Giorgio Chiellini and Paulo Dybala will be available for Wednesday’s clash between Juventus and Villarreal, while Leonardo Bonucci and Alex Sandro will not be present. The captain has not played since February 6th, sitting out eight straight games due to a calf strain. The Argentinian striker missed the last three because of two separate minor thigh issues.
Coach Massimiliano Allegri ruled out the two veteran defenders in the pre-game presser. Bonucci is nursing a calf pull that sidelined over the last two tilts. The club had indicated a seven-to-ten days timetable for his return at the beginning of last week. Alex Sandro is also dealing with a balky calf. He logged a few minutes versus Sampdoria after skipping two bouts, but he is not entirely healthy yet.
The Juventus coach addressed the injury situation ahead of the Villarreal game: “Chiellini, Dybala, and Federico Bernardeschi are good to go, and their returns are important. We hope to seal the deal in 90 minutes; otherwise, it will take 120, and the subs will be pivotal. They are not ready for a full match, but they can come off the bench.”
“Unfortunately, Bonucci is out. He featured against Empoli and in the first leg even though he was not in great shape. He helped us, but he can not shake off his problem. Alex Sandro felt some discomfort in the same area, and I prefer not to risk it. Tomorrow’s one is not the last game of the season. Denis Zakaria might resume practicing fully Thursday or during the break.”