Juventus probable lineup vs Udinese: Three selection dilemmas for Spalletti | OneFootball

Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti is working on defining his starting lineup ahead of Saturday’s contest against Udinese, but he has at least three selection headaches to resolve.

Last weekend, the Bianconeri managed to reduce the deficit with Roma to a single point, but they remain sixth in the standings, with Como taking the coveted fourth spot thanks to their goal-difference advantage over the Italian capital side.

Cesc Fabregas’ men are preparing to clash heads with the Giallorossi on Sunday, giving the Old Lady a golden opportunity to climb the ladder if they can prevail in Udine on Saturday.

How Juventus will line up against Udinese

According to Tuttosport, Spalletti must first solve the goalkeeper’s dilemma. Michele Di Gregorio has been dropped in the last three matches due to a series of mistakes, making way for Mattia Perin.

Nevertheless, the manager wouldn’t want to completely alienate his original first-choice custodian, so he’s considering bringing Di Gregorio back to the fold.

At the back, Lloyd Kelly and Pierre Kalulu are almost certain of their starting roles, but Spalletti is considering resting Gleison Bremer and giving Federico Gatti the nod at the heart of the defence.

Weston McKennie and Andrea Cambiaso will almost certainly retain their places on the wings, and the same goes for Khephren Thuram and Manuel Locatelli in the double pivot.

Will Jonathan David be given another chance?

The biggest selection dilemma haunting Spalletti is arguably the one upfront. Jonathan David is coming off a disappointing display against Pisa, and the team only managed to score following his half-time exit.

On the other hand, Dusan Vlahovic is only fit enough for a role on the bench, while Lois Openda has fallen out of favour.

The manager could thus consider starting Kenan Yildiz as a false 9, supported by Francisco Conceicao and Jeremie Boga.

Nevertheless, the Turin-based newspaper reveals that David has been receiving major support from his teammates and technical staff, so he could be given the opportunity to bounce back in Udine.

Juventus Probable XI (3-4-2-1): Di Gregorio (Perin); Kalulu, Gatti (Bremer), Kelly; McKennie, Locatelli, Thuram, Cambiaso; Conceicao, Yildiz; David (Boga).