Juventus vs Barcelona – UEFA Champions League – Preview

Posted on April 11, 2017 by Sreya

Juventus vs Barcelona – Juventus hosts Barcelona at the Juventus Stadium, Turin on 11th April, Tuesday in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

This will be the first meeting between these two clubs since Barcelona defeated Juventus in the finals of the 2015 UEFA Champions League in Berlin. Barcelona were winners of Group C ahead of Manchester City, Borussia Monchengladbach and Celtic and they played a European classic tie against Paris Saint-Germain in the Round of 16 when they overcame a four-goal deficit in the first leg to win the second leg 6-1.

Juventus finished top of Group H and were victorious over FC Porto in the Round of 16.

Team News

Marko Pjaca is sidelined through an injury. Barcelona will be without the injured Aleix Vidal and Rafinha and the suspended Sergio Busquets.

Juventus Possible Starting Lineup: Gianluigi Buffon, Daniel Alves, Leonard Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Alex Sandro, Miralem Pjanic, Sami Khedira, Juan Cuadrado, Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic, Gonzalo Higuain.

Barcelona Possible Starting Lineup: Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Sergi Roberto, Gerard Pique, Samuel Umiti, Jordi Alba, Ivan Rakitic, Andres Iniesta, Andre Gomes, Lionel Messi, luis Suarez, Neymar.

“Nothing is impossible. We have to play a perfect game on a technical level. We have to play, believing we can go through. We’ll need to be at our best both when attacking and defending.”

– Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus.

Contributor’s Pick

According to Juventus vs Barcelona H2H Stats, the last three meetings between these two clubs have resulted in a win for either side and a draw. While Barcelona have won 23 of their last 29 matches in Europe’s premier competition, Juventus have won six out of the last seven of their UEFA Champions League games.

Barcelona have been a prolific scorer of goals, but Juventus have kept a clean sheet in six of their last eight European games. It should be a closely contested affair and although Barcelona are the favorites for making it to the semi-finals, Juventus are likely to win the first leg 2-1.