Former Italy international Giuseppe Rossi believes his old club Villarreal holds the advantage over Juventus in tonight`s Champions League match. He also expressed his wish for Jonathan David to emulate Christian Pulisic in inspiring young North American footballers.
Juventus is set to face Villarreal in the second leg of their Champions League fixture this evening. With key players Gleison Bremer and Khephren Thuram absent from the Bianconeri`s squad, Rossi sees the Spanish side as the probable victors.
Rossi Explains Villarreal`s Favouritism Against Juventus
“Villarreal are indeed the favorites,” Rossi told Gazzetta. “A decade ago, I wouldn`t have predicted this, but it`s the current Champions League reality. They currently sit third in La Liga, trailing only Barcelona and Real Madrid. Manager Marcelino has instilled a strong sense of consistency in their game, a quality that Tudor`s Juventus is still striving to achieve.”
As a former striker for Villarreal, Rossi was asked to identify current players who share his playing style.
Rossi responded, “Gerard Moreno has some similarities to me. Pepé and Buchanan, while distinct, both pose significant threats. Villarreal`s primary strengths lie in their cohesive team spirit and profound bond with their supporters. Juventus should anticipate a fervent `yellow frenzy` atmosphere at the stadium.”
Juventus boasts three central forwards: Dusan Vlahovic, Jonathan David, and Lois Openda. While Igor Tudor has yet to establish a definitive pecking order among them, Rossi has a clear preference for who should lead the attack.
“Technically, I`d pick David,” Rossi stated. “He netted numerous goals for Lille in the Champions League last season, but the pressure at Juventus is considerably higher. My hope is that he establishes himself and, in doing so, inspires aspiring young North American players, much like Pulisic is currently achieving with his performances at Milan.”
David has recently been benched for the last two Serie A matches and remained an unused substitute in the most recent game against Atalanta.
Rossi commented, “While competition is inherent at a top-tier club, it`s crucial for a striker to feel trusted and assured that a missed opportunity won`t instantly lead to being benched.”
Rossi Predicts Yildiz as a Future Ballon d`Or Candidate
The former Italy international concluded by emphasizing that Juventus would require an exceptional performance from Kenan Yildiz to overcome Villarreal tonight.
Rossi asserted, “The Turkish player is phenomenal and possesses the potential to be a future Ballon d`Or contender. Despite being only 20, he plays with the maturity and experience of a veteran with a hundred Champions League matches under his belt. I admire his willingness to execute brilliant plays for the team`s benefit, rather than solely for personal acclaim. Juventus, in essence, is Yildiz plus ten others. His impact is comparable to Yamal`s at Barcelona. For Juventus to return to elite status, they must integrate more players of his caliber. The team is still developing, and Tudor is doing an admirable job.”
