Champions League line-ups: Juventus vs. Benfica | OneFootball

Juventus bring Dusan Vlahovic back into the starting XI with Kenan Yildiz and Francisco Conceicao, as they need a win against Angel Di Maria’s Benfica.

It kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium in Turin at 20.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s Champions League games on the Liveblog.

The Bianconeri’s campaign has been limping along in all competitions with a series of stalemates, and while they are sure of a place in the play-offs, there will be a big difference between seeded and non-seeded status.

Randal Kolo Muani made his debut and promptly scored in the 2-1 defeat to Napoli, but he is cup-tied after the transfer from Paris Saint-Germain.

That means Vlahovic is the only available centre-forward and returns to the starting XI, backed by Kenan Yildiz, Francisco Conceicao and Samuel Mbangula.

Surprisingly, Teun Koopmeiners and Manuel Locatelli drop to the bench in favour of Khephren Thuram and Douglas Luiz.

Andrea Cambiaso sprained his ankle against Napoli, so he is out along with Arkadiusz Milik, Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal, moving Tim Weah to right-back.

LISBON, PORTUGAL – DECEMBER 11: Angel Di Maria of S.L Benfica runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Nicolo Casale of Bologna during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between SL Benfica and Bologna FC 1909 at Estadio do SL Benfica on December 11, 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)

Benfica are not guaranteed a place in the play-offs yet, so they need all three points here too, but are coming off an extraordinary 5-4 loss to Barcelona when they had been leading 4-2.

However, ex-Fiorentina striker Arthur Cabral and left-back Alvaro Carreras are suspended and do not make the trip, along with Renato Sanches and Tiago Gouveia.

It is a return to Turin for Angel Di Maria, who starts against his old club.

Worryingly for Juve, Benfica have won all four previous Champions League meetings.

Juventus: Perin; Weah, Gatti, Kalulu, McKennie; Douglas Luiz, K Thuram; Conceiçao, Yildiz, Mbangula; Vlahovic

Benfica: Trubin; Bah, Otamendi, Antonio Silva, Tomas Araujo; Orkun Kokcu, Florentino Luis, Aursnes; Di Maria, Pavlidis, Schjelderup

Ref: Kovacs (ROU)