Coppa Italia: Juventus vs. Udinese – Official Line-Ups Announced

Bassyonni

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Coppa Italia: Juventus vs. Udinese – Official Line-Ups Announced

Juventus is set to launch its Coppa Italia campaign against Udinese in the Round of 16. The highly anticipated match takes place on Thursday evening at 20:00 GMT (21:00 CET) in Turin, Italy. Luciano Spalletti, Juventus’ head coach, faces significant challenges due to injuries within his squad.

Injury Concerns for Juventus

Juventus announced that Dusan Vlahovic, the team’s leading scorer, will miss the match due to a high-grade adductor tear. Vlahovic is expected to be sidelined for a minimum of three months, with some reports suggesting a recovery time of up to five months. His absence necessitates a shift in the team’s attack, as Spalletti looks to Jonathan David and Kenan Yildiz to fill the gap.

Alongside Vlahovic, several first-team players are unavailable, including Gleison Bremer, Daniele Rugani, Arkadiusz Milik, and goalkeepers Mattia Perin and Carlo Pinsoglio. Perin, who has been a key player in recent matches, is out with a muscular injury, prompting a switch to Michele Di Gregorio in goal.

Juventus’ Line-Up Strategy

In a tactical shift, Juventus will adopt a 4-4-2 formation, departing from their usual 3-4-2-1. The confirmed starting line-up includes:

Goalkeeper: Michele Di Gregorio
Defenders:
- Pierre Kalulu (Right-back)
- Juan Cabal (Left-back)
- Federico Gatti (Center-back)
- Lloyd Kelly (Center-back)
Midfielders:
- Weston McKennie
- Teun Koopmeiners
- Fabio Miretti
- Andrea Cambiaso
Forwards:
- Kenan Yildiz
- Jonathan David

Udinese’s Preparation

Udinese arrives in Turin having progressed through the earlier rounds of the Coppa Italia, defeating Carrarese and Palermo. Coach Kosta Runjaic has opted for several rotations in his squad but has included star attacker Nicolo Zaniolo in the starting lineup. Notably, Thomas Kristensen and Hassane Kamara will not be part of the traveling squad.