After winning five league titles and being twice on the verge of triumph in the Champions League, with lost finals against Barcelona in 2015 and Real Madrid in 2017, under the management of Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus bet on a change of philosophy and entrusted itself to the more offensive Maurizio Sarri.

An approach that has worked at the level of results so far, with the league leadership and good chances of reaching the final of the Coppa Italia, but still not very brilliant in terms of gameplay.

Juventus is looking to find its best version with the start of the knockout phase of the Champions League, driven by Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo who is displaying outstanding numbers and is the great hope of the Turinese to fulfill their European dream.

CR7 has scored in eleven consecutive Serie A matches and equaled the record of Argentinian Gabriel Omar Batistuta and Italian Fabio Quagliarella, with the possibility of surpassing it next Sunday in the Derby of Italy against Inter Milan, who are currently in third place. In total, he has scored 21 goals in Serie A and, in all competitions, he has scored 19 goals in the last 15 matches.

He will be the leader of the attack alongside Argentinian Paulo Dybala and, in all likelihood, Colombian Juan Guillermo Cuadrado. Argentine Gonzalo Higuaín, who has recovered from back problems, made it into the squad but is not expected to start.

The great "ex", Bosnian Miralem Pjanic, will be the brain in midfield, alongside Frenchman Blaise Matuidi and one of Welshman Aaron Ramsey and Uruguayan Rodrigo Bentancur, while in defense, Dutchman Matthijs De Ligt should start alongside Leonardo Bonucci. Captain Giorgio Chiellini, who started in the last league match, should rest as he has just recovered from a cruciate ligament injury.

On the other hand, Lyon is experiencing one of the most turbulent seasons in recent years and it is nervously awaiting the match against Juventus.

The victory last Friday against Metz (0-2) allowed the French team to continue dreaming of a comeback in the French league standings that would allow them to return to the Champions League next season. However, it did not dispel the doubts that plague their game.

Currently sitting in seventh place, Lyon aims to finish in the third position currently occupied by Rennes, who are seven points ahead. The second position that grants direct qualification to the group stage seems unreachable as Olympique de Marseille is 15 points ahead.

The only good news from their victory against Metz was that the defense, the weak point of Lyon, managed to keep a clean sheet. The forwards did not shine and had to settle for scoring a penalty goal (Dembélé) and another with the goal unguarded in the last minutes by the goalkeeper (Aouar).

Everything indicates that Rudi García, who took over the team last October after the dismissal of Silvinho, will try to field the same system, a 3-4-3, with Denayer, Marcelo, and Marçal in defense. The midfield would be reinforced with Tousart and Aouar in front of the defense and two fullbacks, Dubois and Cornet.

With this greater concentration of players in the second line, García will try to isolate the two potential Juventus forwards, Dybala and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Lyon's hopes for goals will be based on the accuracy of Dembélé, one of the most valued forwards in Europe, since they cannot count on Memphis Depay and Reine-Adélaïde for practically the entire season, both with cruciate ligament ruptures.

Despite the volcanic atmosphere among the dissatisfied Lyon fans and the club leaders who have failed to form a solid team, Olympique is still present in all the competitions they participate in. In the French Cup, they have qualified for the semifinals and in the League Cup, they have reached the final. In both matches, they will face the French giant Paris Saint-Germain.

- Probable Line-ups:

Lyon: Lopes; Denayer, Marcelo, Marçal; Dubois, Tousart, Aouar, Cornet; Toko Ekambi, Dembélé, Terrier.

Juventus: Szczesny; Danilo, De Ligt, Bonucci, Álex Sandro; Bentancur, Pjanic, Matuidi; Dybala, Ronaldo, Cuadrado.

Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano (ESP)

Stadium: OL Stadium

Time: 17.00.