Aston Villa are feeling the pressure as they prepare to face Juventus in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. After a promising start to the season, Unai Emery’s side has found themselves in a winless rut, struggling with injuries in midfield. Their last victory was over a month ago against Bologna, and they have since slipped to eighth in the Champions League table, still hoping for a strong comeback to secure their position in the knockout stage.
In their last outing, Villa suffered a defeat at Club Brugge, which has only added to their woes. Meanwhile, Juventus, currently sitting 11th, are also experiencing a rough patch. Since their win over RB Leipzig, they have managed just three victories in nine matches, plagued by injury concerns.
Aston Villa will see Boubacar Kamara and John McGinn starting in the midfield, despite Ezri Konsa and Jacob Ramsey being sidelined due to injuries. Young right-back Lamare Bogarde, who played against Crystal Palace, will be replaced by the more experienced Matty Cash.
The confirmed Aston Villa lineup is as follows: E. Martinez (GK), Cash, Carlos, Torres, Digne, Bailey, Kamara, Tielemans, Rogers, McGinn, and Watkins. Their substitutes include Konsa, Mings, Barkley, Duran, Buendia, Gauci, Philogene, Nedeljkovic, Maatsen, Olsen, and Bogarde.
On the injury front, Konsa is out with a hip issue, Ramsey has a hamstring injury, and Amadou Onana is also unavailable due to a minor injury.
Juventus, on the other hand, are missing key players, including Bremer, who is out for the season with an ACL injury, and Dusan Vlahovic, who is still recovering from a muscle problem. Tim Weah will take the central forward position in Vlahovic’s absence.
The Juventus lineup includes Di Gregorio (GK), Savona, Gatti, Kalulu, Cambiaso, Locatelli, Thuram, Conceicao, Koopmeiners, Yildiz, and Weah, with injuries affecting Bremer, Nico Gonzalez, Douglas Luiz, Vlahovic, and Weston McKennie.
As both teams look to end their poor form, this match promises to be a crucial encounter in the Champions League group stage.
