Aiming to widen their crisp commencement successful this season's Europa League, Italian giants Juventus volition big free-scoring Rennes connected Thursday evening.
In opposition to dire home form, Juve presently person a cleanable grounds successful Europe; their French counterparts are besides unbeaten, aft posting a archetypal league-phase triumph past week.
Match preview
Having kicked disconnected with a 5-0 cruise astatine location to NEC, connected matchday 2 Juventus had to enactment overmuch harder for a precise uncommon triumph successful Spain.
Misfiring strikers Nick Woltemade and Randal Kolo Muani some scored astatine Estadio Balaidos, arsenic Juve bushed Celta Vigo 2-1 and moved apical of the Europa League table.
Sitting beauteous connected maximum points, they are already good connected their mode towards the knockout rounds, with a archetypal European trophy this period being the eventual prize.
Juve whitethorn person made an exemplary commencement successful UEFA's second-tier competition, but they person been little awesome connected the home scene, winning lone 1 of their past 5 league games.
Woltemade and Kolo Muani some missed a aureate accidental arsenic Luciano Spalletti's broadside mislaid 3-0 to Lazio connected Sunday night, leaving them eighth successful Serie A.
Already 8 points down pace-setters Inter Milan, the Turin nine person made a worse commencement than astatine this signifier past year, conscionable earlier Igor Tudor was sacked and replaced by Spalletti.
Now, Juventus indispensable conscionable Stade Rennais for the archetypal clip since 1999, erstwhile they won a two-legged Intertoto Cup last - notably, Antonio Conte was among the Bianconeri's scorers.
With Conte presently available, his spectre looms implicit Spalletti's enarthrosis up of a perchance tricky midweek fixture.
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© Imago / Matthieu Mirville/ ZUMA Press Wire
While Rennes person mislaid connected each 4 of their visits to Italy - against Juve, Udinese, Lazio and AC Milan - they volition caput to Turin hoping to halt that streak.
The Breton nine person made an unbeaten commencement to their Europa League campaign, pursuing a 0-0 gully with Sturm Graz by beating OFI Crete past week, acknowledgment to a precocious victor from Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal.
Their continental occurrence has been built connected a beardown defence: Rennes fertile archetypal of each 36 teams for expected goals against (0.79) and fewest shots faced (13).
That contrasts starkly to their home output, arsenic Franck Haise's broadside are apical scorers successful Ligue 1 with 15 goals but person besides conceded 14.
Les Rouges et Noir shipped 4 successful Sunday's frenetic seven-goal clash with Paris FC, which they yet ended up losing 4-3.
Esteban Lepaul netted a hat-trick of penalties, yet that was not rather enough: skipper Valentin Rongier conceded a spot-kick heavy into stoppage clip and Paris duly converted it.
Rennes slipped down to sixth spot arsenic a result, but they prevarication conscionable a constituent down the 5 clubs above.
Juventus Europa League form:
Juventus signifier (all competitions):
Rennes Europa League form:
Rennes signifier (all competitions):
Team News
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© Iconsport / LaPresse
Once again, Spalletti is acceptable to rotate his injury-hit squad amid a frantic tally of fixtures.
Francisco Conceicao dislocated a enarthrosis connected Sunday night, truthful the Portuguese winger joins Juve's lack list: Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Jeff Ekhator, Kamil Grabara and skipper Manuel Locatelli were already unavailable.
In opposition to his Serie A struggles, Woltemade has scored successful some Europa League games truthful far; lone 2 men person scored successful their archetypal 3 European appearances for the Bianconeri - Roberto Baggio successful 1990 and Darko Kovacevic successful 1999.
So, the Germany guardant could either regenerate oregon spouse Kolo Muani up front, arsenic Spalletti has nary different acceptable strikers.
Meanwhile, Rennes could beryllium without caller France headdress Lepaul, who sustained an ankle wounded astatine the weekend; Ligue 1's apical scorer whitethorn beryllium replaced by Lazio loanee Boulaye Dia.
After initially being rested against Paris, Valentin Rongier volition skipper the distant broadside from midfield.
Haise has often rotated his full-backs, truthful Mahamadou Nagida indispensable vie with Quentin Merlin, portion Bryan Reynolds hopes to beryllium picked up of Przemyslaw Frankowski.
Juventus imaginable starting lineup:
Vicario; Kalulu, Gatti, Kelly; Celik, Luiz, Sarr, Cambiaso; McKennie, Alajbegovic; Woltemade
Rennes imaginable starting lineup:
Samba; Reynolds, Cresswell, Ait Boudlal, Nagida; Szymanski, Rongier, Camara; Blas, Dia, Soumare
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We say: Juventus 2-1 Rennes
They person made small advancement successful Serie A since Spalletti arrived astatine this clip past year, but Juventus person won each of their past 4 European location matches - scoring 12 goals and conceding conscionable two.
So, with the unit somewhat eased aft making specified a good commencement to the league phase, Juve tin bushed hit-and-miss Rennes.
For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.
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2 weeks ago
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