(Reuters) – Juventus midfielders Timothy Weah and Nicolo Fagioli are fit to face Lazio in Serie A on Saturday, but Thiago Motta’s side are still dealing with an injury crisis with six players unavailable, the coach said on Friday.
Juventus have not won at home in the league since the opening day of the season, when they beat Como 3-0. A run of four draws in their last five games has left them third in the standings, level on 13 points with fourth-placed Lazio.
Defender Gleison Bremer, midfielders Teun Koopmeiners and Weston McKennie, winger Nicolas Gonzalez and forward Arkadiusz Milik are all injured, Motta told a press conference, while winger Francisco Conceicao is suspended.
“Fagioli and Weah will be available for selection,” Motta said. “I want to see a performance deserving of a positive result. We must play well in many different areas.”
Midfielder Douglas Luiz seems to have turned a corner in training after a poor start to the season.
“Luiz has a great attitude in training,” Motta added. “He’s doing really well, it’s telling to see people’s reactions in difficult moments and I’ve seen a fantastic reaction from him.
“So far when he has played he has done well but he can do better.”
Lazio earned their first win on the road when they beat Torino at the end of September and Motta said his team needed to be prepared for a tough challenge.
“We must be ready for anything,” he added. “I expected Lazio to be at the top of the table, they are a good team with a great coach who has deserved what he has won.
“We will have another chance to show that even in difficult times we can be a competitive team. The stadium will be full and that’s good, it means there’s enthusiasm.”
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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