Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri insists his side will face a “good challenge” when they take on struggling Empoli.
Juve are top of Serie A after losing just once in the competition all season and recording five straight wins following a 1-1 draw at Genoa in mid-December.
In contrast, Empoli are 19th in the table after four wins and four draws from 21 games, although their most recent match saw Szymon Zurkowski’s hat-trick secure a 3-0 win over Monza in Davide Nicola’s first game in charge.
“It’s an important match tomorrow,” Allegri told a pre-match press conference.
“We are well physically and mentally, but a good challenge awaits us too. Empoli deserves respect, they have quality players and coach Nicola’s arrival has given them solidity, so it won’t be an easy match.”
Juve can extend their lead over Inter Milan at the top of the table to four points on Saturday, with Simone Inzaghi’s side not in action until a trip to Fiorentina on Sunday.
The top two sides then meet at the San Siro on February 4 in a game which could go a long way to deciding the destiny of the Scudetto, although Allegri is not ruling out the challenge of AC Milan.
“After Inter-Juventus there are still many games to play, and let’s not forget Milan who scored more points than last year, have overcome a difficult period and can get back into the title race,” he added.
“The important thing is to stay balanced, keep the bar high and try to provide continuity.
“The Scudetto-winning points tally? It’s difficult to say right now, we’re up against a strong team in Inter who are favourites and have scored a lot of points. Being close to them is a great thing given that we’re on a different path.”
Federico Chiesa remains sidelined through injury and Allegri said he will decide whether to play or rest captain Danilo.
New signing Tiago Djalo has been assessed by the club’s medical staff after completing his move from Lille, the 23-year-old having not played since suffering an ACL injury last March.
“I feel good. My knee is fine,” Djalo said on Thursday. “Now it’s a question of opportunity. I’m ready. I’ll give everything for the team.
“I trained with the squad yesterday and this morning. My knee is recovering well. We’ll decide with the coach what to do. I’m very calm about it.
“I’ve come here to take an opportunity and make myself available to the coach. I know I have the attributes needed to help out. It’s just a matter of getting opportunities.”
Aston Villa 0-0 Juventus: Emery's side frustrated as VAR denies Rogers late winner
Aston Villa were denied a dramatic victory over Juventus after Morgan Rogers saw a stoppage-time goal chalked off in the 0-0 draw.
Unai Emery's side were left frustrated at not leaving Villa Park with all three points, having controlled large periods against the Serie A outfit, who started again with a recognised striker.
Villa, seeking a third win in as many home Champions League games this season, went close in the 37th minute as Ollie Watkins' instinctive shot was beaten away by Michele Di Gregorio.
Timothy Weah fired narrowly over following a swift counter at the other end, while Lucas Digne's free-kick struck the bar with the last action of the first half.
Both sides had chances after the break. Emiliano Martinez clawed off the line from Francisco Conceicao, while Manuel Locatelli blocked John McGinn's goalbound strike.
The hosts thought they had snatched all three points in stoppage time when Di Gregorio spilt Youri Tielemans' free-kick, allowing Rogers to fire home.
However, a VAR review ruled Diego Carlos' collision with Di Gregorio in the build-up worthy of a foul, and boos echoed around Villa Park as the effort was ruled out.
Data Debrief: Villa match Milan and Chelsea after another clean sheet
Villa's winless streak across all competitions continues, as they go seven games without victory for the first time under Emery.
However, they became only the third team to keep a clean sheet in each of their first three home games in the Champions League after AC Milan (1992-93) and Chelsea (1999-00)
Meanwhile Juve, who fielded their youngest starting XI in a Champions League game (24 years and 142 days), they registered their first shutout in the competition since December 2021 (1-0 against Malmo).
Chelsea must not underestimate Heidenheim test, says Maresca
Enzo Maresca insists his Chelsea players must be mentally prepared for the challenge that Heidenheim will pose in tomorrow's Europa Conference League clash.
Chelsea are one of six sides, along with Heidenheim, with a perfect record in the competition so far, though the Blues lead the way in the 36-team league table having scored 16 goals in three games.
The Blues' superior goal difference was helped by their 8-0 thrashing of Noah in their last game, scoring six goals in the first-half, which was the largest lead by an English side at the break of a major European game since Derby County were winning 9-0 against Finn Harps in the 1976-77 UEFA Cup.
Though Chelsea have already swept aside the sides put in front of them in the competition so far, Maresca does not want complacency to undermine his side's performance against the Bundesliga club.
"I enjoy every game in this competition knowing that every club tries to make it their big game," Maresca said.
"The issue for us can be that if we are not ready mentally, and we underestimate a team, they can hurt us. So we need to be ready.
"It’s an important competition, a European competition. Since we started, we have tried to share minutes with all the players in the squad.
"In some of the [Conference League] games, we have also used some young players. So we’ll see. In this moment, it’s like this, and hopefully, we can continue in this way."
With the hectic December fixture list to begin on Sunday with Aston Villa's visit to Stamford Bridge, a number of players have not travelled with the squad.
Yet Maresca provided a positive update on Malo Gusto and Pedro Neto, both of whom were absent for their 2-1 victory over Leicester City on Saturday.
"Both have trained with us," he said. "We don’t take any risks for tomorrow’s game, but I think both should be available for Sunday’s game [against Aston Villa]."
Red Star Belgrade 5-1 Stuttgart: Five-star hosts earn first Champions League win
Red Star Belgrade claimed the first win of their Champions League campaign, coming from behind to thrash Stuttgart 5-1 at the Stadion Rajko Mitic on Wednesday.
This was only the Serbian SuperLiga leaders' third ever win in the competition, and they had to come from behind to move up to 31st in the standings after five games.
Ermedin Demirovic opened the scoring for the visitors in the fifth minute, capitalising on some slack defending to net his seventh goal of the season in all competitions.
However, Stuttgart loanee Silas Katompa Mvumpa restored parity six minutes later, driving from midfield before sending a curled effort beyond Alexander Nubel.
The hosts were ahead just past the half-hour mark through Rade Krunic, who netted his first club goal for over two years, his last coming for AC Milan in the 2022-23 campaign.
Red Star continued to threaten after the interval and were rewarded in the 65th minute when Mirko Ivanic ghosted in at the far post to head in his side's third.
Krunic turned provider four minutes later, teeing up Nemanja Radonjic before the Serbian striker notched his second a minute from time with a low left-footed finish.
Data Debrief: Fifth time lucky
After going four games without a win in the competition, Red Star did not look like a side lacking confidence as they confidently dispatched their Bundesliga opponents.
Their victory was their biggest across both the Champions League and European Cup when conceding first, while they also inflicted Stuttgart’s joint-heaviest defeat in the competition.
Red Star also scored five goals in a game in the Champions League or European Cup for the first time since a 5-0 win at Dundalk in September 1988, while it was their biggest triumph in the competition since beating Portadown 4-0 in October 1991.
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