Juventus predicted lineup vs Chelsea – Champions League

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Juventus‘ stuttering start to the season continues with a Champions League group stage tie at home to the defending champions of the competition, Chelsea, on Wednesday evening.

Massimiliano Allegri has overseen consecutive victories for the first time since rejoining Juventus in the summer following a two-year hiatus. However, a pair of thoroughly unconvincing 3-2 wins against two of Serie A’s bottom six offers little cause for confidence against Thomas Tuchel’s men.

Here’s the lineup Allegri may select from a squad robbed of two of its brightest gems as the injured duo of Alvaro Morata and Paulo Dybala are set to watch on the from the sidelines.

Wojciech Szczesny (GK) – Absent from Sunday’s win against Sampdoria following a blunder-ridden start to the campaign, Szczesny is likely to return against Chelsea.

Matthijs de Ligt (CB) – Allegri has already overlooked De Ligt for significant matches against Napoli and Milan but may call upon the Dutchman as part of a back three to mirror Chelsea’s favoured system.

Leonardo Bonucci (CB) – The one ever-present this season. Bonucci may not be the oldest of this predicted trio, but at 34 he can’t feasibly play every available minute much longer, can he?

Giorgio Chiellini (CB) – One of Tuchel’s former players once quipped that ‚you need A-levels‘ for some of the current Chelsea coach’s training drills, let alone the tactical schemes he devises for a match. Chiellini can boast a master’s degree in business administration and at least its footballing equivalent on the pitch.

Juan Cuadrado (RWB) – In a Chelsea career that never ignited, Cuadrado accrued more yellow cards than goals or assists in the brief time he wore blue.

Weston McKennie (CM) – Tasked with adding more of an attacking streak to his game, Allegri’s lofty standards were laid bare when he insisted McKennie ’should have scored at least four goals‘ against Spezia recently.

Manuel Locatelli (CM) – Fresh from a midfield masterclass against a struggling Sampdoria, Locatelli is up against a far more formidable foe in what would be just his second ever Champions League appearance.

Rodrigo Bentancur (CM) – Capable of a devastating performance in both senses of the word, his manager may inspire a positive performance as the only two Serie A goals of Bentancur’s career came during Allegri’s first spell at the club.

Alex Sandro (LWB) – Having endured a relationship with Allegri that was cautiously described as ‚certainly not idyllic‘ by the Brazilian journalist Claudia Garcia during his first spell at the club, Sandro and his new, old coach are yet to visibly butt heads, so far.

Federico ChiesaFederico Chiesa

Only Alvaro Morata scored more Champions League goals than Federico Chiesa for Juventus last season / Soccrates Images/Getty Images

Federico Chiesa (ST) – Juve’s crackling livewire at the sharp end of the pitch has already rapidly rebuffed some lingering doubts Allegri skirted around.

Moise Kean (ST) – Unlike the first time he joined the club as a teenager, Kean’s return to Juventus this summer only involved a loan rather than the exchange (or lack thereof according to the striker’s father) of tractors.