Champions League Preview - Juventus v Bayer Leverkusen

Juventus go into today's rescheduled Champions League game with Bayer Leverkusen struggling for form and confidence.

Juve have offered Atletico Madrid £2 million to secure Brazilian play maker Juninho for the rest of this season after his Rio club Vasco da Gama agreed to end the player's loan spell.

Vasco are set to default on a £2 million payment to the Spanish club to keep Juninho freeing up his move to Italy.

Juventus were in good heart after a 3-1 Serie A win over Parma AC at the weekend but the fog that cancelled last weel's game with Leverkusen hampered their rhythm and they lost 1-0 at SS Lazio on Saturday night.

The win over Parma was the Turin club's first victory in seven Serie A games and relieved the pressure slightly as they look constantly for a play maker to replace Zinedine Zidane. But the Italian giants are now looking again at their midfield options and the future of coach Marcello Lippi.

Home defeat by Bayer Leverkusen will revive all the press stories regarding Rivaldo, Riquelme and even Rui Costa at Milan and add to the pressure on coach Lippi with new speculation that Boca Juniors coach Carlos Bianchi is to be offered the Juventus job.

Klaus Toppmoeller's side arrive in Italy with the pressure off and can play for a draw with comfort.

Their 4-1 win over Hamburg at the weekend took them four points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

They can also use the in-form Michael Ballack to hit Juventus on the break and the Bundesliga side have already won at Lyon and Fenerbahce in the first group stage and beaten FC Barcelona at home.

Lilian Thuram and Igor Tudor start in defence looking to stop the runs of Ballack from midfield with Pablo Montero back from international duty with Uruguay.

Lippi may start the game with a six-man midfield in a diamond shape to try and help struggling Pavel Nedved with Pessotto, Davids, Tacchinardi and Zambrotta looking to win the ball in midfield for lone striker David Trezeguet with Alessandro Del Piero allowed a free role.

If that midfield combination of art and brutality gets going then the Italian side could sweep Bayer away and injury to winger Bernd Schneider does not help their cause.

Trezeguet is in great form and could find the ball running to him a lot if Lippi's midfield plan works out.

The French star could then power Juve to victory but Bayer look strong enough to draw.