Two Juventus midfielders vying to replace Thuram against Villarreal | OneFootball

Juventus boss Igor Tudor has a selection dilemma in the middle of the park, as Khephren Thuram is expected to be rested.

The French star has now cemented himself as one of the most influential players in the team. Even club icon Alessandro Del Piero identified him and Kenan Yildiz as the two ‘main’ players in the squad.

The 24-year-old has been omnipresent in Tudor’s starting lineup thus far this season. However, his availability for Wednesday’s Champions League contest against Villarreal remains uncertain.

Khephren Thuram will likely be dropped for Villarreal vs Juventus

On Saturday, Thuram picked up a slight knock during the first half of the Serie A clash against Atalanta, which ended in a 1-1 draw. The midfielder initially gritted his teeth, but he seemed to be struggling to cope with the opposition, so the manager eventually replaced him with Weston McKennie early in the second half.

(Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

While the latest updates reassure that Thuram hasn’t suffered an injury, it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to pull off a swift recovery and get on the plane to Spain.

According to Il Corriere dello Sport via JuventusNews24, Tudor will most likely drop Thuram from the lineup, even if the latter is available. The manager must also take into account next weekend’s top Serie A showdown against Milan.

Teun Koopemeiners & Weston McKennie compete for starting spot in UCL contest

The Roman newspaper expects Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli to retain his starting spot against Villarreal, but the identity of his midfield partner remains uncertain.

As the source explains, Tudor will have to choose between Teun Koopmeiners and McKennie.

The Dutchman has been tested in several positions since Tudor’s arrival, but has yet to thrive in any. So it would be interesting to see how he’d cope in the double-pivot alongside Locatelli.

On the other hand, McKennie represents a vastly different profile compared to Koopmeiners, but he could be a more natural replacement for Thuram.