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Juventus will journey to Portugal this week as they gear as much as tackle FC Porto within the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Spherical of 16 tie.
The 2020/21 UEFA Champions League returned to motion this week, with the primary leg of the Spherical of 16 phases set to be performed out throughout Europe. And Italian champions Juventus will likely be in motion on Wednesday night time once they face off in opposition to Portuguese giants FC Porto at Estadio do Dragao.
Juventus ended their group stage as leaders of Group G, ending above La Liga giants Barcelona as a result of a superior head-to-head document. Whereas Andrea Pirlo’s males have been in good nick for the reason that flip of the yr, they head into Wednesday’s sport determined to win, having failed to take action of their final two matches in all competitions, most not too long ago shedding 1-0 to Napoli in Serie A.
Porto, in the meantime, completed as comfy runners-up in Group C behind Manchester Metropolis, shedding simply considered one of their six video games within the first spherical. Sergio Conceicao’s males haven’t gained any of their final 4 video games throughout all competitions, with every of them ending in attracts, the newest one being a 2-2 stalemate in opposition to Boavista. They are going to be hoping to finish that run in opposition to Juventus.
Forward of what guarantees to be an thrilling match-up at Estadio do Dragao this midweek, The Arduous Deal with takes a better have a look at each the groups.
Group Information & Ways
Porto
FC Porto supervisor Sergio Conceicao doesn’t have an entire lot of harm points to take care of forward of Juventus’s go to, with the house staff set to be simply with out the providers of right-back Nanu. Other than the 26-year-old, the Portuguese giants have a fully-fit squad to pick out from and can arrange in a 4-4-2 formation on Wednesday.
Argentine worldwide Agustin Marchesin should be the person in objective for Porto, the place he may very well be in for a busy night time in opposition to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo & co. He’ll want all of the safety he can get from the centre-back partnership of Chancel Mbemba and veteran defender Pepe.
Wilson Manafa should proceed at right-back whereas Zaidu Sanusi, who returned from harm final trip, ought to return at left-back. The duo is prone to tuck in and keep compact alongside the centre-backs to try to guarantee there are little areas for the Juventus attackers to take advantage of.
Mateus Uribe will likely be answerable for breaking apart play in the midst of the park, with assist coming from Sergio Oliveira, who can even look to push ahead at any time when a chance presents itself.
The chief inventive risk for Porto will come from the broad areas with Jesus Corona and Otavio posing a severe risk with their tempo and directness. The 2 wingers will look to create possibilities for the strike partnership of Mehdi Taremi and Moussa Marega.
Possible Lineup (4-4-2): Marchesin; Manafa, Mbemba, Pepe, Sanusi; Corona, Oliveira, Uribe, Otavio; Marega, Taremi
Juventus
Juventus have been hit with a contemporary harm concern forward of their journey to Porto as Juan Cuadrado might miss out after selecting up a muscle subject within the sport in opposition to Napoli. Nonetheless, there may be some excellent news on the staff information entrance for supervisor Andrea Pirlo as Aaron Ramsey is match once more and travelling with the squad.
Each Leonardo Bonucci and Paulo Dybala have additionally made the journey, however neither will be available for selection as a result of health points whereas Arthur Melo stays sidelined. The Bianconeri can even arrange in a 4-4-2 formation, though it can take a 3-5-2 form in the course of the attacking phases, with the left-back pushing ahead and the right-back tucking in centrally.
📋⭐️ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 ⚪️⚫️ 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗹! ✈️🇵🇹#FCPJuve #JuveUCL #FinoAllaFine #ForzaJuve pic.twitter.com/7HIs2vqQSW
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) February 16, 2021
Wojciech Szczesny is the undisputed starter in objective for Juventus the place he will likely be shielded by the centre-back partnership of Matthijs de Ligt and captain Giorgio Chiellini. Danilo and Alex Sandro should be the 2 full-backs on the proper and left sides respectively.
Federico Chiesa ought to begin on the proper flank from the place he’ll present the inventive outlet whereas Weston McKennie will get the nod on the other wing. The USMNT worldwide will veer in into central positions recurrently, liberating up house for Sandro to rampage ahead. Rodrigo Bentancur and Adrien Rabiot must be the 2 central midfielders.
Up forward, with no Dybala, there isn’t a trying previous the partnership of Alvaro Morata and Cristiano Ronaldo, though Dejan Kulusevski may very well be an possibility for Pirlo to think about.
Possible Lineup (4-4-2): Szczesny; Danilo, de Ligt, Chiellini, Sandro; Chiesa, Rabiot, Bentancur, McKennie; Morata, Ronaldo
Key Stats
- Porto and Juventus’ solely earlier encounter within the UEFA Champions League knockout phases got here within the Spherical of 16 again in 2016/17. The Bianconeri gained the tie 3-0 on combination.
- Juventus have reached the knockout phases of the UEFA Champions League for the seventh consecutive season, their longest streak within the competitors.
- Porto are the one staff but to concede a objective at dwelling on this season’s UEFA Champions League. They’ve additionally saved a clear sheet in every of their final 5 Champions League clashes.
- Juventus’ Juan Cuadrado delivered extra assists (5) than every other participant on this season’s Champions League group phases. His absence on Wednesday will likely be a blow for the guests.
- Juventus have gained 11 of their final 13 video games within the UEFA Champions League (L2). They’re additionally considered one of solely 4 groups to win all three of their away video games on this season’s group phases alongside Atalanta, Barcelona and Chelsea.
Participant to Watch
Cristiano Ronaldo
Most #UCL KO objectives within the final 4 years:
Cristiano Ronaldo- 23
.
.
Messi- 11
Mane- 10
Lewandowski- 7
Mbappe- 7
Salah- 6
Firmino- 6Thoughts the hole. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/q8Q30LqQpa
— Every thing Cristiano (@EverythingCR7_) February 16, 2021
The Portuguese maverick turned 36 years previous earlier this month, however regardless of his advancing age, he stays Juventus’s most necessary participant. Ronaldo, to date this season, has already found the back of the net on 23 occasions in 26 matches in all competitions whereas establishing three extra.
The veteran ahead at all times appears to step his sport up a notch when the knockout phases of the Champions League come round, having plundered 62 objectives in 66 video games within the knockout section of the competitors. And the Bianconeri will likely be hoping that would be the case once more when Ronaldo returns to his homeland this week.
Prediction
Porto 1-2 Juventus
Porto had a reasonably strong run in the course of the group phases of the Champions League, however have struggled to choose up victories in current matches. Juventus, in the meantime, have proven indicators of enchancment beneath Andrea Pirlo following a sluggish begin to the season, regardless that they did lose their most up-to-date fixture in opposition to Napoli.
The guests even have a few key gamers in Juan Cuadrado and Leonardo Bonucci lacking with accidents. However, given Cristiano Ronaldo’s monitor document within the Champions League, he’s certain to make a decisive affect on Wednesday night time, which is why The Arduous Deal with is predicting a slim win for the Serie A champions.
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