Luciano Spalletti couldn’t have asked for a better start to his tenure at Juventus, kicking off with a convincing away victory over Cremonese. But the real test awaits on Tuesday night, when the Old Lady faces Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League — a match that could decide their European fate.
With just two points from the opening three rounds, Juventus sits in a precarious 25th position in the group standings. Anything less than a win would be catastrophic for their Champions League ambitions, making this encounter a true “life or death” showdown.
For this crucial match, Spalletti will finally have Kenan Yildiz back at his disposal. The young Turkish talent is expected to replace Openda in the starting lineup, joining Dusan Vlahovic up front. Alongside them, Conceiçao is tipped to complete the attacking trio — tasked with adding speed, creativity, and unpredictability to Juventus’ offense, while opening space for Vlahovic and involving the midfield more dynamically.
In midfield, the key battle revolves around Weston McKennie and Thuram, who are both vying for a starting role next to Manuel Locatelli. Out wide, Cambiaso and Kostic are expected to retain their places.
Spalletti will also maintain a three-man defense, likely consisting of Kalulu, one between Gatti and Rugani, and Koopmeiners — the Dutchman having impressed in Cremona and now poised to help build play from the back.
In short, the clash against Sporting Lisbon represents more than just another group-stage fixture. It’s a defining moment for Spalletti’s Juventus — a match where both tactical precision and mental strength will be tested.
While Juventus has benefited domestically from the slip-ups of Napoli and Roma, the margin for error in Europe has vanished. Tuesday night, everything is on the line.
