Douglas Luiz Set for Juventus Return Against Fiorentina

Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz is set to return from injury against Fiorentina, with coach Thiago Motta backing him to make a big impact.

Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz is poised to make his return to the pitch on Sunday, as the team prepares to host Fiorentina in a Serie A matchup. According to coach Thiago Motta, Luiz has overcome his injury woes and is ready to rejoin the action.

Douglas Luiz has endured a frustrating start to his Juventus career, missing 11 of the team's 24 competitive games this season due to a persistent muscle issue. The Brazilian midfielder joined Juventus from Aston Villa in June, but his injury setbacks have limited his opportunities to make an impact. Despite these challenges, coach Thiago Motta has expressed his full support for Luiz, backing him to make a successful return to the team.

“We have recovered Douglas Luiz, Nico (Gonzalez) will be available and we have also recovered Danilo and (Teun) Koopmeiners,” Motta told a press conference on Saturday.

“We have to still wait for (Jonas) Rouhi, (Timothy) Weah and (Arkadiusz) Milik.”

Douglas Luiz's Juventus career has been slow to take off, with the midfielder starting just two games for the Turin side since his high-profile move from Aston Villa in June, which was reportedly worth 50 million euros ($52.14 million). Despite this, coach Thiago Motta remains optimistic about Luiz's potential, expressing his confidence in the player's abilities. “I have great hopes and beliefs in him,” Motta said.

Thiago Motta acknowledged that Luiz's prolonged absence due to injury has taken a toll on his physical conditioning, leaving him lagging behind some of his teammates. However, the coach is eager to see Luiz regain his form and become an integral part of the team. “He has been out for a long time,” Motta noted. “He certainly doesn't have the physical level of some of his teammates.” Motta also highlighted Luiz's versatility as a midfielder, citing his experience playing in front of the defense in his previous role. “As a midfielder he can do everything, in the previous team they played with two in front of the defence. He has shown that he is a complete midfielder, of a high level.”

Looking ahead, Motta emphasized the importance of Luiz maintaining a high level of performance and consistency in order to integrate seamlessly with the rest of the team. “Continuity also applies to him,” Motta said. “He must maintain this line to be at an excellent level and be together with the team from now on.”

Thiago Motta has provided a positive update on the fitness of Argentina forward Nicolas Gonzalez, who recently returned to action after a prolonged absence due to a thigh injury. According to Motta, there are no concerns about Gonzalez's fitness, which is a welcome boost for Juventus. Gonzalez made a successful return to the pitch, scoring the winning goal in Juventus' 2-1 victory at Monza last Sunday, before being substituted in the 64th minute.

Juventus' win at Monza was a much-needed result, as the team had gone four league games without a victory prior to that match. Despite this, Juventus remain the only unbeaten side in Serie A this season. However, they face a challenging test next, as they host Fiorentina, who are level on points with Juventus in the table. Motta is wary of the threat posed by Fiorentina, praising their coach and team. “(Fiorentina) have an excellent coach who is very well-prepared and has always shown that he has done a great job,” Motta said.