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Predicted Juventus lineup vs SPAL: Sarri gets creative to overcome injuries

By John Vaccaro

FLORENCE, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 15: Juventus player Juan Cuadrado during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Juventus at Stadio Artemio Franchi on September 15, 2019 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Daniele Badolato - Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images)
FLORENCE, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 15: Juventus player Juan Cuadrado during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Juventus at Stadio Artemio Franchi on September 15, 2019 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Daniele Badolato - Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images) /
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Juventus’ Bosnian midfielder Miralem Pjanic (C) celebrates after scoring during the Italian Serie A football match Brescia vs Juventus on September 24, 2019 at the Mario-Rigamonti stadium in Brescia. (Photo by Marco Bertorello / AFP) (Photo credit should read MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP/Getty Images)
Juventus’ Bosnian midfielder Miralem Pjanic (C) celebrates after scoring during the Italian Serie A football match Brescia vs Juventus on September 24, 2019 at the Mario-Rigamonti stadium in Brescia. (Photo by Marco Bertorello / AFP) (Photo credit should read MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP/Getty Images) /

CM: Miralem Pjanic

Faced with racist taunts from the crowd, Miralem Pjanic made the Brescia fans eat their words as he blasted a shot past their keeper from outside the box to deliver a Juve win. Juve’s need to attack down the middle of the field once again made Pjanic the focal point of their squad and he didn’t disappoint. He distributed the ball well and kept the pressure on Brescia throughout the match, even though Juve struggled for a while to turn that pressure into threatening chances. Pjanic will once again be the focal point for Juve on Saturday and he’ll need to be at his best to keep Juve pithing striking distance of Inter at the top of the table.

CM: Blaise Matuidi

Blaise Matuidi got the day off on Tuesday so Adrien Rabiot could make his first start, but I think Juve will put Matuidi right back into the starting lineup for the match against SPAL. This isn’t because Matuidi has been particularly impressive this season (outside of his goal against Atletico he has been pretty average), but instead because for some reason Sarri sees him as the right option and Rabiot didn’t really do anything to disprove that idea in his first start. At some point this year, this will change and Rabiot will be the regular starter. The match against SPAL just isn’t when that change will come.

CM: Sami Khedira

This is physically painful for me to write. I have hoped all season that Juventus would send Khedira back to the bench where he belongs. I have regularly picked other players to start in this position instead of him. Now, I’m officially throwing in the towel. Maurizio Sarri is watching something different than I am when Khedira is on the field. The fact that Juve won’t risk Aaron Ramsey before a Champions League should mean that Khedira will get the start because I guess Sarri doesn’t;t trust Rodrigo Bentancur or Emre Can. Every match I have to watch Sami Khedira this year will be painful, but hopefully the rest of the squad can continue to make up for his presence.

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