Losing could be the end of the road for Juventus as Pafos FC come calling on Wednesday.
Locked together on six points after five matchdays, Juventus and Pafos FC enter Wednesday’s Champions League clash knowing a defeat could prove fatal to their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds. The stakes are enormous: victory keeps the dream alive, while failure may leave either club outside the all-important top-24 playoff positions.
Juventus finally claimed their first Champions League win of the season last time out, edging Bodo/Glimt in dramatic fashion. A tense contest in northern Norway culminated in Jonathan David’s stoppage-time winner, rescuing the Bianconeri from a potentially disastrous result and moving them back inside the qualification zone.
Before that breakthrough, Juve had produced roller-coaster draws, 4-4 against Borussia Dortmund and 2-2 versus Villarreal, either side of defeat to Real Madrid and a 1-1 stalemate with Sporting Lisbon. Despite the turbulence surrounding the club in recent years, Juventus have maintained a strong European home record, losing only two of their last 11 continental fixtures in Turin.
With two more home games (against SL Benfica and AS Monaco) still to come, Wednesday’s meeting with Pafos represents a crucial opportunity to take control of their fate. However, Luciano Spalletti’s biggest concern is obvious: Juventus cannot keep the ball out of their net. They have conceded in all five Champions League matches this term, eight straight overall, at an average of two goals per game.
Their defensive vulnerability was on display again in Sunday’s Serie A showdown against Napoli, where despite a spirited second-half rally inspired by Kenan Yildiz, they suffered a 2-1 defeat that pushed them down to seventh in the league table. While Juventis arrive with pedigree and pressure, their Cypriot opponents Pafos FC travel with belief.
Pafos, last season’s shock domestic champions, are enjoying a remarkable debut Champions League campaign. Just ten years after their founding, they fought through multiple qualifying rounds and have already earned as many points as Juventus. Their only defeat, a 5-1 thrashing by Bayern Munich, is the lone blemish on an otherwise resilient European run.
Juan Carlos Carcedo’s men showed impressive grit on matchday five, battling back twice to draw 2-2 with AS Monaco. In doing so, veteran defender David Luiz etched his name into the competition’s history as the second-oldest goalscorer in Champions League play. That result lifted Pafos into a playoff position, and combined with back-to-back domestic victories, they arrive in Turin with momentum.
Their away form in Europe has been defined by stubbornness rather than flair:0-0 draws with Olympiacos and Kairat showcased their defensive structure. Yet, given the tightness of the standings and their upcoming fixtures (away to Chelsea and home to Slavia Prague), Pafos will feel that achieving something historic against Juventus may be essential.
With both sides fighting to stay alive, and with Juventus under pressure to assert their superiority, Wednesday’s clash at the Allianz Stadium promises tension, urgency, and possibly another dramatic finish. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how the clubs could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.
Team News & Tactics
Juventus
Juventus continue to grapple with a significant injury crisis, particularly in attack and central defence. Star striker Dusan Vlahovic has been ruled out until 2026, forcing Luciano Spalletti to improvise in the final third.
As a result, either Lois Openda or Canadian international Jonathan David is expected to lead the line on Wednesday, although Kenan Yildiz, who was deployed as a false nine against Napoli, remains an option. Yildiz’s home record is notable: seven of his eight Serie A goal involvements this season have come at the Allianz Stadium, highlighting his reliability in Turin.
The defensive situation is even more problematic. All three senior centre-backs, Federico Gatti, Daniele Rugani, and Bremer, are unavailable through injury. With no natural replacements at hand, Spalletti has again turned to Teun Koopmeiners, who will continue in an unfamiliar role on the right side of a makeshift back three. This patched-up defence increases the pressure on Juventus’s midfielders to protect the backline and control transitions.
Juventus are expected to line up in their familiar 3-4-2-1 system, albeit with several players operating outside their natural roles. In goal, Michele Di Gregorio returns as the first-choice goalkeeper. The back three consists of Pierre Kalulu on the right, Lloyd Kelly centrally, and Teun Koopmeiners on the left of defence.
Across midfield, Weston McKennie will operate at right wing-back, with Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram forming the central pairing, while Andrea Cambiaso fills the left wing-back role. In the two attacking midfield positions, Francisco Conceicao and Kenan Yildiz are expected to support Jonathan David, who leads the line as the lone striker.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Kelly, Koopmeiners; McKennie, Locatelli, Thuram, Cambiaso; Conceicao, Yildiz; David
Pafos FC
Pafos arrive in Turin with a mixture of welcome returns and fresh concerns. The Cypriot champions are boosted by the availability of Joao Correia, who has now completed his two-match UEFA suspension and is eligible to feature again at right-back. His return restores balance to the defensive unit after several reshuffles in recent weeks.
However, the visitors may be without two former Watford players. Ken Sema remains sidelined through injury and is not expected to travel, while Domingos Quina is doubtful as he continues to recover from a fitness issue that has limited his involvement. These absences remove two creative profiles from Juan Carlos Carcedo’s options, tightening the squad ahead of a crucial fixture.
On a more positive note, Croatian international Mislav Orsic, who brings valuable top-flight and European pedigree, is likely to start on the left wing. Alongside him, the vastly experienced David Luiz, now 38 years old and with 58 Champions League appearances to his name, should marshal the defensive line. His leadership will be vital as Pafos attempt to absorb Juventus’s pressure and strike on the counter.
Pafos are expected to deploy a 4-2-3-1 structure designed to remain compact without the ball while using their attacking midfield trio to spring forward during transitions. In goal, Neofytos Michail takes his place behind a back four of Bruno Langa at right-back, David Luiz and Derrick Luckassen in central defence, and David Goldar on the left. The double pivot is formed by Ivan Sunjic and Pepe, who will be tasked with screening the defence and dictates the tempo.
Ahead of them, Jaja operates on the right wing, Vlad Dragomir plays centrally as the No. 10, and Mislav Orsic starts on the left. Leading the line is Anderson Silva, who will look to exploit Juventus’s patched-up three-man defence.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Michail; Bruno, Luiz, Luckassen, Goldar; Sunjic, Pepe; Jaja, Dragomir, Orsic; Anderson
Key Stats
- Juventus have conceded in all five Champions League matches this season. The Bianconeri have allowed 10 goals, averaging two goals conceded per game.
- Pafos have lost only one of their 11 European fixtures this season. Across Champions League qualifiers and league-phase games, their only defeat came against Bayern Munich (5-1).
- Juventus are unbeaten in nine of their last 11 home games in European competition.
- Pafos scored in four of their last four Champions League matches.
- Kenan Yildiz has been directly involved in eight goals at home this season. All seven of his Serie A goal involvements and several strong UCL displays have come in Turin, making him Juventus’s most dangerous threat on home soil.
Player to Watch
Kenan Yildiz
Yildiz has rapidly become Juventus’s most influential attacking force under Luciano Spalletti, and Wednesday’s Champions League showdown offers another opportunity for the 18-year-old to assert his growing importance. Operating either as an attacking midfielder or as a fluid false nine, Yıldız brings a blend of close control, unpredictability, and fearlessness that Juventus desperately need in the final third, especially with Dusan Vlahovic sidelined.
At home, Yildiz has been nothing short of electric: all seven of his Serie A goal involvements this season have come at the Allianz Stadium, where he thrives in the familiar atmosphere and plays with visible confidence. His ability to drop between the lines, turn under pressure, and carry the ball directly at defenders makes him Juve’s primary creative spark.
Against a Pafos side that prefers compact defensive blocks, Yildiz’s tight-space dribbling and eye for incisive passes could prove decisive. With Jonathan David or Lois Openda expected to lead the line, the Turkish prodigy will have runners ahead of him, perfect for exploiting gaps in transition. If Juventus are to overcome their recent inconsistencies and secure a crucial three points, expect Yildiz to be at the centre of everything positive they produce.
Prediction
Juventus 2-0 Pafos FC
With both clubs level on points and desperate to avoid slipping out of the Champions League playoff positions, this clash carries enormous weight. However, Juventus enter the contest with clear advantages, superior individual quality, home-field momentum, and a far deeper well of big-match experience.
Pafos have shown admirable resilience throughout their debut European campaign, losing only once and drawing with AS Monaco in spirited fashion. But away from Cyprus, and especially against a side that dominates possession on home soil, the challenge becomes significantly steeper. Their defensive organisation keeps them competitive, but they concede too many chances under sustained pressure, something Juventus will be eager to exploit.
Luciano Spalletti’s men have defensive issues of their own, particularly with three centre-backs unavailable, yet Juve’s attacking options, Kenan Yildiz, Jonathan David, and the dynamic midfield pairing of Weston McKennie and Manuel Locatelli, should be enough to tilt the balance. The Bianconeri have also lost just two of their last 11 European home games, a record that strongly favours them in must-win situations.
Pafos may enjoy spells of stubborn resistance and could threaten on the counter, especially through Mislav Orsic and Jaja, but sustaining that for 90 minutes in Turin feels unlikely.
