Juventus head coach Thiago Motta has insisted that his youthful squad must be at their best when they face Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday. (More Football News)
Juventus find themselves 19th in the 36-team standings after five ga🌄mes, and are without a victory in the competition since their 3-2 win over RB Leipzig in October.
Motta's side have also lost four of their last six home matches in the Champions League (W2), including their 🤡most recent one against𓆉 Stuttgart.
This is as many defeats as they had suffered in their previous 40 home matcꦿhes in the competition combined (four), between October 2013 and D♓ecember 2021.
And the Juventus boss acknowledged the difficulties his side will📖 face against the Premier Leᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚague champions, despite their recent run of form under Pep Guardiola. ;
"Itও is a Champions League game, two big clubs facing each other. We h💖ave to concentrate on what we have to do, everything else is relative," Motta said.
"We are a young team that can improve in every aspect of the game. We have shown great character, we grow because we have great𓃲 solidarity on th🧔e pitch," he added.
"In the end, you look at everything, but we have to give priori🌟ty to the most important things. We have to think about the ga⛎me and to stay compact and play with intensity.
"We will n𝐆eed a lot of quality to create difficulties for them."
The Citizens' run of one win in their last nine games in all competitions has not been helped by several injuries to 💖a plethora of their first-team stars.
Oscar Bobb, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanꦚji will miss Wednesday's trip to Turin, but midfield duo Phil Foden and Mateo Kovacic are expected to return.
Looking overꦜ their recent issues, Motta lauded Guardiola for what he has achieved during his time at the Etihad.
"In recent years Manchester City have won everything, and you just have to congratulate them on the value they have shown," Mott♕a said.
"Guardiola's a very good coach, I doꦫn't just say that - the facts prove it. He has won consistently."
Juventus also have injury problems ahead of taking on City at the Allianz Arena, with Andrea Cambiaso, Gleison Bremer, Juan Cabal and Arkadiusz Milik all missing.&nbs𓃲p;
But they have been boosted by the returns of Weston McKennie and Douglas Lu🤪iz, who trained with the squad in midweek and are expected to feature.
"Tomorrow, those who deserve to play will play and obviously those who have bee🐓n out for a while need more time," Motta said.
"I'm happy that the guys are back because they are the first ones who are unhappy to be out, andꦜ it's also good to know that they𝕴 can give us a hand.
"Having said that, I don't think o♏ur problems, when they exist, are due to injuꦦries."
