After a tough loss to a late goal in their opening match, RB Leipzig is aiming for their first Champions League win of the season against unbeaten Juventus this Wednesday evening.
While Leipzig narrowly fell to Atletico Madrid, Juventus made a strong return to the competition with a win over Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven.
RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko is looking to build on his strong performance this month. Facing a challenging group stage, Leipzig was hoping to secure at least a point from their first match, which was always going to be tough against Atletico in Madrid.
In addition to Juventus and Inter Milan, Leipzig also has to contend with Liverpool, Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon, and Premier League contenders Aston Villa.
Leipzig started brightly against Atletico, taking an early lead thanks to Sesko. However, they were pulled back before halftime and ultimately lost 2-1 with a goal conceded in the dying moments.
Despite that setback, it’s still their only loss in 19 matches across all competitions. They rebounded well, earning four points from their next two league games, including a dominant 4-0 victory over Augsburg last weekend, which pushed them up to third in the Bundesliga standings.
Sesko's early brace against Augsburg boosted team morale as they prepare for their first Champions League clash with an Italian side.
On the other side, Juventus coach Thiago Motta has had a promising start in Turin, guiding his team to a solid win in their Champions League return against PSV. The Bianconeri showcased a new generation under Motta, with 19-year-old Kenan Yildiz scoring the opener in their 3-1 victory. This lineup was the youngest in Juventus' Champions League history, with an average age of just 25.
Yildiz also became the youngest player to score for Juventus in the competition, though they did concede a late goal, which is still the only one they’ve allowed all season. Juventus remains undefeated in seven matches so far, bouncing back from a series of three goalless draws in Serie A to win 3-0 against Genoa, with Dusan Vlahovic shining with two goals.
Despite some high-profile signings yet to hit their stride, Juve is looking to improve their recent poor record away in Europe. They’ve lost four of their last five Champions League away games, including three in a row, marking their longest such run in a decade.
Motta will be eager to break this streak and become only the third Juventus manager to win his first two games in the Champions League, following legends Marcello Lippi and Fabio Capello.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Leipzig coach Marco Rose gave summer signing Antonio Nusa his first Bundesliga start on Saturday, but Christoph Baumgartner and Atletico Madrid loanee Arthur Vermeeren are both pushing to take the Norwegian winger's spot this week.
Whoever plays will need to connect with Lois Openda and Benjamin Sesko up front. Sesko has scored in RB's Champions League opener for two years running, while Openda had an impressive season last year, netting 28 goals in 44 matches across all competitions.
Eljif Elmas is expected to shake off a knock and be available for the bench, but injuries will keep Kevin Kampl (adductor), Assan Ouedraogo, and Xaver Schlager (both knee) sidelined.
For Juventus, they may again miss Timothy Weah (ankle), and Arkadiusz Milik is still out with a knee injury sustained while on international duty. On a positive note, Francisco Conceicao scored a late goal on Saturday after returning from a thigh issue.
Dusan Vlahovic had a standout performance with two goals against Genoa and has been involved in four goals over eight Champions League appearances, including an assist against PSV.
He’ll likely lead the attack in Germany, supported by Teun Koopmeiners, Nico Gonzalez, and Kenan Yildiz. Additionally, first-choice goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio is expected to return to the lineup.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:
Gulacsi; Geertruida, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; Baumgartner, Haidara, Vermeeren, Simons; Sesko, Openda
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Gatti, Bremer, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Fagioli; Gonzalez, Koopmeiners, Yildiz; Vlahovic
EXPERT PREDICTIONS
[SPOILER="TAP TO SEE OUR PREDICTION"]RB Leipzig 1-1 Juventus[/SPOILER]
Leipzig has allowed only two goals in their four Bundesliga matches this season, both during their win against champions Bayer Leverkusen, while Juventus has conceded just one goal overall.
Given their strong defensive records, this matchup could be tightly contested, and both teams might find themselves settling for a point.
