Thiago Motta: ‘Juventus want to dominate’ Champions League tie | OneFootball

Thiago Motta explains why he made surprising Juventus picks for the Champions League opener against PSV Eindhoven and wants to ‘dominate’ the game.

It kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium in Turin at 17.45 UK time (16.45 GMT).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Milan-Liverpool on the LIVEBLOG.

This is a return to Europe’s most prestigious tournament after 684 days, as they were excluded from last season’s UEFA tournaments over financial irregularities, which also saw them docked points in Serie A.

“It’s a great atmosphere, a football atmosphere that we want to live to the fullest. We must be concentrated, focused, we are against a team that likes to play football and so do we, so we have to turn it in our favour,” Thiago Motta told Sky Sport Italia.

“In Europe you take on teams like PSV and they are able to dominate their opponents in the Eredivisie, so we will try to do the same here.”

Thiago Motta choices surprising for Juventus

Weston McKennie had been on the verge of leaving Juventus for Aston Villa this summer, yet earned his way back into the squad and is even in the starting XI rather than new signings Douglas Luiz and Khephren Thuram.

“He is in good shape, I expect the same from him as the others. Off the ball, all 11 players must work together, and on it we need to attack their four-man defence, which is something we didn’t do well in the last two games,” explained Thiago Motta.

The Bianconeri have not conceded a single goal in four Serie A matches, but are coming off a pair of back-to-back 0-0 draws against Roma and Empoli. How can they give Dusan Vlahovic the service he needs?

“The attacking moves start from the back, even the goalkeeper, and we have to put Vlahovic in the best condition to finish them off.”