Due to the shortened nature of the 2020/21 season, we are back in action this week in the Champions League and Europa League across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights once again and this week sees an absolute cracker of a game, one that has been the final of the tournament in the past, as two of European football’s real giants will clash in Turin.
Italian Serie A Champions Juventus will face off against Ronald Koeman’s new look Barcelona on Wednesday night in what promises to be an enthralling encounter between the two teams, especially given that both are heading into this game somewhat out of sorts domestically compared to their usually assured starts to the season on their home soil.
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Let’s now preview this huge clash between two of European football’s biggest teams which is taking place in Turin this week.
Juventus v Barcelona Preview
It seems strange to think that two of European football’s biggest sides are only going to meet for the 
seventh time this week and they had not met at all until the 2015 Champions League Final. However, Juventus and Barcelona are synonymous with the top prizes in European football and both teams will be under no illusions that nothing less than winning this trophy, as well as their domestic league title, will be deemed as a success this season.
The game also potentially renews the rivalry between the two true football legends of the modern era as Barcelona’s Lionel Messi will go toe-to-toe once again with Juventus ace Cristiano Ronaldo, providing the latter has recovered from his battle with Covid-19 in time. Many experts are already eagerly awaiting the opportunity to see the two on the same field once again for the first time since 2018, when Ronaldo left Real Madrid to join Juventus.
Current Form
Juventus started the Serie A season unbeaten in five games, but they have not been as dominant as in previous years, drawing three of those games to have nine points and lie fifth in the table. In the Champions League, they managed a 2-0 win over Dynamo Kyiv last week on the road, which was impressive but there is a real feeling that this may well be their ageing squad’s last chance to land this most coveted of prizes this season.
Barcelona have played just five games in La Liga and lie a staggering 12th in the table having won two, drawn one and lost two of those games. Both those defeats coming in their last two La Liga games, away to Getafe and at home to Real Madrid. Sandwiched in between those wins they did beat Ferencvaros 5-1 at home last week in the Champions League but that is their only win in the last four games and manager Ronald Koeman is already starting to feel the pressure.
Playing Personnel & Injuries/Suspensions
Juventus have seen Paulo Dybala and Weston McKennie return to the squad at the weekend, but they 
are also awaiting news on whether Cristiano Ronaldo will be cleared to play. If not, then his absence will be a huge blow to the Old Lady in what is likely to be the most crucial of their group games in the competition this season. Experienced defender Giorgio Chiellini has been ruled out with injury sustained in the game in Kiev last week.
Barcelona have their own injuries to concern themselves with with Philippe Coutinho, who has been restored to the side under Ronald Koeman, out with a hamstring injury. He joins keeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and defender Samuel Umtiti on the sidelines for this game
Probable Teams
Juventus – (3-5-2) – Szeczesny, Demiral, Bonucci, Danilo, Cuadrado, Bernardeschi, Ramsey, Arthur, Rabiot, Dybala, Morata
Barcelona – (4-4-2) – Neto, Dest, Alba, Pique, Lenglet, Busquets, De Jong, Pedri, Fati, Messi, Griezmann
Juventus v Barcelona – History
It seems strange to think that two of European football’s biggest teams only first met in competition in the 2015 Champions League final. On that occasion, Barcelona emerged 3-1 winners thanks to their “MSN” attacking trio of Messi, Suarez and Neymar. Since then they have met on six more occasions, all in 2017, with Juventus winning just the once (3-0 at home), two games being drawn and Barcelona winning on the other two occasions.
In those six games, Juventus have managed five goals, with Barcelona managing eight.
Juventus v Barcelona – Our Top Tips for the game of the week in the Champions League
This really should be a cracking game and there will be huge interest in the betting on the match but I think the best bets here are listed below:
- Match Results – Juventus v Barcelona – Juventus to win – 17/10
- Correct Score – Juventus 2-1 Barcelona – 9/1
- Anytime Goalscorer – Paulo Dybala (Juventus) – 7/4
- Match Result Both Teams to Score – Juventus to win and Yes both teams to score 15/4
*All odds shown above were correct with bet365 Sport as of 12.10pm on Monday 26th October 2020.
