Juventus v Barcelona: line-ups, form guide, where to watch
Monday, April 10, 2017
Article summary
A UEFA Champions League game against Juventus brings back happy memories of the 2015 final for Luis Enrique but both coaches acknowledge they are in for a titanic battle.
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Article body
- Juventus have never lost to Barcelona in Turin
- Juve are on a 21-match unbeaten home run in UEFA competition
- Midfielder Sergio Busquets is suspended for the visitors
- Barcelona beat Juventus 3-1 in Berlin in the 2015 final
- The Blaugrana are in a record tenth successive quarter-final
Possible line-ups
Juventus: Buffon; Dani Alves, Bonucci, Chiellini, Alex Sandro; Pjanić, Khedira; Cuadrado, Dybala, Mandžukić; Higuaín.
Out: Pjaca (knee)
Misses next match if booked: Cuadrado
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Piqué, Umtiti, Jordi Alba; Rakitić, Mascherano, Iniesta; Messi, Luis Suárez, Neymar.
Out: Busquets (suspended), Rafinha (knee), Aleix Vidal (ankle), Arda Turan (groin)
Misses next match if booked: Neymar, Piqué, Rakitić
Where to watch
Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here.
Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus coach
When you play the first leg at home, it's always nice not to concede. Against a team like Barcelona, it won't be easy – more a case of us having to score more than them. You cannot imagine two 0-0s against Barcelona and winning on penalties.
Barcelona's comeback in the last round [against Paris] proves that you cannot take anything for granted in football, especially against a team like them. We have made several steps forward, mostly in terms of mentality. To go through, we'll have to produce two great performances and have a bit of luck.
- Higuaín on Madrid, Barcelona and why he joined Juventus
- Snap shot: Who lined up with Dani Alves for his Barcelona debut?
Luis Enrique, Barcelona coach
There are a few different players compared with the Berlin final. Juve are still a great team but I can't say they are better or worse than two years ago. I have great memories of that final but this game is completely different. I don't need to motivate the players for a quarter-final against a team like Juventus.
I have watched lots of Juve matches and they are always trying to impose their own game in every part of the pitch. We will try to win, as we always do. Sergio Busquets is a crucial player for us, his statistics speak volumes. We must be ready to replace him.
- Barcelona: story so far, key players, why they can win
- Juventus: story so far, key players, why they can win
Weekend results
Juventus 2-0 Chievo (Higuaín 23 84)
Gonzalo Higuaín became the first player to reach 20 Serie A goals in his debut Juventus season since John Charles and Omar Sivori in 1957/58, and in the process he earned the club's 32nd straight home league win. The Bianconeri stay six points clear of second-placed Roma.
Málaga 2-0 Barcelona (Sandro Ramírez 32, Jony 90)
Real Madrid's draw with Atlético opened the door for Barcelona to move level at the top, but the defeat left them three points behind after they failed to score in the Liga for the first time since November's 0-0 home stalemate with Málaga. Neymar was sent off in the 62nd minute as goals from Sandro Ramírez, who left Barça last summer, and ex-Blaugrana trainee Jony proved their undoing.
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
Juventus: WLDWWW
Barcelona: LWWWLW
Reporter's view: Paolo Menicucci (@UEFAcomPaoloM)
Juventus are 21 home games unbeaten in Europe and have won their last 32 on their own turf in Serie A. However, I expect the Bianconeri to be cautious on Tuesday, with Massimiliano Allegri confident Juve have enough about them to complete the job at the Camp Nou. Barcelona might have the mental edge having beaten the Bianconeri in the 2015 final and cheated death against Paris in the last 16, but their weekend defeat is an untimely blow.
Did you know?
Barça are in the quarter-finals for a record tenth season running. Find out more in our extensive match background.