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Champions League | Group Stage
Dec 11, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
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0-2

FT(HT: 0-0)
Ronaldo (75'), Higuain (92')

How Juventus could line up against Bayer Leverkusen

Sports Mole looks at how Juventus could line up for Wednesday's Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen.

Juventus are through to the knockout stages of the Champions League as Group D winners with a game to spare, but have a dead rubber in Germany to traverse before the competition begins in earnest.

The reigning Italian champions will still be playing for pride, however, and will want a win over Bayer Leverkusen to help ease the pain of their recent 3-1 defeat to Lazio in Serie A.

Leverkusen, on the other hand, will have to go all out for a shock win - and hope that Atletico Madrid fail to beat Lokomotiv Moscow in the group's other fixture.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Juventus could line up for Wednesday's showdown.


Possible JUV XI vs. LEV

Out: Mattia Perin (ineligible), Giorgio Chiellini (knee), Douglas Costa (hamstring), Marko Pjaca (ineligible), Emre Can (ineligible), Sami Khedira (knee), Mario Mandzukic (ineligible)
Doubtful: Aaron Ramsey (unknown), Rodrigo Bentancur (unknown)

Juventus head coach Maurizio Sarri has sealed top spot in the group with a game to spare after beating second-placed Atletico Madrid 1-0 and is likely to ring the changes in this dead-rubber to rest several first-team stars ahead of the next Serie A fixture. However, the Bianconeri will still want to claim a positive result after their 3-1 defeat to Lazio last time out and a number of big names should remain in the side.

Gianluigi Buffon could be given a chance to redeem himself between the sticks after a costly blunder in Juve's 2-2 draw with Sassuolo, replacing first-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

Juan Cuadrado's red card against Lazio means an enforced rest for the winger-turned-right-back in Serie A, meaning there is little point in resting him in Wednesday's clash and he could start, before Danilo takes his spot domestically. On the other flank, Mattia De Sciglio could come in, giving Alex Sandro a welcome break.

Merih Demiral and Daniele Rugani could both be given a rare chance to impress at the heart of defence as they stake their claims to start ahead of one of first-choice pair Matthijs de Ligt and Leonardo Bonucci.

Khedira is out and neither Ramsey nor Bentancur are likely to be risked given their injury concerns, meaning Sarri's midfield is set to have a more familiar look to it. Miralem Pjanic is suspended domestically for an accumulation of yellow cards and should start, with fellow regular Blaise Matuidi to his left and summer signing Adrien Rabiot to his right. The latter has played just 446 minutes since arriving in Turin and will be hoping to take his chance to impress his manager.

Further forward, Federico Bernardeschi is likely to remain in the side as the link between midfield and attack, as is Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be hoping to get on the scoresheet once again. However, Gonzalo Higuain could be drafted in ahead of Paulo Dybala, who has proven himself an invaluable member of the first team in recent weeks and may be rested.

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Wojciech Szczesny pictured on January 16, 2019
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Group A

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Group B

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Group C

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3Braga61144
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Group D

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QInter Milan633012
3Benfica61144
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Group E

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QLazio631210
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Group F

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QPSG62228
3AC Milan62228
4Newcastle61235

Group G

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Group H

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4Antwerp61053


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