Juve's Allegri pondering four-man attack against Real Madrid
The Italian tactician has used 44 different formations in 45 games this season and in Paulo Dybala's absence he could try something different again.
Juventus face a difficult task in the Bernabéu on Wednesday evening in attempting to overturn a 3-0 deficit against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Paulo Dybala is suspended for the return leg after being sent off in Turin and that will force Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri into a formation change in Madrid.
Not that the Italian schemer is any stranger to tinkering with his line-up: according to national daily La Repubblica, Allegri has used 44 different starting XIs this season in 45 games.
In order to try and overcome Madrid on home turf, Allegri is pondering two options, per a report in Tuttosport: either a 4-3-3 or a very adventurous 4-2-4. In either line-up, the back five would remain the same: Gianluigi Buffon between the sticks, Mattia De Sciglio and Alex Sandro at full back with Giorgio Chiellini and Mehdi Benatia in central defence.
Higuaín and Mandzukic could feature in front four
From there, Allegri’s line-up will be difficult for Zinedine Zidane to second guess. In a 4-3-3 Blaise Matuidi, Miralem Pjanic, returning from suspension, and Sami Khedira would form the midfield with Douglas Costa and Juan Cuadrado operating either side of Gonzalo Higuaín.
But if Allegri opts for the 4-2-4 option, Matuidi would drop to the bench with just Pjanic and Khedira in midfield with Mario Mandzukic coming in alongside Higuaín in a two-striker set up with Costa and Cuadrado on the wings.
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