Villarreal Challenge for Juventus in Champions League

All is ready at the Estadio de la Cerámica, where tonight at 9:00 PM, Juventus will face Villarreal in the second match of the Champions League group stage.

For Juventus coach Igor Tudor, this is already a very important game. He admitted in his pre-match press conference that Villarreal will be a very difficult opponent.

Villarreal, coached by Marcelino, usually play in a 4-4-2 formation with two strikers up front. This style is not common these days, but it is what makes Villarreal special.

Nicolas Pepe of Villarreal CF under pressure from Daniel Vivian and Gorka Guruzeta of Athletic Club during the LaLiga EA Sports .

They know how to adapt during matches  sometimes pressing high with energy, other times defending deeper. This balance makes them dangerous, especially at home.

Last season, Villarreal’s success was linked to Ayoze Pérez, but he is injured and will miss this game. The attack will be led by new signing Georges Mikautadze and Nicolas Pépé, who together already have 4 goals and 2 assists this season.

In midfield, Comesaña and Gueye bring both strength and technical quality. On the right wing, Juventus must watch out for Tajon Buchanan, the former Inter player, who has already scored 3 goals this year.

In defense, Renato Veiga, who Juventus fans know from his past in Italy, is an important player. On the left side, Cardona is dangerous, having already provided 2 assists this season after giving 7 assists last year.

Villarreal had a great season last year in La Liga, finishing 5th with 70 points, the same as Athletic Bilbao.

This season they are even stronger. After 7 matches, they are 3rd in the table, behind only Real Madrid and Barcelona, with 16 points.

They have won 3 games in a row, and at home they have a perfect record so far. In 6 league matches, they scored 12 goals (an average of 2 per game) and conceded only 5 goals.

Villarreal made big changes in the summer transfer window. They lost some key players, including Álex Baena, their best assist provider last season, who joined Atlético Madrid for more than €40 million.

Jeremy Pino left for Crystal Palace in a €30 million deal, while Thierno Barry moved to Everton for the same amount.

London, United Kingdom Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur, Georges Mikautadze of Villarreal CF and Pedro Porro of Tottenham Hotspur.

However, the club replaced them with strong signings. Mikautadze arrived from Lyon for over €30 million, Renato Veiga was signed from Chelsea for almost €30 million with bonuses, and young winger Alberto Moleiro joined from Las Palmas to add more attacking options.

With Villarreal in such strong form, Juventus will face a tough challenge. But Tudor’s team knows this game could be key for their Champions League hopes.

The battle starts tonight at 9:00 PM in Spain.