Juventus vs Atletico Madrid - Champions League Round of 16

Published on: 12/03/2019

Juventus vs Atletico Madrid - Champions League Round of 16

March 12, 2019 20:00pm - Allianz Stadium (Turin)

Champions League, Round of 16 - Second Leg

If Juventus want to keep their Champions League dream alive, they will have to complete a comeback of epic proportions against one of the most resilient teams in the world.

The Italians will believe they can overcome the 2-0 deficit, but they will need to be at their brilliant best to stand any chance of progressing. Luckily, they have Cristiano Ronaldo in their side and the Portuguese player is more than capable of taking a big European game by the scruff of the neck. What`s more, he would love nothing more than to get one over on his old rivals. And with just one goal in this competition this year, he has a point to prove to the Turin faithful.

Juve`s only home defeat of the season came in this competition when they fell 2-1 to Manchester United in the Group Stage. Since then, only Parma have taken a point from the Allianz Stadium.

However, the Italians are so dominant in their league that these games can sometimes overwhelm them. And their desperation to win the tournament can also play against them. In fact, the Champions League has become something of a cursed event for the Old Lady.

Atletico`s relationship with this competition has also been bittersweet in recent years. They have reached the final twice and the semi-finals once since 2014 and lost to Real Madrid each time. With their city rivals out of the picture, they will feel the path is clear for them to have another shot at the trophy this year.

Diego Simeone`s men arrive in Turin having won five matches in a row in all competitions and currently sit second in the Spanish league. They have won five of their last eight away matches in this competition and playing for another draw would suit them here. However, they may be tempted to push for the away goal that would leave Juventus needing to score four.

Recent form (all competitions)

Juventus: WWDWW

Atletico Madrid: WWWWW

Betting odds and tips

Atleti will set up to soak up the pressure, frustrate their opponents and eventually strike on the break. Juventus will bide their time and try to avoid falling into the trap of allowing the counter-attack. This could mean be a cagey first half in which both sides try to edge towards their objectives rather than taking a gung-ho approach. As a result, it will be no surprise if the teams are level at the break.

You can back a Half Time Score of 0-0 at 13/8.

By Neil Morris