Both AZ Alkmaar and Juventus will seek their third win of the UEFA Europa League campaign when they face each other on Thursday.
Having secured all three points against Napoli last time out, Juventus will be quite confident about their chances when they hit the road to face AZ Alkmaar, who have struggled in recent weeks.
The home team are 10th in the Europa League with six points in their three outings. AZ started their campaign with a disappointing 1-0 defeat at the hands of Sunderland. But they bounced back to win 2-1 against Hapoel Be’er Sheva and backed it up with a dominant 4-0 win over Ararat-Armenia in matchday 3.
Alkmaar have slipped down to fifth in the Eredivisie after consecutive league defeats at the hands of Twente and Ajax. Given the kind of form they have been in, a positive result here could put their season back on track.
Meanwhile, Juventus are 7th in the Europa League with seven points in their three outings. They started their European campaign with a dominant 5-0 win over NEC and backed it up with a 2-1 win over Celta Vigo. However, the visitors could only manage a 2-2 draw against Rennes last time out.
The Old Lady have not been in the best of form this season, and they are currently 7th in Serie A. However, they are heading into this fixture on the back of a 2-0 win over Napoli that will give them a lot of confidence. Despite their inconsistency, Juventus will still be favourites here. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
The home team are expected to be without the services of Jeroen Zoet and Stije Resink (knee) on Thursday. The visitors do have a boost, as Kees Smit is expected to be back on the bench after recovering from his injury.
Alkmaar are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Jari De Busser starting in goal. Elijah Dijkstra and Mees de Wit should occupy the full-back positions, while Wouter Goes is expected to pair up with Wesley Hoedt at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Dave Kwakman and Peer Koopmeiners are likely to form the double pivot, providing defensive protection and looking for a chance to hit Juventus on the break. Calvin Stengs should operate in the attacking midfield role, linking the midfield with the forward line.
Weslley Patati and Ro-Zangelo Daal are expected to feature on the flanks, with Mexx Meerdink leading the line. The attacking quartet will look to create opportunities and put pressure on the opposition defence.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): De Busser; Dijkstra, Goes, Hoedt, De Wit; Kwakman, Peer Koopmeiners; Patati, Stengs, Daal; Meerdink
Luciano Spalletti remains without the services of Weston McKennie (muscle), Zeki Celik (thigh), Nico Gonzalez (calf), Kenan Yildiz (foot), Khephren Thuram (unspecified), Francisco Conceicao (shoulder), Jeff Ekhator, Kamil Grabara (knee), and Manuel Locatelli (meniscus).
Despite these absences, Juventus have enough depth in their squad to field a competitive side. Guglielmo Vicario is expected to start in goal, with Pierre Kalulu and Andrea Cambiaso occupying the full-back positions. Federico Gatti should line up alongside Gleison Bremer in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Douglas Luiz and Pape Sarr are likely to form the double pivot, while Teun Koopmeiners operates further forward in the number ten role. The trio will look to ensure they dominate proceedings and dictate the tempo.
Randal Kolo Muani and Kerim Alajbegovic are expected to provide support from the flanks, with Nick Woltemade leading the line.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Kalulu, Gatti, Bremer, Cambiaso; Luiz, Sarr; Kolo Muani, Teun Koopmeiners, Alajbegovic; Woltemade
The 27-year-old has had a mixed start to life in Turin after he secured a permanent move to Juventus in the summer. While he only has two goal contributions in his 10 league outings, Kolo Muani has done a decent job in Europe.
The Frenchman has two goals and an assist in his three Europa League outings, and he will be eager to add to his tally against Alkmaar. While Kolo Muani might start out wide on the flank, he will certainly drift in to support Woltemade. With Juventus likely to dominate the ball, he might have quite a few chances to get his name on the scoresheet.
AZ Alkmaar have shown some promise in Europe, winning their last two outings, but their recent domestic form makes this a difficult fixture for them. Consecutive defeats against Twente and Ajax will have dented their confidence, and they now face a Juventus side coming off an impressive win over Napoli.
Juventus have not been entirely convincing this season, but their European record remains strong, and they have enough quality to take control of this contest. Randal Kolo Muani has been particularly effective in the Europa League and could prove decisive once again.
AZ may find the net, but Luciano Spalletti’s men should have enough firepower to secure all three points. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the away team.
