Juve, Chiesa on the bench with Cremonese. Room for Soulé?

Juve toasted the defence, but are hoping for a 2023 full of… strikers. In the first part of the championship, the bianconeri conceded the fewest goals of all (7 goals), while in the scoring phase the numbers could be improved, given that the 24 goals scored put Juve on the fifth step of the podium. Much will depend on Vlahovic’s recoveries, but also on the “pace” that Chiesa and Di Maria will be able to reach and keep. The first, out since 9 January due to injury except for the “tastes” with PSG, Inter and Lazio before the break, will fuel a little more with Cremonese and Udinese to perhaps be ready to apply for a starting shirt with Napoli. The Argentine, who returns from vacation tomorrow together with the other new world champion Paredes, has not been able to give the hoped-for contribution so far, and expectations around his first half of 2023 are great.

Attack situation

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From a Cremonese perspective, which will mark the resumption of the Juventus competitive season on 4 January at 18.30, the pillars of the attack will still be Milik and Kean, waiting for Vlahovic to resolve the physical problems linked to a relapse of the pubalgia. As Allegri explained after the friendly against Standard Liège, the Serbian forward has resumed racing for a few days, and therefore a job for him is excluded with Cremonese and Udinese. And the hope of having him back at least on the bench for the big match against Napoli is linked to the sensations that the player will report this week after some specific tests: if these give a positive result, Vlahovic will be able to gradually return to training with his teammates.

probable lineup

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If the defense will see the Brazilian trio on the field, it is the middle department that has the greatest alternatives and therefore lends itself more to the game of probabilities: Locatelli in direction and Kostic on the left are the certainties, the fifth on the right is the real unknown. in the absence of Quadrado. The midfielders should be Rabiot on the left and one of Fagioli, Miretti and McKennie on the right, with the choice also linked to who will be chosen for the role of vice-Cuadrado: with Standard Liège we saw an Aké in the run-in, but above all a Soulé in great form, even if deployed for a shorter playing time than his partner. After all, the Argentine had already been deployed for over 60 minutes against both Arsenal and Rijeka, both on the right and on the left, and he always gave the impression of being among the most on the ball and ready for the jump between the big ones. For this reason, with Cremonese, he is automatically a candidate for a starting shirt.