Juventus projected lineup vs Cagliari: Ronaldo takes hot streak back to Turin

GK: Wojciech Szczesny

At this point in the season there is no doubt about who will start in goal for Juventus every match. If Szczesny is healthy then he will be starting. He has performed well throughout the season and has given Juventus no reason at all to even consider starting Mattia Perin. He will eventually need some rest with Juve’s busy schedule, but that rest will not come against Cagliari.

CB: Leonardo Bonucci

There are a couple of factors that just about guarantee Leonardo Bonucci’s place in the starting 11 against Cagliari. The first is the 6 days between matches that Juventus just enjoyed. The second is the absence of Giorgio Chiellini. In Chiellini’s absence Bonucci will be called upon to keep the back line organized. It’s a job that he hasn’t done particularly well when Chiellini has been rested, but Juve will be counting on him to step up against Cagliari. He needs to perform well to keep his confidence high heading into the midweek match against Manchester United.

CB: Medhi Benatia

Medhi Benatia is the biggest beneficiary of Chiellini being left out of the lineup fo this match. He has mostly played well for Juventus when given opportunities throughout this season and clearly demonstrated his value during Bonucci’s absence last season. He doesn’t quite demand the playing time that he did last season, but matches like this give him a great opportunity to either earn more playing time or draw the attention of potential suitors for next season.