Juventus visits Nantes this evening for the second leg of their Europa League clash after a 1-1 draw in Turin knowing that they must beat the French on their home ground to progress in Europe’s second competition.
There is not a rich history of meetings between the two clubs with the pair facing each other just once previously in European competition and Juventus.com has recalled that time.
The only previous time that Nantes hosted Juve was on the 17th of April 1996 in the Champions League semi-final.
Nantes actually won the game in France 3-2 but lost the tie 4-3 on aggregate thanks to a 2-0 win in Turin for Juve with the late great Gianluca Vialli being the hero in both legs for the Bianconeri, grabbing a goal in each game
Juve went on to win the competition beating Ajax in the final but there is no doubt that Nantes gave them a run for their money in the semi-final.
Obviously, times are very different now, Nantes are not Champions League semi-final quality though in all fairness, neither is Juve these days but there is a gulf in class between the sides but that is only relevant if Juventus plays to their true ability, something they did not do in the first leg.
Juventus remain the favourites to progress to the next round but only if they impose themselves against the French side this evening.
