Champions League line-ups: Juventus vs. Pafos

Champions League line-ups: Juventus vs. Pafos

Juventus give Edon Zhegrova his first start with Jonathan David and Kenan Yildiz in a must-win Champions League tie with surprise outfit Pafos.

It kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium in Turin at 20.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Benfica-Napoli on the Liveblog.

The Bianconeri badly need a victory, as they have only one win and a total of six points after five Champions League matches.

They are also fresh from the first defeat under coach Luciano Spalletti, who fell 2-1 to Napoli in Serie A on Sunday.

He confessed to regretting his tactics in that game so Kenan Yildiz returns to his support role and David starts as centre-forward in the absence of injured Dusan Vlahovic.

Federico Gatti and Carlo Pinsoglio are also out of action, but Gleison Bremer and Daniele Rugani return to the bench.

The big news is that Zhegrova gets his first start in a club match since December 14, 2024, when his Lille side took on Olympique Marseille.

Pafos have been one of the big surprises of the Champions League so far this season, as the Cypriots lost only once to Bayern Munich, beating Villarreal 1-0, with draws against Olympiacos, Kairat Almaty and AS Monaco.

It means both Juventus and Pafos are tied together on six points, so it is a head to head for position.

They are missing Ken Sema, but Domingos Quina has shaken off a muscular issue.

Joao Correia returns to the squad after a two-match ban for his remarkable red card just four minutes into the draw with Kairat Almaty, when he caught Luis Mata in the face with a very high boot.

Their most famous name is undoubtedly ex-Chelsea defender David Luiz, who is still going strong at age 38.

Juventus: Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Kelly, Koopmeiners; Cambiaso, Locatelli, Miretti, McKennie; Zhegrova, Yildiz; David

Pafos: Michael; Bruno, Luckassen, David Luiz, Goldar; Sunjic, Pêpê; Correia, Dragomir, Orsic; Anderson Silva

Ref: Gil Manzano (ESP)

Quick take: Match context: momentum and small details could decide this one, especially set-pieces and transitions. Form and fitness will matter; expect managers to rotate carefully around the congested schedule. Continental stakes raise the intensity, where away goals no longer apply but margins still feel razor thin. We’ll keep an eye on confirmed details as the story develops from official sources.

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