Juventus face Lyon in a crunch Champions League encounter on Friday night, and they could be handed a fitness boost by influential ace Paulo Dybala.
The Bianconeri will be looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit in the second leg of their round-of-16 tie, and so Maurizio Sarri will be desperate to have a full-strength squad available as they try to keep their European hopes alive this season.
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Given Dybala has bagged 17 goals and 14 assists in 45 appearances so far this season, the Argentine international will undoubtedly be a pivotal figure for the hosts, but his involvement has been put in doubt after he missed the last two games of the Serie A campaign due to a thigh injury.
While it didn’t stop the Turin giants from going on to win their ninth consecutive Scudetto, they have it all to do this week if they wish to prolong their push for Champions League glory, and there could be some timely good news for Sarri and Juve.
As per Tuttomercatoweb, via Sky Sport Italia, Dybala took part in a personalised session on Wednesday and it’s suggested that while he could return to train with the rest of the group on Thursday on the eve of the game, there is growing optimism that not only will he be included in the squad list but that he could also play a part in the encounter.
It’s difficult to see him being at his fittest and sharpest given his layoff and the rush to get him back involved, but even if it’s potentially an appearance off the bench in the latter stages to help to try and find a breakthrough, Juve will no doubt want him out on the pitch if he’s able to play.
Time will tell how the situation develops over the next few hours, with Juve set to announce their squad ahead of the encounter and so all eyes will be on whether or not Dybala gets the nod.