Juventus welcome Stade Rennais on Thursday seeking a third successive Europa League victory, with both sides unbeaten in the league phase and Esteban Lepaul’s availability a key concern for the visitors.
The Italian giants opened with a 5-0 home win over NEC before edging past Celta Vigo 2-1 at the Estadio Balaidos. Nick Woltemade and Randal Kolo Muani scored in Spain, lifting Juventus to the top of the Europa League standings and putting them in a strong position to reach the knockout phase.
A first European trophy of this century is now the ultimate prize for Juventus, although their domestic form is far less impressive. Luciano Spalletti’s side have won only one of their past five Serie A matches and sit eighth, eight points behind leaders Inter Milan, after Sunday’s 3-0 defeat by Lazio.
Woltemade and Kolo Muani both missed excellent chances in that loss. Juventus’ start is also worse than at the same stage last season, shortly before Igor Tudor was dismissed and replaced by Spalletti.
The meeting with Rennes is the clubs’ first since 1999, when Juventus won a two-legged Intertoto Cup final. Antonio Conte was among their scorers then, and his availability has increased speculation around the pressure on Spalletti before a demanding midweek fixture.
Rennes have lost all four of their previous away matches in Italy, against Juventus, Udinese, Lazio and AC Milan, but arrive in Turin unbeaten in Europe. They drew 0-0 with Sturm Graz and then beat OFI Crete 1-0 through Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal’s late goal.
Their European campaign has been built on defensive discipline. Rennes rank first among the 36 teams for fewest expected goals conceded, with 0.79, and have allowed just 13 shots.
That defensive record contrasts with a more open Ligue 1 campaign. Franck Haise’s side are the division’s leading scorers with 15 goals, but have conceded 14. Four came in Sunday’s seven-goal thriller against Paris FC, which Rennes lost 4-3 despite a hat-trick of penalties from Lepaul. Paris FC scored the decisive penalty in added time after captain Valentin Rongier conceded it.
Rennes dropped to sixth, but are only one point behind the five teams above them.
Team news and betting angles
Spalletti is expected to rotate a Juventus squad affected by injuries. Francisco Conceicao dislocated his shoulder against Lazio and joins Kenan Yıldız, Khephren Thuram, Jeff Ekhator, Kamil Grabara and captain Manuel Locatelli on the sidelines.
Woltemade has scored in both Europa League matches and could start alongside or instead of Kolo Muani, with no other fit striker available. Only Roberto Baggio in 1990 and Darko Kovacevic in 1999 had scored in each of their first three European appearances for Juventus.
Lepaul, Ligue 1’s leading scorer and a new France international, could miss out with an ankle injury. Boulaye Dia, on loan from Lazio, may replace him. Rongier is expected to captain Rennes from midfield, while Mahamadou Nagida competes with Quentin Merlin and Bryan Reynolds with Przemysław Frankowski for starting places.
Probable teams: Juventus – Vicario; Kalulu, Gatti, Kelly; Celik, Luiz, Sarr, Cambiaso; McKennie, Alajbegovic; Woltemade. Rennes – Samba; Reynolds, Cresswell, Ait Boudlal, Nagida; Szymanski, Rongier, Camara; Blas, Dia, Soumare.
Juventus have won their past four European home matches, scoring 12 and conceding two. Suggested bets are both teams to score and under 4.5 goals at 2.15, Kolo Muani to score at 2.45, or Woltemade or Lepaul to score at 1.73.
