The last season’s finalists meet again in what’s probably the most exciting quarterfinal duel of the Champions League this season. The first part of the doubleheader will take place at the Allianz Stadium in Torino, where Juve are always dangerous. Still, it seems that Real Madrid don’t care about that – they’re coming to Italy to grab a win! Will they succeed? Fins out in Juventus vs. Real Madrid match preview!
Juventus vs. Real Madrid match preview
Juventus
Things are going great for Juve in Serie A. Not only did they pull off a win against their arch-rivals, AC Milan, but the second-placed Napoli failed to win this weekend. Because of that, the Bianconeri can now focus entirely on the Champions League duel with Real Madrid. And they will need to work hard to prepare themselves for this clash, especially at the back.
The duel with AC Milan saw Juve winning big, but everyone who watched the game saw that Juve had some pretty serious problems in defense. The 36-years-old Barzagli seems too slow to play against pacey forwards and it’s a similar situation with the other two central defenders. Juve have also been struggling with their wing-backs, especially on the right side of the pitch. Alex Sandro is out injured, so Asamoah will have to take his place.
Still, they might not be as physically good as Real Madrid players, but Juventus defenders will compensate for that with their vast experience. On top of that, their attack has been pretty impressive lately. Paulo Dybala is back in a sensational form and the same goes for his Argentine compatriot Gonzalo Higuain. There’s another player that’s recently gotten into the spotlight. I’m talking about Sami Khedira, who’s been simply flawless in the last couple of weeks.
Real Madrid
Unfortunately for Juventus, Real Madrid are playing excellent lately. Los Blancos have won each of their previous 5 matches, counting all competitions. As the race for La Liga is lost, Real Madrid will focus entirely on winning the Champions League once again. This is the reason why most of their key men were given a rest this weekend when Real Madrid played Las Palmas. But, even with reserves playing, they were still able to win 3:0.
Gareth Bale did very well in that match, but he probably won’t be among the starting eleven on Tuesday evening. Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to come back. He’s properly rested and ready to do his best to get his team qualified for the semifinal. It’s needless to say that CR7 is going to be Real Madrid’s key man in this game. After all, he’s currently the top Champions League scorer with 12 goals to his name so far.
Apart from Ronaldo, I also expect to see the captain of Los Blancos, Sergio Ramos, performing great in Turin. Although there are some rumors that he might miss this duel due to an injury, I think he’ll be there for his team. This is currently a very nice period in his life. He’s just turned 32, has made his 150th appearance for his national team, and his wife has given birth to their 3rd child.
Team News
Juventus absentees:
- Alex Sandro (injury)
- Federico Bernardeschi (injury)
- Mario Mandzukic (injury)
Real Madrid absentees:
- Nacho (injury)
- Isco (doubtful)
Possible Lineups
Juventus:
Buffon – Chiellini, Barzagli, Benatia, Lichtsteiner, Asamoah – Khedira, Matuidi, Pjanic – Dybala, Higuain
Real Madrid:
Navas – Ramos, Varane, Carvajal, Marcelo – Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, Marco Asensio – Ronaldo, Benzema
Juventus vs. Real Madrid Match Prediction
Real Madrid seem unstoppable at the moment and I can’t see Juventus changing that. I’m 100% certain that we’re going to see Los Blancos in the semifinal of the Champions League. But, will they be able to beat Juve in Turin? Probably.
Juventus vs. Real Madrid Betting Tips
Real Madrid @2.62 (bet365)
Cristiano Ronaldo to score anytime @2.60 (Paddy Power)
