Juventus coach Thiago Motta is reportedly set to overhaul his middle of the park for Tuesday’s Champions League contests against PSV Eindhoven.
The Bianconeri finished in a disappointing 20th place in the group stage, so they only qualified for the play-off round as an unseeded team. So on Tuesday night, the Italians will play the first leg at home against the same Dutch side they beat by three goals to one in their first European outing this season.
In their most recent fixture, Juventus earned a laboured victory over Como, beating their hosts thanks to a last-gasp spot-kick. However, the club’s uninspiring display at the Sinigaglia could have some repercussions for some of their players.
According to IlBianconero, Motta could be set to drop Teun Koopmeiners and Manuel Locatelli. This would be a notable statement from the manager considering how these two midfielders have automatic starters this season.
Nevertheless, some of their recent outings were less than impressive, especially the Dutchman who has yet to justify his hefty price tag.
The source thus expects Khephren Thuram to get the nod in the middle of the park after finding himself on the bench in the last couple of outings. The Frenchman has been showing signs of improvement in recent months, so his omissions against Monza and Como raised eyebrows.
Moreover, Douglas Luiz could take the field from the get-go following a decent cameo on Friday. Many fans and observers felt the Brazilian was an upgrade on Koopmeiners in Friday’s contest. So it remains to be seen if he would start as an attacking midfielder or a deep-lying playmaker.
Finally, the report tips Francisco Conceicao to retain his starting role on the right wing, either at the expense of Kenan Yildiz or Nico Gonzalez.
