"Serie A" champions - against the winners of the Europa League. Perhaps the most intriguing Champions League matches of Wednesday will be played in Italy.
"Juventus" - "Sevilla"
Tournament: UEFA Champions League
Stadium: „Juventus“ (Turin)
Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Germany)
Date and time 2016-09-14, 21:45
What will Turin's team look like in the Champions League without Paul Pogba and Alvaro Morata? The answer is simple: just like without Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, and Carlos Tevez.
The Italian team, having worked well in the offseason, has invited players such as Medhi Benatia, Dani Alves, Miralem Pjanic, Marko Pjaca, or Gonzalo Higuain and is rightfully considered one of the main contenders to triumph in the tournament.
Having started well in the "Serie A," Juventus would like to demonstrate a similar game from the earliest rounds and compete with the strongest European teams.
Forward Paulo Dybala of "Serie A" representatives spoke:
"When G.Higuain is highly motivated to score goals, everything becomes much easier. We have great attackers who can punish "Sevilla".
I have been looking forward to the Champions League and I believe we can achieve significant results. After all, we have players who have maintained the mentality of the past."
Last season, these clubs also fought in the group stage - Italians won at home 2-0, but were defeated away - 0-1.
"We have already forgotten the second match and will try to think only about a victorious match. Then we looked great against strong opponents and I hope the same will happen again today", said Dybala.
"Sevilla," like "Juventus," is successful in the local championship, currently occupying the second place.
Club president Jose Castro spoke cautiously, but secretly hoped for a victory.
"A draw at the Turin stadium would be a good result, but I think about three points. After all, we hope to win every match, so why should this meeting be exceptional?
Group H is not as complicated as last year and we will try to go significantly further. We are confident that our very ambitious economic project will be successful", said the president.
Last summer, "Sevilla" lost coach Unai Emery, players Grzegorz Krychowiak, Ever Banega, and Kevin Gameiro, but was filled with Jorge Sampaoli, Samir Nasri, Franco Vazquez, and Luciano Vietto.
Interesting facts
- In the Champions League, the "Juventus" team has only lost at home to the Spaniards once (8 wins, 6 draws). It happened in 2004 against "Deportivo" (0:1)
- "Sevilla" is afraid of Italian teams away - this is evidenced by unfavorable statistics. Three defeats in four matches.
- this is already the 17th season of "Juventus" in the strongest European tournament. M.Allegri's pupils surpassed other country record holders in this indicator - "Milan"
- "Juventus" has won the Champions League (European Cup) twice - in 1985 and 1996.
- The Turin club could be among the all-time champions, but they were hindered by a record number of failures in tournament finals - 6
- The "Serie A" team plays confidently in front of their own fans in the Champions League - in the last 35 matches, there have been only two defeats (22 wins, 11 draws). Both losses to Munich "Bayern"
- "Juventus" is the most aggressive team in the history of the Champions League (received 21 red cards, counting from the 1992/1993 season)
Predicted starting lineups
"Juventus": Buffon, Barzagli, Chiellini, Bonucci, Alves, Khedira, Pjanic, Lemina, Evra, Higuain, Dybala
"Sevilla": Rico, Mariano, Pareja, Rami, Escudero, Nasri, Vazquez, N'Zonzi, Ganso, Vitolo, Ben Yedder
Guess
This season, both teams can boast a strong attack, so at least 2-3 goals will be scored in the match.
"Juventus" will win 3:1
