Preview: Juventus vs. Malmo

Swedish side Malmo start their maiden Champions League group stage with a trip to Italian champions Juventus on Tuesday evening.

The 2013 Swedish champions won three qualifying matches to reach the group stages for the first time since the 1990-91 campaign, and their most recent European experience came in the 2011-12 Europa League, when they finished bottom of their group.

Indeed, Malmo are Sweden's first group0stage representatives since Helsingborgs appeared in the 2000-01 competition, but they face a difficult opening match against the current Serie A holders.

Juventus, who are two-time winners of the competition, finished third in their group last season before dropping into the Europa League, where they made the semi-finals, before losing to Benfica.

Juve's European home record in recent seasons has been strong, however. They are unbeaten in their last seven games, of which they have won three, while they reached the quarter-final stage of the competition in the 2012-13 campaign.

The home side are expected to be without the services of key midfielders Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal, who are both injured, while summer signing from Real Madrid, Alvaro Morata, is also a doubt with a knee problem.

Carlos Tevez could also miss out with a thigh injury, leaving Sebastian Giovinco as the main option to partner Fernando Llorente in a forward position.

Summer signing from Manchester United Patrice Evra is also expected to feature for Juve in a wing-back position.

Malmo, meanwhile, are expected to be without both Simon Thern and Piotr Johansson. Skipper Markus Rosenberg will lead the line, with Enoch Kofi Adu also due to start.

The Swedes were defeated by Nottingham Forest in the European Cup final of 1979.

Recent form

Juventus: WWWWW

Malmo: LWWLD

Possible starting lineups

Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Caceres, Evra; Marchisio, Pogba, Pereyra; Llorente, Giovinco

Malmo: Olsen; Concha, Tinnerholm, Konate, Helander, Halsti; Adu, Forsberg, Eriksson, Thelin; Rosenberg

Sports Mole says: 2-0