Aston Villa vs Juventus Prediction: 27/11/2024

Aston Villa made a strong return to the Champions League after a long absence, kicking off their group stage with impressive wins over Young Boys Berne (3-0), Bayern Munich (1-0), and Bologna (2-0). However, their momentum came to an abrupt halt on the final matchday when they suffered a surprising 1-0 loss to Club Bruges, dropping them to 7th place in the standings.

In the Premier League, Villa has struggled recently, enduring consecutive defeats to Tottenham (4-1) and Liverpool (2-0). They will aim to recover in their upcoming match against Crystal Palace.

Juventus, after missing out on the Champions League last season, made a strong return with wins in their first two group games, beating PSV Eindhoven (3-1) and RB Leipzig (2-3) despite being a player down. However, their form dipped after a 1-0 loss to Stuttgart and a 1-1 draw with Lille. With 7 points from their group, Juventus currently sits in 12th place.

In Serie A, Juventus is still competitive, holding 6th place, just 2 points behind Napoli at the top. They will look to secure their third consecutive league win against AC Milan this weekend.

For Aston Villa, manager Unai Emery faces the challenge of missing key players, including full-back Cash and possibly midfielder Ross Barkley. Despite these absences, Villa’s attack remains potent, with Rogers (3 goals, 2 assists in the Premier League) and Watkins (5 goals, 2 assists) leading the charge.

Striker Duran (4 goals) is expected to be used as a substitute. In midfield, Villa may deploy Belgian duo Thielemans and Onana, or Frenchman Kamara, while Lucas Digne is likely to play left-back and Emiliano Martinez will be in goal.

On the Juventus side, coach Thiago Motta, a former PSG player under Emery, also faces injury concerns. Brazilian internationals Bremer and Douglas Luiz, winger Nico Gonzalez, and substitutes Cabal, Adzic, and Milik are all unavailable. The biggest concern is the absence of striker Vlahovic, who was injured during the last international break while playing for Serbia. In Vlahovic’s absence, Weah (4 goals in Serie A) could be used up front, alongside Conceiçao (1 goal, 3 assists), Koopmeiners, and Yildiz (3 goals, 2 assists).

 

Prediction

Aston Villa’s home games have often lacked goals at both ends, with this occurring in only five of their last 19 matches. Juventus, on the other hand, has a solid defensive record, keeping clean sheets in 11 of their last 17 Champions League games.

Prediction: Aston Villa 0 – 2 Juventus.