Juventus v Bayern Munich
Champions League – Round of 16 – Tuesday, 23rd February – 19:45 GMT – Juventus Stadium
Juventus
Juve’s 15-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of a very stubborn Bologna last Friday, but on the plus side, the Bianconeri are still unbeaten in 16 matches heading into tomorrow night’s Champions League game against Bayern Munich.
Perhaps the most worrying aspect of the game against Bologna was the general lack of ideas or creative spark from the midfield or the attack. Granted, the Rossoblu were a difficult side to break down and they defended incredibly well, making it a ‘stop-start’ game for large periods, however Juve still looked slow and sluggish, despite having started the match with lots of energy and intensity. After a period of such domestic dominance, including overtaking Napoli to lead Serie A, It was hard not to be disappointed by a 0-0 draw which almost felt more like a loss.
On a more positive note, the Bianconeri have one of the best defences in Europe, conceding just 15 goals in 26 league games while their European record is none too shabby with just the 3 goals conceded in the 6 group stage matches this season. Their overall record at the Juventus stadium is equally impressive with only 1 loss in 17 matches, albeit at the hands of tomorow night’s opponents, Bayern Munich.
Both sides have had their share of injury concerns with a host of players on the sidelines coming into this game. Giorgio Chiellini, Alex Sandro and Kwadwo Asamoah haven’t been included in the 19-man squad for the game, but Sami Khedira and Mario Mandzukic have both returned to fitness in time as confirmed by Allegri earlier today:
“Mario Mandzukic and Sami Khedira have trained, they are in good shape and available for the game,”
Allegri wasn’t giving much away when asked about his possible starting XI:
“You want to know my line-up? There’s not much to invent here. We just have to play an important game that will be seen all over the world.
“It’s a Round of 16, the result is decided on the field, but we must be on the same level as Bayern technically and tactically, so it’ll be a great game and played over 180 minutes.
“Last time I said we’d happily take 0-0 at home and I got a million insults! I think tomorrow it’s unlikely to end 0-0. I expect a game tomorrow with many goals.
Given the notable absentees, the starting XI almost writes itself. Buffon will be in goal with Stephan Lichtsteiner and Patrice Evra playing as full-backs with Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli making up the back line. In midfield, we’ll probably see Juan Cuadrado on the right with Sami Khedira, Claudio Marchisio and Paul Pogba alongside him. With Mandzukic back, the hope is that we see him from the start. While Alvaro Morata does well in Europe, Mandzukic creates more space for Paulo Dybala to work in and the Croatian’s absence has been notable. I would hazard a guess and say Mario will start alongside Dybala, despite only just returning from injury, with likelihood of seeing Morata later in the game.
Probable lineup:
4-4-2: Buffon; Lichsteiner, Barzagli, Bonucci, Evra; Cuadrado, Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba, Dybala, Mandzukic
Injuries:
Chiellini (calf), Alex Sandro (hamstring), Asamoah (hamstring), Caceres (Achilles).
Suspended:
None.
Bayern Munich
Probable lineup:
4-1-4-1: Neuer; Lahm, Kimmich, Alaba, Rafinha; Alonso; Robben, Muller, Coman, Costa; Lewandowski
Injuries:
Javi Martinez, Jerome Boateng, Holger Badstuber
Suspended:
None.
Formation
Statistics
Infographics from Sporticos.com
How fortunate Napoli drew against Milan! We are still top of the pack and it is once again all in our own hands.
Getting ready for a stressful evening already here, i’ll watch this game as tense as the players themselves!
I’ve taken couple of hours off work in the morning to watch the game. Mainly because I believe the match will be largely won or lost in the first tie.
The only draw which makes any sense is a 0-0 for away goals will ruin us. Yet we will have a few players back from injury and a few others with added match sharpness for the return. Still, the greatest focus must be on not conceding. If we do, we have to win the match in Turin.
Its a crying shame that Cuadrado is set to start, for he seems the only obvious weakness in the line-up and I am concerned that he will be found out against such formidable opponents who have so much quality on the flanks. Lichsteiner, Barzagli and Khedira are going to need to be in outstanding form to make up for the space left by the Colombian, when he runs and runs and runs, often merely into trouble. Still, perhaps this can be the game wherein he proves me wrong and finally becomes a juventino in more than shirt and wage.
For Khedira, this is a return to the big time, one of the reasons why he signed for Juve, to take part on the top stage. For Dybala, this is the biggest game of his career thus far. For Mandzukic, a point to prove. For Pogba, with the world’s eyes watching, a chance to show he is not just a Titan in Serie A, but equally powerful when facing some of the world’s very best.
Huge game for many on a individual basis, yet for the club, this is exactly the kind of match we must relish, approach with a war cry which deafens the world, as juventini the world over rise as one and urge our soldiers into battle on the front line.
I am not suggesting we prepare for defeat, adjust the chin accordingly, yet I must assert that we are a side – unlike Bayern – in major transition. We lost three key players last Summer, two of which, were amongst the greatest of all time. We then suffered horrendous injuries, which remain an ongoing bane. There will be no shame in losing, for it will be a wonderful experience regardless for our blossoming squad of young, keen and talented and veterans of the upper echelons of the world game.
I hope we crush them, yet that is not possible. SO I hope we win!
No doubt I will be hungover, still part hazy from the herbal remedies for a world gone wrong, and so offering little during the game, yet I shall endeavour to write a review in the evening, after work…
Until which,
stay strong, comrades.
Let the most fierce and challenging battle we will face all season,
wash over us,
and rise as one…
Forza Juve
Here we go.. FORZA JUVE!!!
Holy shit that was close
soooo close
Way too close!
Only positive things i’ve seen so far are Barzagli, Pogba and Dybala.
Too close too close
Anyone has a stream?,
wiz1.net, cricfree.tv?
How are we gonna win this?
We’re getting nothing and when we do get some of the ball we piss it away..0-1
Yup, this is over
Bayern way too strong
Ref is a fucking shithead
It’s Martin Atkinson right?
Yes
Yeah, he’s a shithead. Most english refs are.
It wasnt worth a penalty
The Vidal push wasn’t, but Vidal made hands earlier, that was a penalty. He was also calling fouls for Bayern way easier than for us at the start of the game.
Don’t think he gave us a single free kick all half
The way Vidals playing makes me wish we still had him on our side. He has the better team on his side, but he’s giving good passes, is doing very useful work and had a great volley early on. We could really use him now. I dwell on the past.
No surprises so far. Crying shame we conceded just before half time, yet it was well deserved.
We cannot afford to field Cuadrado against this kind of opposition, not at the expense of the 3-5-2 routine, yet we lack Chiellini. So I understand the call.
Have to push up and aim for the draw or victory. 0-1 is the end for us!
I’d take off Khedira for Sturaro…Intelligence for Snarl. Also revert to 3-5-2. 4-4-2 is going nowhere other than when Pogba beats his man on the turn…
No positives other than Bayern need a breath now and then…we must put ourselves in a position to capitalise…
marchisio is out???
Hernanes?!?! We lost boys
so marchisio is injured???
We lost boys
Foul on Bonucci not called at the middle line.
Its hard enough as it is with 11 men, they don’t need a 12th
I thought we were almost on a par with bayern, i was wrong.. This shit hurts
yes
Dybala!!!!! Finally we do something back.
Thats a fun battle between lewy and mandzu
Goddamnit Cuadrado should’ve scored
Cuadrado’s shot was too easy for Neuer.
Also, there’s the Sturaro for Khedira sub :p
You just cant miss these chances. Mandzukic should have taken the shot himself and Pogba should have shot way faster..
Cuadrado out..
Fuck YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CMON BOYS!!!!!!!!
WutFace
FUCK YEEAAAAAAHHHH
Sturaro!!!!
One more boys ! Just one more !
COME ON MAKE THIS A WIN
This has really been an emotional rollercoaster ride 🙂 Nervous, sad, more sad, less sad, happy and now happy and hopeful…
Morata just owned Vidal
Could be worse, could be better. Pretty much the conclusion for this game. Draw is okay-ish… 0-0 would have been better obviously. We have to score in Munich. And probably at least twice..
Proud of this team! Great comeback
2-2, well done. Great last 30 minutes. Morata MUST start in Germany, things started going after he came in, we also should show more guts. We score twice in a short amount of time and showed great play, while the entire first half we were afraid of them and were hoping on counters. We can dominate these top teams, we can.
Was just about ready to completely give up on this game, but they weren’t…. Fino alle fine!!!! Forza Juve!!!!!!!
Same here mate, I was pissed off and couldnt watch it anymore, was ventilating my disappointment so hard
Whats with marchisio???
Sturaro scoring too, maybe he should start for the return game too, he did it against Real as well 🙂
Even Hernanes did pretty good. I would dare to say we should have started him over Cuadrado
Agreed. I’d take anyone over Cuadrado at this point. All he does is flashy moves yet he does it in such dangerous positions that if he turns it over we’re doomed. His runs are impressive at times, but then he can’t keep his vision well and passes it to an opponent.
We had more chances and should have won the game after our come-back…the momentum was brutal and Bayern couldn’t deal with us. They very rarely concede so many chances…Cuadrado miss was wretched, lovely move, ball aimed at hand height straight to Neur. Pogba unlucky with header and curler from just in the box Morata could have hit one better…Leo had a poor game, Khedira not fit or sharp. Hernanes was valuable and determined.
Many positives to take, as once we drew bavarian blood, we went for the kill and looked equal if not in the ascendency.
We can defend much better and we now know we can fight these fiends…The Allianz record is there to be broken. I’ll continue to believe…and why not eh??? Of the two sides it is us who I feel can improve far beyond the total output of the game we just saw…
Wonderful for Sturaro and Dybala…superb warrior-esque menace from Big Mario.
Evra cannot play against Robben again, must be Sandro…
I wonder what it is with Bonucci, nervous maybe? Barzagli played a great game once again.
Just wanted to give credits to Sturaro, others have already too, but he was so damn important yesterday, at the right place at the right time, kept his cool, not everyone on our team can say that. It seems like he only steps up in the huge games. Last season against Madrid he made a game saving, slight tap on the ball that reflected it on the bar, instead of in the goal, which it would have gone if he hadn’t touched it, and now he scores the equaliser. I wonder if we could use him a little more and make him better.