent Champions League performances from the Turin side have not been as convincing, including a 1-1 draw away to Lille. Manager Thiago Motta will be determined to break Juve’s appalling record on English soil, having won only three of their last 15 visits.
The path Juventus take to qualify into the knockout stages is through an Aston Villa that, for all their domestic inconsistency, remains a tough prospect at home in Europe.
Form Guide
Aston Villa (Champions League): WWWL
Aston Villa (All Competitions): DLLLLD
Juventus (Champions League): WWLD
Juventus (All Competitions): DDWDWD
Team News and Predicted Lineups
Aston Villa
Injuries have thinned Unai Emery’s squad, with Jacob Ramsey (hamstring) and Amadou Onana (foot) ruled out. Defensive stalwarts Boubacar Kamara and Ezri Konsa are also unavailable, forcing tactical adjustments.
Ross Barkley and Matty Cash may start, with Ollie Watkins starting up front, knowing full well Jhon Duran is fighting for his spot up front, having netted in both Champions League outings at Villa Park.
Predicted Lineup:
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Starting XI: Martinez; Cash, Carlos, Torres, Digne; Barkley, Tielemans; Bailey, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins
Juventus
Juventus has huge injury problems, with Dusan Vlahovic doubtful due to a thigh problem and Arkadiusz Milik out until next year. Defensive usuals Bremer and Juan Cabal are injured with ACL problems, while Nico Gonzalez is out with a thigh problem.
Manager Thiago Motta may resort to tactical flexibility, perhaps with an attack led by Timothy Weah, as Juve try to navigate their personnel problems.
Predicted Lineup:
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Starting XI: Di Gregorio; Savona, Kalulu, Gatti, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, Koopmeiners, Yildiz; Weah
Match Prediction
Aston Villa 0-1 Juventus
Juventus’ solidity in defense and experience in high-pressure games gives them the edge over a Villa side struggling to find their early-season rhythm. Expect a gritty performance from Juve to secure a narrow win and rise up the group standings.
