Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti has confirmed that Senegal international midfielder Pape Matar Sarr will start on Thursday night against AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League, alongside Lloyd Kelly.
Pape Matar Sarr will indeed be on the pitch at kick-off. The Italian coach confirmed that the Senegal international midfielder and Lloyd Kelly will feature in the starting XI against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday 5 November at 21:00 CET, 20:00 GMT, at the AZ Stadion.
The announcement was relayed by Football Italia, on the eve of a European trip in which the coach must cope with a squad hit hard by absences. Weston McKennie, ruled out with a muscular problem, joins a list of eight other absentees recorded by All Football.
Spalletti counts on his midfield
“I can confirm that Sarr and Kelly will start, and we absolutely need to rotate in attack,” the coach said, according to Football Italia. The Senegalese midfielder, spared from the absentee list, thus retains his coach’s trust to open the match.
The announced rotations concern the attack, the area where Spalletti will have to rotate his players, with the squad counting nine absentees in total, according to All Football.
A run to confirm
Juventus come into this fixture with a mixed record on the continental stage. The Bianconeri won their first two Europa League matches before being held to a 2-2 draw at home by Stade Rennais, according to Football Italia.
The Turin club nonetheless bounced back on Sunday in Serie A by beating Napoli 2-0. A win that restored momentum before this trip to Alkmaar. “We feel good ahead of this match. The team gave an important response in the last game,” Spalletti said, again according to Football Italia.
Unbeaten in the Europa League, Juventus nonetheless saw the slip-up against Rennes serve as a reminder that nothing is guaranteed.
Sarr, a starter in a depleted squad
For the Senegalese, this start comes in a squad missing several key players. Spalletti makes no secret of the fact that rotations in attack will be necessary, and Sarr is among the players he can rely on for this match.