Juventus vs. Sevilla: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
As domestic matters are put aside and continental action returns this season, Juventus host Sevilla in a meeting that would have looked very different had it taken place just a few months ago. Indeed, this fixture would have been a mouth-watering proposition back then, pitting the Europa League winners against the Champions League runners-up.
Fast-forward to today, however, and a very different picture emerges, with both clubs underperforming. Juventus lost to Napoli this past weekend in a game discussed at length here, their third defeat of an already difficult campaign.
That total already equals their mark for the whole of 2014/15 and leaves them sitting in 15th place, with just five points from their opening six Serie A matches. It is a disappointing return for a team who have won the league title for four consecutive seasons.
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"We’re on a poor run but we mustn’t dwell on it," coach Massimiliano Allegri told Sky Italia shortly after the Napoli game (h/t the Juventus club website). "The important thing for us now is to get back to work and start winning football matches.”
That aim will be boosted by the return of Sami Khedira, the Germany international returning to training this week per the club’s official website. That would add some much-needed reinforcements to a struggling midfield, perhaps providing the spark so sorely missing in recent weeks for the Bianconeri.
Yet, their poor league form did not affect their first European outing, running out 2-1 winners away to Manchester City, a result that saw them join Sevilla at the top of Group D. The Spanish side also shrugged off domestic woes to enjoy a comfortable victory over Borussia Monchengladbach two weeks ago.
This past weekend saw Unai Emery’s men get their first La Liga win of 2015/16, enjoying a 3-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano that pleased the coach as he looked ahead to Wednesday’s trip to Juventus Stadium.
“Playing against Juventus is a great opportunity to show the whole of Europe what we are capable of,” Emery told reporters after the game, per Football Italia. “We’re facing the vice-champions of Europe, a big team, and our only objective is to give a good account of ourselves."
Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Time: 7:45 p.m. BST (2:45 p.m. ET)
Venue: Juventus Stadium, Turin
TV Info: BT Sport Europe (UK)
Live Stream: BT Sport App (UK)
Form Lines
Last 5 domestic results:
| AS Roma 2-1 Juventus | Sevilla 0-3 Atletico Madrid |
| Juventus 1-1 Chievo | Levante 1-1 Sevilla |
| Genoa 0-2 Juventus | Sevilla 1-2 Celta Vigo |
| Juventus 1-1 Frosinone | Las Palmas 2-0 Sevilla |
| Napoli 2-1 Juventus | Sevilla 3-2 Rayo Vallecano |
Probable Formations
Juventus (4-3-1-2): Gigi Buffon; Stephan Lichtsteiner, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Patrice Evra, Mario Lemina, Hernanes, Paul Pogba; Juan Cuadrado; Alvaro Morata, Roberto Pereyra
Unavailable: Mario Mandzukic, Claudio Marchisio (all injured)
Sevilla (4-2-3-1): Sergio Rico; Coke, Marco Andreolli, Timothee Kolodziejczak, Benoit Tremoulinas; Grzegorz Krychowiak, Steven N’Zonzi; Jose Antonio Reyes, Vicente Iborra, Yevhen Konoplyanka; Kevin Gameiro
Unavailable: Beto, Daniel Carrico, Adil Rami, Nicolas Pareja, Ever Banega (all injured)
Player to Watch
Given the way Juventus have struggled to repeat last season’s fine form, it is somewhat of a relief that Fernando Llorente has been ruled out of this clash. One of the many players who left the club this past summer, the prospect of seeing him battle against Giorgio Chiellini for 90 minutes would have been an intriguing one.
However, the Spanish striker's injury likely creates space for Ciro Immobile to play in attack for Sevilla. The 25-year-old grew up in the Juventus youth sector, joining the Bianconeri back in 2008 and eventually making his first-team debut three years later.
He would not stick around for long, sent on a series of loans before becoming Serie B top scorer with Pescara during the 2011/12 campaign. Immobile since repeated that feat in the top flight with Torino, netting 20 goals in 2013/14 and paving the way for a big-money move to Borussia Dortmund that never panned out.
Now with Sevilla, he may feel he has a point to prove when taking on his boyhood club here, and he is almost certainly the man to watch.
Key Battle
While many eyes will be on that return, perhaps this game will be decided in a midfield clash between two players at very different points in their respective careers.
At the heart of Sevilla’s midfield is former Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City man Steven N'Zonzi, landing in Andalusia back in July. He was sent off on his Sevilla debut, but has since become an important part of the team, netting two goals in four matches thus far for the La Liga side.
Putting in a some excellent displays in the absence of Ever Banega, N'Zonzi is instrumental to the team, just as Paul Pogba hopes to be for Juventus. So far this term his only solid performances were his two-goal display against Genoa and the Manchester City win.
During the latter, he clearly enjoyed being matched up against Yaya Toure, and whoever comes out on top between N'Zonzi and Pogba could well be the man to lead his side to victory.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Away win: 173-50
Home win: 50-59
Draw: 239-100
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