Juventus visit Celta Vigo in the Europa League on Thursday night, with Spalletti’s side looking to follow up their 5-0 opener in a game where team news, predicted lineups and a score prediction are all covered below.
Match preview
Juventus cost themselves a Champions League place last season by taking only five points from their final five league games. They finished outside the top four and dropped into the Europa League. They have looked far more at home in the competition so far, beating NEC 5-0 on matchday one from just 11 shots. Kerim Alajbegovic scored in Turin, as did Nick Woltemade and Randal Kolo Muani, who have both struggled for goals this season.
Domestic form has been less convincing, with one win in their last four league games. Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Cagliari left Juve sixth in Serie A, and Luciano Spalletti was sent off after a touchline confrontation at the final whistle. The pressure is building on the veteran coach. Juve won only one of five Champions League away games last season, though Spalletti wasn’t in charge for the whole campaign, and he will want a better away record in Europe’s second tier.
Celta Vigo only appear in European competition now and then. They last met Juventus 26 years ago in the UEFA Cup, winning the second leg 4-0 at home to go through 4-1 on aggregate. Last season’s run to the Europa League quarter-finals gave them a taste for knockout football, and coach Claudio Giraldez has won plenty of praise for it.
Their current form is patchy. They have won just one La Liga game this term and lost their first league-phase match 1-0 at Omonia in Cyprus, conceding late. They have since taken four points from two league games with back-to-back clean sheets, the latest a goalless draw at Elche. Celta won four of seven home games on last season’s Europa League run, so Thursday is a chance to beat Italy’s most successful club.
Team News
Spalletti is expected to rotate an injury-hit squad, with five games in two weeks and a clash with high-flying Lazio next. Lloyd Kelly is available again after a UEFA ban for the NEC game. Captain Manuel Locatelli is still out, along with Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Jeremie Boga, Jeff Ekhator and reserve goalkeeper Kamil Grabara.
Kolo Muani has been involved in eight goals in his last eight European matches, despite his domestic struggles. He scored and assisted off the bench on matchday one, and he scored and hit the bar against Cagliari, so he may keep his place ahead of a below-par Woltemade.
Celta’s attack is usually led by Ferran Jutgla, but Borja Iglesias is an experienced alternative with 10 goals in 41 UEFA appearances. Carl Starfelt, Miguel Roman and Jones El-Abdellaoui are out, and El-Abdellaoui won’t be back until next year. Veteran forward Ia
Probable Starting XI’s
Celta Vigo possible XI: Radu; Caceres, Lago, Alonso; Rueda, Febas, Moriba, Galan; Duran, Jutgla, Alvarez
Juventus possible XI: Vicario; Celik, Gatti, Kelly, Cambiaso; Luiz, Sarr; Alajbegovic, McKennie, Gonzalez; Kolo Muani
Prediction
Neither side is in great form. Celta have drawn too many games, and Juve keep missing chances. If the visitors find their shooting boots, they should come away with all three points.
Prediction: Celta Vigo 1-2 Juventus
