Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund First Leg: Game Preview, Prediction
By Douglas Smith
@DFresh39
Getty Images
A replay of the 1997 final highlights this week’s matches in the 2015 Champions League Round of 16. Borussia Dortmund travels to Turin to take on Juventus in an intriguing tie. Dortmund captured their only title in 1997, but Juventus will be looking to turn the tide thanks to a good home record in European play. Statistics may be on Juventus’ side, but Dortmund look reborn in the Bundesliga.
Juventus are nine points clear in Serie A. They are also unbeaten in 10 home matches in UEFA competition and sport a 14-2-5 record against Bundesliga clubs in Turin. In two-legged competitions against Bundesliga teams, they have won 12-of-15. However, it’s not since the 2009-10 competition that they faced German competition when they lost to Bayern Munich. Still, the updated Juventus Stadium has been a fortress with the team going unbeaten in their last 46 in all competitions.
Dortmund struggled in their domestic league in the first half of the season, but still won their group in the Champions League. They have won five of their last seven Champions League away matches, and they are also riding a three-game winning streak in the Bundesliga. This streak matches their biggest winning streak of the year from August and September, which included defeating Arsenal in the group stage.
Juventus has not lost since the last matchday of the group stage. Paul Pogba is playing at another level, including opening the scoring in three consecutive matches in January. Carlos Tevez leads Serie A in scoring. Arturo Vidal is on his best form of the season despite a minor injury scare. He should use his physical play to try to boss the midfield against the speedy Dortmund players.
Those Dortmund players will be looking to keep space in front of them and beat Juventus to the spot. Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have finally clicked and are a threat every time they touch the ball. The team will be without Erik Durm and Jakub Blaszczykowski, who are affected by the flu.
Dortmund is going to have to weather a storm in the first 20 minutes of this match against a very confident Juventus team. Both teams are on form, but Dortmund just needs to keep this one close.
Prediction: Juventus 2-1 Dortmund
Douglas Smith is a soccer writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @DFresh39, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.
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