Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz is focused on getting in top form ahead of the club’s upcoming trip to Birmingham to face his former team, Aston Villa.
The 26-year-old made a name for himself during his time at Aston Villa from 2019 to 2024. His final season with the Premier League club was his best, recording ten goals and as many assists in all competitions. His performances were crucial in obtaining the club’s historic promotion to the Champions League, and in a twist of fate, the draw has placed Juventus against his old team.
However, the Brazilian faces the possibility of missing the big match due to ongoing muscle fatigue he’s been managing for the past month.
Luiz picked up the injury during warm-ups before the Champions League match against Stuttgart and has been sidelined ever since. There were hopes he had recovered when he was called up for the next European game in Lille, but he stayed on the bench throughout the match and was also absent in the subsequent Derby against Torino.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport via TuttoJuve, Luiz is eager to make his comeback for the match against Milan at San Siro this Saturday. The Brazil international hopes to be at least on the bench for the clash with the Rossoneri, believing it would set him up for a bigger part in the forthcoming game against Aston Villa on November 27th.
The Champions League game is scheduled to take place at Villa Park, and Luiz is eager for the opportunity to play on the ground, where he delivered some of his most memorable performances.
Since arriving at Juventus, the midfielder has struggled to find his form, so this return to familiar ground could be the catalyst for a turnaround in his fortunes.
Luiz completed a transfer valued at 55 million euros, with Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea moving the other way.
Douglas Luiz Faces a Tense Wait for Aston Villa Return.
Douglas Luiz is racing against the clock to prove his fitness ahead of Juventus’ crucial Serie A match with AC Milan this weekend and their Champions League showdown with Aston Villa shortly after.
The Brazilian has missed Juventus’ last six matches across all competitions due to muscle fatigue. He was sidelined for the Champions League clash against Stuttgart and then remained absent from the matchday squad for the subsequent three league games against Inter, Parma, and Udinese.
Luiz rejoined the squad for Juventus’ fourth Champions League match against Lille but didn’t play. He was then left out of the squad again for the following league match against Torino, just before the November international break.
Italian outlet Calciomercato reports that it’s uncertain whether Luiz will be deemed fit to play against AC Milan on Saturday night. With the Villa match just four days later, Luiz will be eager to return to action as soon as possible to maximize his chances of catching Thiago Motta’s attention before heading back to Villa Park.
Luiz departed Villa in a £42m deal before the end of June, as the club needed to balance their finances to meet the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.
However, he has struggled to find his form under Motta, starting just two league matches in his first three months at Juventus. Additionally, he has come on as a substitute in seven other games across all competitions in the club’s first 16 matches of the season.
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