Cristiano Ronaldo (pictured April 9, 2019) returned to Juventus after recovering from a thigh injury suffered playing for Portugal. AFP/File/MARCO BERTORELLO
The Italian club’s coach Massimiliano Allegri had confirmed on Tuesday that Ronaldo would be back for the game at the Johan Cruyff Arena after recovering from a thigh injury suffered playing for Portugal last month.
He has not appeared for Juve since netting a hat-trick in their 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid last month which took them through to the quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate, missing four Serie A games in the process.
That is one of four changes from the Juve side that started last Saturday’s 2-1 win over AC Milan in Serie A, with Joao Cancelo, Miralem Pjanic and Blaise Matuidi also coming in.
Paulo Dybala is one of those dropping to the bench, with 19-year-old sensation Moise Kean also a substitute.
Veteran defender Giorgio Chiellini is out injured for the two-time European Cup winners, who defeated Ajax on penalties in the 1996 final.
Ajax coach Erik ten Hag makes one change to his team compared to the starting line-up in their 4-1 win away to holders Real Madrid in the last 16, second leg.
Right-back Noussair Mazraoui is suspended, so Joel Veltman replaces him.
Starting line-ups for the Champions League quarter-final, first leg between Ajax and Juventus at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Wednesday (kick-off 1900 GMT):
Ajax (4-3-3)
Andre Onana; Joel Veltman, Matthijs de Ligt (capt), Daley Blind, Nicolas Tagliafico; Donny van de Beek, Lasse Schoene, Frenkie de Jong; Hakim Ziyech, Dusan Tadic, David Neres
Coach: Erik ten Hag (NED)
Juventus (4-3-3)
Wojciech Szczesny; Joao Cancelo, Leonardo Bonucci, Daniele Rugani, Alex Sandro; Rodrigo Bentancur, Miralem Pjanic, Blaise Matuidi; Federico Bernardeschi, Mario Mandzukic (capt), Cristiano Ronaldo
Coach: Massimiliano Allegri (ITA)
Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande (ESP)
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