Juventus vs. Tottenham: Who does Pochettino start in Turin?
By Gary Pearson
Toby Alderweireld will not join Tottenham on their trip to Turin as the Belgian’s lack of match fitness will keep him from making his Champions League return.
The stakes couldn’t be higher for the round of 16 first leg clash against the Old Lady on Tuesday and Mauricio Pochettino has a few mammoth personnel decisions to make.
Will he give Lucas Moura his anticipated debut on the grandest stage? Or does he, on only two full days’ rest, stick with the tried and tested team who have performed so admirably since the turn of the new year?
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Son Heung-Min has played a lot of football lately, but I can’t see the gaffer resting the crafty South Korean, particularly when taking his electrifying Champions League form into consideration.
There’s even less chance of Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane, unless they’re hit by a bus, of missing out.
It’s not easy to play 180 minutes of the most fierce football in a four-day span but these are fine-tuned athletes, some of whom have waited their entire careers for an opportunity of this importance and magnitude. Moura is a great weapon to bring in off the bench, so expect the Brazilian to wait a bit longer for his début.
If Mousa Dembélé is fully fit after an arduous north London battle, he’ll also take his rightful place in Tottenham’s midfield. The Welshman is a shoo-in and so too is Jan Vertonghen and Hugo Lloris, which only leaves a sliver of uncertainty for Eric Dier and Kieran Trippier’s positions.
Victor Wanyama, who is well rested and looking better with each match, could start in Dier’s place. And Serge Aurier might replace Trippier at full back.
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However, if Pochettino and his staff feel there are no fitness concerns in the aftermath of the Arsenal victory, expect another unchanged Tottenham side for the match we’ve all been waiting months for.