Juventus vs PSV Eindhoven predictions: Defences could be tough to breach
- There were fewer than three goals in five of PSV’s last six Champions League matches
- Juventus’ last two Serie A matches both finished 0-0
- Recommended bet: Back Under 2.5 Total Goals
Juventus return to European action after a year’s absence with a home clash against Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven in the League phase of the Champions League on Tuesday.
Thiago Motta’s team have been held to consecutive 0-0 draws in domestic action and they will be looking to return to winning ways against a PSV side with a perfect record through five rounds of the Eredivisie.
Team news
Motta handed debuts to summer signings Teun Koopmeiners, Nico Gonzalez, Douglas Luiz and Pierre Kalulu against Empoli.
Winger Timothy Weah and midfielder Kephren Thuram returned to the bench after injury, but neither seems likely to make the starting XI on Tuesday.
Nicolo Fagioli and Andrea Cambiaso, who both started against Roma before the international break, look set to be restored to the side — as does first-choice goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.
Francisco Conceicao and Arkadiusz Milik are both injured and will miss out.
As for PSV, Luuk de Jong returned from an injury layoff on Saturday and scored the first goal against NEC from the penalty spot.
Head coach Peter Bosz has already suggested young left-back Matteo Dams will keep his place while American right-back Richy Ledezma looks set to continue as summer signing Rick Karsdorp builds up his fitness.
However, Mexican attacker Hirving Lozano, who has scored four goals in four games this season, is unlikely to recover in time to face Juve.
The stats
Juventus have kept five consecutive clean sheets in Serie A, a run of 532 minutes without conceding a goal.
PSV have conceded no more than once in any of their league games this term, shipping a total of three goals in five Eredivisie outings.
Striker Dusan Vlahovic has missed four big chances for Juventus, the most of any player in Serie A so far this season.
Prediction
Juventus have not clicked in attack in their past two matches with the introduction of several new players on Saturday a possible reason why they could not overpower Empoli.
Vlahovic, who is currently Motta’s only experienced option up top, has struggled to get going this term with his movement and finishing drawing criticism at the weekend.
But the Bianconeri remain watertight at the back and it may be that old habits die hard as Motta attempts to focus on attack more than his predecessor Massimiliano Allegri did.
PSV are very attack-minded, as their record of 20 goals scored and only three conceded through five league games demonstrates.
But they knew when to put up the shutters in the Champions League last season as Bosz’s side claimed creditable 1-1 group stage draws at Lens and at home to Arsenal before holding Borussia Dortmund to the same result in the round of 16.
Fewer than three goals were scored in five of PSV’s six most recent European games and with Juve currently misfiring in attack, this clash looks to be one for Unders players.
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