Malmo vs. Juventus: How the Old Lady Should Line Up in Champions League Game

Having dispatched Parma comprehensively before the international break, Juventus returned to action this past weekend hoping to continue their rich vein of form. They would do just that, cruising to a comfortable 3-0 win over Lazio in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico and maintaining their three-point lead atop the Serie A standings.

The match—reviewed here—would once again show Massimiliano Allegri was right to abandon the 3-5-2 formation implemented by Antonio Conte. Having scored twice on Saturday, Paul Pogba expressed his happiness with the tactical switch in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“We attack with more men and we also counter-attack,” the midfielder said (h/t Football Italia). “We midfielders play behind the forwards, and it is also helpful for the guys up front.”

The new shape has clearly won over the Frenchman, who also told Italy’s famous pink paper he believes the team “is better overall” than last season. However, as attention turned to European action, Pogba also offered a note of caution, discussing the importance of the upcoming meeting with Malmo.

“We must return from Sweden with three points,” he urged, and winning the game is essential if the Bianconeri are to progress to the knockout stage. With just two matches remaining, the Turin giants will hope to take a major step towards qualification on Wednesday.

On the following pages is a look at how Juventus are expected to line up, once again deployed in Allegri’s 4-3-2-1 framework.

Goalkeeper

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Once again, Gigi Buffon is certain to start between the posts for Juventus, with the club captain seeking to continue his own excellent form. While he may have been at fault for Italy against Croatia, the 36-year-old has been superb for the Bianconeri, keeping 11 clean sheets in his 16 appearances this term.

According to statistics from ESPN, Buffon has made 21 saves in Serie A and eight in the Champions League, playing a key role in that impressive defensive record.

Defence

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Ahead of Buffon, Allegri will retain his new-look back four, with the three-man defence seemingly shelved permanently. As discussed here, that is a huge positive for the side, with results and performances improving dramatically since that switch was made.

The only issue at present is at left-back, with both Kwadwo Asamoah and Patrice Evra struggling to recover from injury. According to a report on the club’s official website, the latter returned to training on Sunday and could return to the lineup against Malmo.

Should he fail to do so, Simone Padoin is likely to continue in the role, despite his red card against Lazio this past weekend. The midfielder has impressed in recent matches as he has deputised in defence, proving to be a reliable member of the side.

Stephan Lichtsteiner will be at right-back, with Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini to continue their partnership in the centre.

Midfield

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While the injury problems continue in defence, Allegri will be happy to see his first-choice players return to action in midfield. Andrea Pirlo made a successful comeback against Lazio, once again turning in an assured performance in Juve’s 3-0 victory.

Claudio Marchisio and Paul Pogba remain vital members of the side, while Arturo Vidal continues his own quest for form. The Chilean has been subpar in 2014-15, but the Champions League has often brought his best displays, a matter discussed in detail here.

Roberto Pereyra can consider himself unfortunate to miss out, his recent contribution has been vital to the excellent form enjoyed by the Bianconeri.

Attack

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Fernando Llorente returned to the starting lineup against Parma and Lazio, proving to be an excellent focal point as Pogba and Carlos Tevez joined the attack from deeper roles. That is expected to continue against Malmo, despite the impressive displays of Alvaro Morata recently.

The young Spaniard provides a directness and an injection of pace that the Tevez-Llorente partnership can often lack, and he can expect to be introduced as the Swedish side tire late in the game.

Expected starting XI (4-3-2-1): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini; Padoin; Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio; Pogba, Tevez; Llorente