Juventus head into Wednesday’s Champions League conflict at Aston Villa within the midst of an harm disaster and as but unconvincing kind underneath new coach Thiago Motta.
Handily positioned within the Champions League desk and unbeaten in Serie A, Motta may be moderately happy along with his first few months within the pressurised setting of Italy’s most generally supported membership.
His arrival, after taking Bologna to their highest league end since 1971 final season, was purported to imply a clear break from the dreary, defence-minded soccer of his predecessor Massimiliano Allegri.
Juve backed their new man with a summer time filter out of a giant chunk of Allegri’s previous guard which was accompanied by hefty spending to rebuild the squad.
However thus far that change hasn’t materialised and Juve’s latest performances have been underwhelming, with two wins from seven matches in all competitions, a run which features a absolutely deserved residence defeat to Stuttgart final month.
That’s a way under expectations and has given Juve a decrease Serie A factors tally than on the identical stage of final time period, albeit with a more durable run of early season fixtures which has seen them face each Milan golf equipment away from residence.
“It is not possible to make comparisons as a result of we’re in a totally completely different state of affairs,” stated Motta after the weekend’s bore draw at AC Milan.
“I am happy with what we have executed, happy with the various issues that we have executed proper. We must be proud of what we have completed to this point.
“I’ve stated this earlier than nevertheless it must be underlined — we’re heading in the right direction.”
Juve’s stalemate with Milan, the largest recreation of the weekend, was the newest unconvincing show and got here in a match that includes so little motion that it infuriated neutrals and the 2 groups’ supporters alike.
It left Juve 4 factors behind Serie A leaders Napoli and, given the variety of gamers lacking via harm, questions over how far Motta’s crew can go this season.
Motta is lacking eight gamers, two till the tip of the season, after Weston McKennie grew to become the nineteenth harm Juve have suffered this season and left the Italians with a squad of 17 for the journey to Birmingham.
Juve can have no recognised centre-forward at Villa Park as Dusan Vlahovic continues to be out with a thigh knock and Arkadiusz Milik has been sidelined with an harm to the meniscus in his left knee since June, the Pole present process a second operation to resolve the issue earlier this month.
They’ve the nice fortune nevertheless of dealing with Villa simply because the Premier League aspect are struggling via some bumpy type of their very own, with 4 defeats in a six-match winless run.
Villa’s most up-to-date Champions League loss to Membership Brugge means two factors separate the 2 sides heading to Wednesday’s fixture, with Juve sat in eleventh, three locations each from their English opposition and the direct last-16 qualifying locations.
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