Motta Provides Injury Update on Vlahovic, Cambiaso, and Luiz Ahead of Champions League Match

Juventus manager Thiago Motta has confirmed that Andrea Cambiaso will miss the Champions League match against Benfica due to an ankle injury, while Dusan Vlahovic and Douglas Luiz are available for selection.

Juventus manager Thiago Motta has confirmed that forward Dusan Vlahovic will be available for their final Champions League group stage match against Benfica on Wednesday. Vlahovic had been dealing with fitness issues, which led to him being benched for two consecutive games. However, he made a late substitute appearance in Juventus' 2-1 loss to Napoli on Saturday and is now ready to start.

Motta provided an update on Vlahovic's status, saying, “Dusan is fine, tomorrow he is part of the group, we will see if he will play from the start or during the match. As a team we have our way of playing, we want to cause problems for the opponent with quality.” Motta also acknowledged Vlahovic's importance to the team, noting that he has played a significant amount despite not always being at his best. “Dusan has played a lot so far, even when he wasn't at his best. He has done it and will continue to do so. In the Champions League he has already scored four goals, he is part of the group and is fine, we will see tomorrow if he will play,” Motta said.

In contrast, defender Andrea Cambiaso will not be available for the match against Benfica. Cambiaso's absence comes amid reports linking him with a potential transfer to Manchester City. Meanwhile, Vlahovic has been linked with a January move to either Chelsea or Arsenal, according to Italian media reports.

🎙️ Motta: "Benfica is a team with great players and a great coach who will try to show their potential tomorrow. And we will do the same, we are focused on what we have to do tomorrow to finish this first phase of the Champions League in the best possible way."#JuveSLB #UCL

— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) January 28, 2025

Andrea Cambiaso will be sidelined due to an ankle issue that has resurfaced. The 24-year-old played against Napoli, but his ankle problem persists, and he will take time to heal. As Juventus manager Thiago Motta explained, “He will not be available, he still has some problems with his ankle and at the moment he does not feel 100%, he preferred to take some time to heal everything.”

Motta reported no other concerns during training, and midfielder Douglas Luiz, who has struggled with multiple injuries since October, is expected to start on Wednesday. Motta expressed his confidence in Luiz, saying, “he deserves it.” Juventus, who have won only once in their last five Champions League matches, are currently 17th in the standings and have secured at least a playoff spot.

🏠 Last League Phase fixture
🏆 @ChampionsLeague
🆚 @SLBenfica
🏟 Allianz Stadium
⏰ 21:00 CET
📲 #JuveSLB pic.twitter.com/ONUBz99Wzc

— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) January 29, 2025

Despite their recent struggles, Motta emphasized the importance of winning every match. “Our need is to always win, to get to victories you need a lot of daily work,” he said. With a crucial Champions League match on the horizon, Motta stressed that every game is important for Juventus. “Tomorrow we play in the Champions League but for us all the matches are important,” he added.

🚨⚠️ Andrea Cambiaso won’t be in Juventus matchday squad tomorrow.

“He had problems with his ankle, he doesn’t feel 100% ready and so Andrea will take some time to recover”, says Thiago Motta. pic.twitter.com/fPOjgCW31I

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 28, 2025