Italian giants Juventus will be keen to take a giant step towards the Last Eight of the UEFA Champions League when they face off against Villarreal.
On Tuesday night, a rejuvenated Juventus side will take on Europa League champions Villarreal in an intriguing Champions League Round of 16 tie at Estadio de la Ceramica.
Massimiliano Allegri’s side won their group despite being drawn with defending champions, Chelsea. Juventus have since strengthened in the January transfer window and have also picked up their form. Dusan Vlahovic and Denis Zakaria have fit in well at the Allianz Stadium and could make their continental bow for the Turin giants on Tuesday.
This will be the first time both sides will face off against each other in a competitive match. The last time the Bianconeri took on a Spanish side in the Round of 16 was in 2019 when they lost the first leg against Atletico Madrid only to mount an incredible second-half turnaround. That was also the last time the Italian giants progressed beyond the first knockout round.
Despite Villarreal being seen as a rather favourable draw, Juventus will do well to stay on their heels. The Yellow Submarine beat Manchester United last season to lift the Europa League trophy and ran Chelsea close in the UEFA Super Cup. They have also won seven of their last ten games in La Liga and are slowly proving to be difficult to beat.
The tie could also prove to be a direct test of both sides’ strength in depth. There are quite a few familiar players ruled out for both sides for the game, and it remains to be seen which manager makes use of their resources well to settle the tie.
Allegri’s second coming in Turin has not hit all the necessary chords, but he has enough in the tank to overcome a determined Villarreal side led by Unai Emery. Whether that will be the case or the Yellow Submarine will spring a shock remains to be seen. The Hard Tackle looks at how both sides will line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.
Team News & Tactics
Villarreal
It's bound to be an atmosphere worthy of the @ChampionsLeague tomorrow ?.#UCL
— Villarreal CF English (@VillarrealCFen) February 21, 2022
Unai Emery will be without his top scorer Gerard Moreno who will be a major miss for the home side. Francis Coquelin and Ruben Pena are also out of contention, while Etienne Capoue and Giovani Lo Celso are minor doubts for the clash.
It is not all bad news, as Villarreal do have some players who return in contention. Raul Albiol, for one, is now back available while Yeremi Pino also returns from his suspension against Atalanta. This is Villarreal’s third foray into the knockout stages of the Champions League, and despite their absentees, they do have a chance at causing an upset.
The Yellow Submarines are likely to make use of a 4-4-2 formation that will be tactically rigid, helping them in keeping their shape all night. While the defence depends on a collective approach, one can argue that Villarreal’s forward forays will likely be spearheaded by individual brilliance.
Geronimo Rulli will start in goal behind a back four of Alfonso Pedraza, Pau Torres, Raul Albiol and Juan Foyth. Former Liverpool star Alberto Moreno will start on the left flank of the midfield, a position that can make use of his attacking instincts rather than his vulnerability in defence. The returning Pino will be expected to occupy the other wing.
Dani Parejo and Manu Trigueros will occupy the central midfield positions, with the former expected to be the ball carrier. Boulaye Dia and the impressive Arnaut Danjuma will lead the attack, with the latter being the home side’s trump card.
With Juventus star Federico Chiesa out injured, Danjuma will arguably be the most dynamic winger on the field and can pose a major threat to the visitors’ defence. The Dutchman scored his first hat-trick for Villarreal at the weekend and will be itching to make a difference, this time against Juventus.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Rulli; Pedraza, Torres, Albiol, Foyth; Moreno, Parejo, Trigueros, Pino; Dia, Danjuma
Juventus
Juventus started the year well and looked close to returning to their best. While they continue to avoid losses, one might argue that Massimiliano Allegri’s men suffer from a lack of imagination when it comes to finishing off games.
The Juventus boss does have decisions to make with several of his players out injured. Daniele Rugani and Paulo Dybala both limped off against Torino and are unlikely to play on the night. They join Giorgio Chiellini, Federico Bernardeschi and Federico Chiesa on the sidelines for the Bianconeri.
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— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) February 21, 2022
Allegri is likely to go in with his side in a 4-3-1-2 setup which can turn to a 4-4-2 when not in possession. With Dybala out, the playmaking abilities from midfield will take a hit, and it remains to be seen if Weston McKennie will be handed the role on the night. Dusan Vlahovic and Alvaro Morata have struck up an understanding of sorts, but it will matter for little if they are not given the required service.
Wojciech Szczesny is a certain starter in goal and will play behind a back four of Juan Cuadrado, Leonardo Bonucci, Matthijs de Ligt and Alex Sandro. With Chiesa and Bernardeschi unavailable, the onus to provide the threat from out wide will fall onto Cuadrado. Whether the Colombian can provide the crosses for Vlahovic to attack remains to be seen.
The trio of Manuel Locatelli, Denis Zakaria, and Adrien Rabiot will provide the steel in midfield. This can allow the energetic McKennie to run at the Villarreal defence and provide the service to Morata and Vlahovic. The Old Lady do have better players than Villarreal, but it remains to be seen which version of Juventus will turn up on the night.
Probable Lineup (4-3-1-2): Szczesny; Cuadrado, Bonucci, De Ligt, Sandro; Zakaria, Locatelli, Rabiot; McKennie; Vlahovic, Morata
Key Stats
- Villarreal have made it to the knockouts of the UEFA Champions League just twice before, getting knocked out by Arsenal on both occasions.
- Juventus have been eliminated at the Round of 16 stage in each of the last two seasons in the UEFA Champions League.
- Since the 2002/03 season, Juventus have gotten the better of Spanish sides in six of their eight two-legged ties in Europe.
- Juventus have won three of their last five away games against Spanish opposition in the UEFA Champions League.
- Unai Emery has not led a team beyond the last 16 of the Champions League. He has won just one match at this stage throughout his career.
Player to Watch
Pau Torres
The Spanish international is among the best young central defenders in Europe and has time and again shown his value to Unai Emery’s side. He can earn another feather in his cap should he shackle the imperious Dusan Vlahovic on Tuesday.
The Serbian striker has continued from where he left off at Fiorentina and is among the chief goalscorers for Juventus since arriving in January. Torres certainly has the ability to keep the Juventus ace quiet and the battle between the duo promises to be an intriguing one.
Prediction
Villarreal 1-1 Juventus
Juventus are certainly the better side player-to-player, but they have struggled to maintain consistency often. Villarreal are not just playing at home but also go into the game with a semblance of form. More so, Unai Emery’s side are difficult to break down and could keep the Bianconeri at bay.
The visitors will be handicapped following the loss of Paulo Dybala, who was their prime creator. As long as Pau Torres is up to the task at the back and Danjuma wreaks havoc upfield, there is always a chance that the Yellow Submarine can give their more illustrious rivals a run for their money.
