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Juventus projected lineup vs Manchester United: Ronaldo returns to Old Trafford

By John Vaccaro

Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus FC) celebrates after scoring during the Serie A football match between Juventus FC and Genoa CFC at Allianz Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Turin, Italy.Final results: 1-1. (Photo by Massimiliano Ferraro/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus FC) celebrates after scoring during the Serie A football match between Juventus FC and Genoa CFC at Allianz Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Turin, Italy.Final results: 1-1. (Photo by Massimiliano Ferraro/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /
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Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus FC) celebrates after scoring during the Serie A football match between Juventus FC and Genoa CFC at Allianz Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Turin, Italy. Final results: 1-1. (Photo by Massimiliano Ferraro/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus FC) celebrates after scoring during the Serie A football match between Juventus FC and Genoa CFC at Allianz Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Turin, Italy. Final results: 1-1. (Photo by Massimiliano Ferraro/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /

LW: Cristiano Ronaldo

Here’s the player everybody is excited to see start this match. Cristiano Ronaldo will be returning to his former home at Old Trafford looking to shake off his unfortunate start to the Champions League season. He has been absolutely on fire lately in Serie A, scoring 5 goals and assisting 3 more in his last 6 matches. He’ll be looking to carry that form into this match as I’m sure he’d like nothing more than to open his Champions League scoring for the season against his former club. Ronaldo has been fantastic at Juventus all season long and should give United’s center backs a ton of trouble any time he’s able to get himself matched up against them. Maybe Ronaldo will even help Jose Mourinho lose his job again.

ST: Mario Mandzukic

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Mario Mandzukic had an uncharacteristically disappointing match against Genoa and will be looking to bounce back against United. He is actually perfectly suited against United’s defense strategy. He’ll give the wings and full backs a big target in the middle when United lets them have possession and he should be able to capitalize against United’s shaky center backs if given the opportunity. His tireless work rate will keep United’s defense busy for most of the match as well. Mandzukic has yet to score in the Champions League this season and he will be hoping to change that at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

RW: Paulo Dybala

I’ve given up on Allegri making the right call at this position, so today I am officially resigning myself to the fact that Paulo Dybala will put in another ineffective performance playing out of position on the right wing. It’s very clear where Dybala needs to be used. He plays well as a second striker paired with either Ronaldo or Mandzukic. When Juve can’t put him in that position then he shouldn’t be starting. I had hoped that when Allegri changed the team’s formation to a 4-3-3 it meant that we would see Juve’s best lineup out there.

He has unfortunately given me no reason to continue to believe that. There’s also no reason to believe that we see anything positive out of Dybala here. It’s not his fault that he is being forced to play a position he isn’t suited for, but at some point Allegri needs to give on starting him in this formation.

Next. Inter and AC Milan combined 11: The Squad della Madonnina. dark

It would be great if Dybala could put in a solid performance in this position, but it should really be Bernardeschi that starts these matches.

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