Scouting the enemy: A guide to Juventus
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
One of the biggest strengths of Juventus has been their defensive work-ethic.
Juve’s defense under Allegri is what has propelled them to greater heights. Even after the departure of Leonardo Bonucci last summer, the Bianconeri have been able to maintain their high defensive standards. In Serie A this season, Juve have secured 20 clean sheets from their 30 games, conceding just 16 along the way.
In Champions League too, they have kept three clean sheets from their eight games, conceding just eight goals.
Another important aspect of Juve’s game is how effectively they work together as a unit. They may not be a high flying squad which scores tremendous amount of goals – but they are masters of shutting down a game and Real Madrid should not give them any room to score.
We all know what happened to Barcelona over the two legs last season in the quarterfinals.
Weaknesses
The most apparent weakness, if at all, is the amount of fouls this team concedes in a match.
They have conceded 107 fouls in total in Champions League this season. With a team like Real Madrid who have significant firepower from set pieces, Real should look to capitalize. This coupled with Juve’s perceived weakness to defend crosses, could play straight into Real Madrid’s hands.
Some Juve players are running a tight rope and could find themselves in the stands if they get booked. Consequently, Allegri will throw a word of caution around, which could limit players like Chiellini and Sandro who are a booking away from suspension.
The other glaring weakness is their defenders lack of calm when pressed high up the pitch. Barzagli and Chiellini are world-class defenders, however, given their age, they are slightly vulnerable under press at times.
Zinedine Zidane will be aware of this and look to exploit that gap in an otherwise imperious defensive scheme. Real Madrid did employ a high press against PSG in the Round of 16 with Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio in the mix. It is down to Zizou as to what setup and players he chooses to play in this match.
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Although, Juventus are a depleted side without the services of Pjanic, Benatia, and possibly Mandzukic, they can still make life difficult for Real Madrid, who looks to have returned to their best.
The Champions League is the only trophy that Real could dream of winning this season. Los Blancos will have to grind it out against Juventus, who will prove to be a much tougher opponent than PSG.