Today is a special day for football fans around the globe, as the Champions League in its new format is finally upon us. In the curtain raiser, Juventus will host PSV Eindhoven at the Allianz Stadium in Turin.
This encounter will mark the Old Lady’s much-anticipated return to Europe’s elite club competition following a forced year-long hiatus.
Nevertheless, the Bianconeri are making their way back with a rather inexperienced squad, led by a managerial staff with no European background.
Aside from Danilo who has 80 appearances in the competition, the club lacks UCL veterans.
In fact, nine players are still waiting to make their debut in the prestigious tournament, notes IlBianconero.
The list includes new signings Michele Di Gregorio, Juan Cabal Douglas Luiz and Vasilije Adzic. Moreover, Andrea Cambiaso is also looking forward to making his Champions League bow.
Naturally, newly promoted youngsters Nicolo Savana, Jonas Rouhi and Samuel Mbangula never had the chance to feature in the tournament.
The same goes for Kenan Yildiz who has been part of the senior squad since last season, but the club had been banished from all European competitions in the aftermath of the Plusvalenza and Prisma investigations.
For his part, Thiago Motta won the competition as an Inter player back in 2010, but has yet to make his debut in the dugout.
So here is the full list of the club’s Champions League debutants.
- Thiago Motta
- Michael DiGregorio
- Andrea Cambiaso
- Kenan Yildiz
- John Cabal
- Nicholas Savona
- Douglas Luiz
- Samuel Mbangula
- Vasily Adzic
- Jonas Rouhi