Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info

Borussia Dortmund will finally pick up the pace this weekend when they turn away from recreational friendly matches towards a more testing opponent in Italian champions Juventus. 

In St Gallen, Switzerland, Thomas Tuchel will undoubtedly come up against his toughest test yet as the newly appointed Dortmund manager as he tries to work around the very team that knocked the Bundesliga side out of the Champions League just a few months ago. 

Although this match may be labelled a friendly, both Tuchel and his namesake on the opposite bench, Massimiliano Allegri, will be expecting a full, thorough performance from their own players. Expect a very heated 90 minutes between two talented sides. 

Date: Saturday, July 25

Time: 6 p.m. BST/1 a.m. ET

Venue: AFG Arena, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Television: BT Sport (UK Only)

Streaming: BT Sport Online (UK Only)

Predicted Lineups

As far as Dortmund are concerned, we should see Tuchel stick to his pre-season plans and play the German side in something resembling a 4-3-3 formation. 

That will most likely mean a standard back line of Erik Durm, Neven Subotic, Mats Hummels and Marcel Schmelzer in front of either Roman Weidenfeller or Roman Burki in goals. 

TORU YAMANAKA/Getty Images

The midfield will most likely stat with Julian Weigl as the lone defensive midfielder, with Ilkay Gundogan and Gonzalo Castro in front, making up the midfield trio. In front of them should be Shinji Kagawa playing as a No.10 behind Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. 

With no notable injuries to record, Juventus will most likely kick off their pre-season with a standard 4-4-2 diamond formation, as we've seen from Allegri's team in the past.

Yet due to the nature of their summer schedule, it would be almost impossible to predict just who will be starting for the Italian side on Saturday afternoon. With both Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal now departed, there's a huge gap in midfield that needs filling. 

We await to see just who will step in to that role, alongside new signing Sami Khedira, while the club continue to strengthen ahead of the new season. 

Key Players

Ilkay Gundogan

For Dortmund much of this summer's preparations have been down to the transformation in the middle of the pitch and no player has truly turned things around quite like Gundogan. 

The German international may have once been linked with a move to Saturday's opponents but for now he's got his head down and looks determined to give this season another go. Starting with Juventus on Saturday. 

Paul Pogba

Standing in Gundogan's way will be none other than midfield maestro Paul Pogba, the French international that may well be the most sought-after player in Europe right about now. 

The central midfielder has been an instrumental part of Juventus' side over the past few years and will certainly be one to watch for Tuchel and his side.