Kolo Muani and Woltemade to start together for Juventus against Rennes

Randal Kolo Muani has stressed that he is entirely comfortable playing alongside any of his teammates as he prepares to start next to Nick Woltemade in Juventus's clash with Rennes.

Both forwards joined the Bianconeri this summer. Kolo Muani arrived on a permanent deal from Paris Saint-Germain, while Woltemade signed on a season-long loan from Newcastle United.

Kolo Muani has scored 3 goals this season and Woltemade 2. The pair were both on the scoresheet in the 2-1 win over Celta Vigo in their most recent UEFA Europa League outing.

Woltemade has found the net in both of Juventus's Europa League matches this season. Only 2 players in the club's history have scored in each of their first 3 games in a major European competition: Darko Kovačević in 1999 and Roberto Baggio in 1990.

After the Celta victory, Woltemade made clear he wanted to start alongside Kolo Muani, but that did not happen in the weekend's 3-0 defeat to Lazio. Ahead of the Rennes game, however, head coach Luciano Spalletti confirmed that both strikers will start on Thursday evening.

“In football, it is very important that the coach trusts you,” Kolo Muani told a press conference. “The coach gives me valuable advice to help me push beyond my limits. I feel very comfortable playing with any of my teammates. In training we work on what the coach wants, but it is up to us to put it into practice on the pitch, and we also have the freedom to take responsibility.”

Juve have won their last 4 home matches in European competition, scoring 12 goals and conceding just 2 in that run. The Italian giants last put together a longer home winning streak in Europe between November 2020 and December 2021, when they won 6 in a row.

The 2 sides have met once before, in the 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup final, when the Italian club lifted the trophy 4-2 on aggregate, winning 2-0 at home and drawing 2-2 away.

The French forward concluded: “Rennes will come here to win. We won our first 2 games and we will be out there to win the third as well. Of course, I hope that performing well here will help me get back into the national team.”