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Aston Villa faces a pivotal Champions League clash against Juventus at Villa Park, seeking to maintain their impressive home form in Europe. Unai Emery's side began their debut campaign in the competition in sensational fashion, winning their first three games, including a memorable victory over Bayern Munich. However, their momentum has stalled recently, with a narrow 1-0 loss to Club Brugge earlier this month marking a downturn in both European and domestic fortunes.
Domestically, Villa has struggled for consistency, sitting eighth in the Premier League with just five wins from 12 matches. A 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace in their last outing, where Ross Barkley salvaged a late point, extended their winless run across all competitions to four games. Despite this, Villa boasts a strong European home record, having won eight of their last nine matches at Villa Park.
Juventus, meanwhile, remains unbeaten in Serie A, showcasing defensive resilience with just seven goals conceded and nine clean sheets in 13 matches. However, their Champions League form has been less consistent. After victories against PSV Eindhoven and RB Leipzig, a late defeat to Stuttgart and a goalless draw with AC Milan in their last outing have slowed their progress. With seven points from four games, Juve is still in the hunt for knockout qualification but needs a result against Villa to maintain momentum.
This matchup also brings an intriguing tactical battle between Emery and Thiago Motta, who have a shared history from their time at PSG. Emery has twice bested Juventus in the Champions League with other clubs, adding a layer of intrigue to Villa's first meeting with the Italian giants since their European Cup exit in 1983.
Villa’s attacking flair at home will clash with Juve’s disciplined defense, setting the stage for an intense encounter as both sides seek a crucial win in their European campaigns.