Juventus down to the bares bones in midfield for Genoa clash | OneFootball

The squad list for Juventus’ match against Genoa has been released, and confirmation that Douglas Luiz will miss the fixture means that Juventus have just four fit midfielders available. All four are expected to start against Patrick Vieira’s side.

With only four fit midfielders, Juventus face a precarious situation. Should all of them start, any injury or poor performance requiring a substitution could force new manager Igor Tudor into a tactical reshuffle midway through the match. This lack of depth in midfield presents a potential challenge for Tudor as he navigates his first games in charge.

The available midfielders for this fixture are Manuel Locatelli, Weston McKennie, Khéphren Thuram, and Teun Koopmeiners. While some of Juventus’ forwards possess the versatility to operate in midfield, none are natural midfielders. The issue of deploying players in unfamiliar roles has been a recurring problem for Juventus throughout the season, including under previous manager Thiago Motta.

That said, there remains a strong possibility that if all four midfielders start, they may be able to complete the match without Tudor needing to adjust his formation. However, the club’s current midfield shortage inevitably raises questions about some of the departures sanctioned earlier in the season.

Adding to the narrative, Genoa is expected to field Fabio Miretti, the Juventus midfielder currently on loan with the club. It would come as little surprise if he delivers an inspired performance against his parent club, a scenario that seems all too familiar in football.

Despite these concerns, Juventus should still possess the quality required to secure a victory over Genoa, even if tactical adjustments become necessary. As cited in this coverage, Tudor’s selection and in-game management will be under scrutiny as he aims to guide Juventus to a strong finish this season.