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Juventus and Mönchengladbach seek winning lift

Neither Juventus nor Mönchengladbach have begun the season particularly well, but there are signs of green shoots emerging for both sides as they meet in Turin.

Paul Pogba and Giorgio Chiellini training on Tuesday
Paul Pogba and Giorgio Chiellini training on Tuesday ©AFP/Getty Images
  • Juventus, 14th in Serie A, have won two out of two in Group D
  • Massimiliano Allegri says another victory would put his side on the brink of the last 16
  • Juve are on a 14-match unbeaten home run in UEFA competition
  • Mönchengladbach have won four out of five under interim coach André Schubert
  • Schubert says Juventus and Gladbach are both "turning a corner"

Possible lineup
Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba; Cuadrado, Mandžukić, Morata.
Out: Cáceres (ankle), Lichtsteiner (heart operation)

Mönchengladbach: Sommer; Korb, Christensen, Domínguez, Wendt; Dahoud, Xhaka; Traoré, Stindl, Johnson; Raffael.
Out: Stranzl (facial injury), N Schulz (knee), Herrmann (knee)
Doubtful: M Schulz (flu)

Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus coach
Let's say that [Mario] Mandžukić is fine. Maybe he's not got 90 minutes in his legs, but he's fine. He's not played much due to injuries. [Álvaro] Morata's come on a lot and [Simone] Zaza's in decent shape, as he showed on Sunday. [Paulo] Dybala needs to be allowed to grow serenely, as was the case with Morata last season. We can't ask too much of him – he's 21 and needs to settle and develop.

It will be completely different from the Sevilla game, above all because they are on a good run of form in the Bundesliga. They've become more compact, also mentally. Tomorrow we need to play as if it were a knockout game, knowing we've got 90 minutes to get the result we need.

We could move onto nine points and, considering Manchester City play Sevilla, we would increase our lead over them, but there would still be three games left. We know we're playing catch-up in the league, but Sunday night's performance [0-0 draw against Internazionale Milano at San Siro] was important.

Borussia are a good team and they are still in the hunt, while we've got a big chance to put ourselves within touching distance of qualifying. We've got to show them respect and not allow ourselves to get carried away by the enthusiasm we gained from the first two group games.

André Schubert, Mönchengladbach coach
Fear has no place in football; this is a challenge against a huge club who got to the final last season. Neither team has made a good start to the season, but both are turning the corner so it's a big game and we're all looking forward to it, certainly not scared. The lads did so much last year to get into the Champions League.

André Schubert gestures to his players
André Schubert gestures to his players©Getty Images

We are defending a lot better, more effectively than in our first few games this season. There's no secret other than hard work. We reiterated that we've got to press far up the pitch and stay organised. Then there were psychological things – to remind the lads of what their strengths were.

Then, as simple as it sounds, the players also had to get their confidence back with every tackle won, even in training.

Weekend results
Internazionale 0-0 Juventus
Neither team was able to break the deadlock in the Derby d'Italia as Juventus continued their stuttering start to the campaign. Sami Khedira went closest to finding the net when he connected with a post in the second half, but the result left Juve 14th in the table with two wins from their first eight fixtures.

Mönchengladbach put five past Frankfurt
Mönchengladbach put five past Frankfurt©Getty Images

Frankfurt 1-5 Mönchengladbach (Meier 29pen; Raffael 16 57, Dahoud 51, Hahn 82pen, 90)
Mönchengladbach scored five goals in an away game for the first time since August 2010 to make it four Bundesliga victories from four under Schubert. Raffael's opener on his 200th Bundesliga outing was equalised by Alexander Meier's penalty, but the visitors hit four without reply after the interval. Teenager Mahmoud Dahoud got the first of those, set up Raffael for 3-1 then earned a penalty converted by André Hahn, who also notched the fifth.

Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
Juventus: DWWLDW
Mönchengladbach: WWLWWL

Reporter's view: Paolo Menicucci (UEFAcomPaoloM)
After a poor opening to the season, Mönchengladbach are back on track in the Bundesliga and I expect them to give Juventus a tough test. Despite losing, the German side proved they can compete against Manchester City.

Juve have also shown signs of improvement in recent weeks and have important players back from injury, especially in midfield. I anticipate an even contest but last season's finalists should make home advantage count, as they often do in Europe.

Did you know? 
Mönchengladbach eliminated Juventus in the second round of the 1975/76 European Champion Clubs' Cup; find out more in our extensive match background

Matchday at the Juventus Stadium

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