Tudor confirms: ‘I will start Bremer’ in Juventus-Borussia Dortmund friendly | OneFootball

Juventus head coach Igor Tudor has confirmed that Gleison Bremer will start in the club’s upcoming friendly against Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund on Saturday following his long-term cruciate ligament lay-off.

Bremer has been working towards a return to competitive action after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during a Champions League league phase clash against RB Leipzig in October, which ruled him out for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign.

The Brazilian centre-back has been stepping up his minutes with the Bianconeri in their pre-season preparations, and will have the opportunity to start against Dortmund, which will be Juve’s penultimate friendly of the summer.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s test against Dortmund, Tudor provided an assessment of what he has seen from his team during their pre-season training camp in Germany.

“We have had a great week of work in a fantastic place. We focused on our work on the pitch, with the players always willing and professional,” Tudor said.

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JULY 01: Igor Tudor, Head Coach of Juventus FC, looks on during warm ups prior to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between Real Madrid CF and Juventus FC at Hard Rock Stadium on July 01, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

“Tomorrow will be a great match in a full stadium, and for us it’s a test for us to see where we are, and more. We need to get minutes in our legs over the next matches, which will also help us assess the things we have prepared over these days.

“August friendlies are always unique. In these first weeks of training we have pushed hard, loading up during sessions. In the coming days, we will adjust the intensity so we arrive in the best possible shape for the first official match of the season in two weeks’ time. Everyone chooses their own way to prepare for the year ahead.”

Tudor confirms Bremer availability for Juventus-Dortmund

Dusan Vlahovic honours Gleison Bremer during Juventus-Cagliari EPA-EFE/Alessandro Di Marco

Tudor then confirmed that he expects to field Bremer as a starter, and also issued an update on Teun Koopmeiners.

“I’m using this month to work as much as possible, knowing that once the season starts, there will be far less time to do so.

“The squad I have at my disposal is strong and competitive, made up of players who want to contribute. [Jonathan] David and Joao Mario are settling in well and will both start tomorrow’s match against Borussia Dortmund. We had a three-week break for the holidays and the players have come back motivated. They are already in good physical condition.

“[Gleison] Bremer and [Teun] Koopmeiners are two top players, they are preparing in the best way and will have an important role this season. I will start Gleison tomorrow to assess his condition and to get more minutes in his legs.”