Featured Image Credit: Getty Images
Topics: Aston Villa, Juventus, Champions League
Jack Kenmare
Juventus made the two-hour trip to Birmingham on Tuesday ahead of their Champions League clash against Aston Villa – and it was an eventful journey, to say the least.
Thiago Motta's side are going through an injury crisis at present. In fact, Juventus will have just 14 outfield players available for the game at Villa Park, say reports.
A host of first-team players are out on the sidelines, including Dusan Vlahovic, Douglas Luiz, Gleison Bremer, Nico Gonzalez, Juan Cabal, Arek Milik and Vasilije Adzic.
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Weston McKennie is also set miss out after being absent from training on Monday and Tuesday due to muscle fatigue.
And on Tuesday, Juventus chiefs must have breathed a sigh of relief when Timothy Weah joined up with his teammates following a lengthy delay.
Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport suggest Weah spent over an hour at Birmingham airport after border police asked for additional information.
The 24-year-old has a French and American passport but on his arrival, he only had the French document, according to The AJC via TuttoJuve.
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Juve chiefs tried to explain the situation but clearly, further checks were required as the rest of team remained at the airport.
Weah was supposed to attend the pre-match press conference but because of the delay, teammate Andrea Cambiaso took his place alongside manager Thiago Motta.
Eventually, the former Paris Saint-Germain striker was given the green light to leave but after such a delay, the full team missed out on the traditional inspection at Villa Park.
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Speaking ahead of Wednesday's game, Juve boss Thiago Motta opened up on facing Aston Villa.
“Continuity of everything we have done so far. We played a good game against Milan,” Motta said. “Tomorrow we’ll play a team who are very dangerous on the counterattack.
“We have to be solid in defence and not leave space for their trequartistas. We have to be compact and defend well. We have to use the ball well when we have it.”