Juventus v Atlético background
Monday, December 1, 2014
Article summary
Juventus host Group A leaders Club Atlético de Madrid on matchday six looking to take the final step towards qualification for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
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![Fernando Llorente tries to hold off Diego Godín during Juventus's matchday two defeat in Spain Fernando Llorente tries to hold off Diego Godín during Juventus's matchday two defeat in Spain](https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/025a-0ea7107d80d7-98fbc07172fe-1000/format/wide1/fernando_llorente_tries_to_hold_off_diego_godin_during_juventus_s_matchday_two_defeat_in_spain.jpeg?imwidth=158)
Article body
Juventus host Club Atlético de Madrid on matchday six looking to take the final step towards qualification for the last 16.
• The Bianconeri have a three-point advantage over third-placed Olympiacos FC and will be guaranteed progress with a draw. To qualify as group winners – leapfrogging Atlético in the process – they need to beat the Spanish side by a margin of two goals or more.
• Atlético are already through and their 1-0 home win against Juventus on matchday two means they can afford to lose by a single goal and still clinch top spot.
Match background
Juventus
• Juventus are unbeaten in nine home matches in UEFA competition, including the Group A victories over Malmö FF (2-0) and Olympiacos (3-2).
• Overall, the Bianconeri have lost just one of 14 European home fixtures at the redeveloped Juventus Stadium (W8 D5 L1).
• Juventus have an excellent record in 20 previous meetings with Spanish visitors: W12 D6 L2.
• Giorgio Chiellini and Claudio Marchisio played in Juve's last home success over Liga opposition – 2-1 against Real Madrid CF in the 2008/09 group stage.
Atlético
• Atlético have won five of their last eight UEFA Champions League away games, including a 2-0 triumph at Malmö on matchday four.
• Atlético's away record against Serie A clubs is W4 D1 L4. This includes a 1-0 victory at AC Milan in last season's round of 16.
• Gabi, Diego Godín, Juanfran, Mario Suárez, Koke, Miranda and substitute Arda Turan all played when Atlético won 3-1 at SS Lazio in the round of 32 of their triumphant 2011/12 UEFA Europa League campaign.
Coach and player links
• Diego Simeone spent eight seasons in Serie A, playing for Pisa Calcio (1990–92, 55 Serie A appearances/6 goals), FC Internazionale Milano (1997–99; 57/11) and Lazio (1999–2003, 90/15).
• Simeone helped Juventus lift the Serie A title in May 2002 when he scored for Lazio in a 4-2 final-day win against Inter that allowed the Bianconeri to leapfrog the Nerazzurri at the summit.
• His playing record against Juventus was W4 D2 L1.
• Simeone's Calcio Catania side scored two late goals (81, 90+5) to rescue a 2-2 draw away to Juventus in April 2011.
• As Milan coach, Massimiliano Allegri won one of 12 matches against Spanish clubs in the UEFA Champions League – a 2-0 first-leg success against FC Barcelona in the 2012/13 round of 16 (2-4 aggregate).
• His home record against Spanish opposition with Milan was W1 D4 L2.
• Juve's Álvaro Morata was a 79th-minute substitute in Real Madrid's 4-1 UEFA Champions League final win over Atlético in May. He played in four Madrid derbies overall (W3 L1).
• Morata spent two years in Atlético's youth ranks from the age of 12 and was a ball boy at the Vicente Calderón. He moved on to Getafe CF and then Madrid (37 Liga appearances, 10 goals).
• Tiago made 42 Serie A outings for Juventus (2007–10).
• Diego Godín's goal earned Uruguay the 1-0 win over Italy that eliminated the Azzurri from the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Also playing were Cristian Rodríguez and Martín Cáceres (Uruguay); Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Barzagli, Chiellini, Andrea Pirlo and the red-carded Marchisio (Italy).
• Paul Pogba, Patrice Evra and Antoine Griezmann helped France beat Koke and Raúl García's Spain 1-0 in a friendly on 4 September.
• Mario Mandžukić helped Croatia earn a 1-1 UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying draw against Italy at San Siro on 16 November. Buffon, Chiellini and Marchisio were in the Azzurri side.
• Mandžukić scored in FC Bayern München's 2-0 UEFA Champions League quarter-final victory at Juventus in 2012/13 (4-0 aggregate), Juve's only home European defeat at the Juventus Stadium.
• In two seasons with Torino FC (2012–14), Alessio Cerci lost all four derbies against Juventus. He was, however, on the winning side for Brescia Calcio against a Juve team including Gianluigi Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini.
• At Athletic Club, Fernando Llorente faced Atlético 13 times (W5 D1 L7), scoring five goals. His last appearance against the Rojiblancos came in the 2012 UEFA Europa League final (0-3).
• Cáceres played in Spain for RC Recreativo de Huelva, Barcelona and Sevilla FC and faced Atlético seven times (W3 D2 L2).
Match facts
Juventus
• Stephan Lichtsteiner and Pogba are both a booking away from a suspension.
• Juventus have won 18 of their last 21 Serie A matches.
• Pirlo drove in an added-time winner as Juventus, down to ten men following Lichtsteiner's dismissal with 12 minutes remaining, beat city rivals Torino 2-1 at home on 30 November.
• The victory extended Juventus' winning streak at home in Serie A to 25 games.
• Buffon missed the derby against Torino with a right shoulder injury but was back in goal for Friday's 0-0 draw at ACF Fiorentina.
• Cáceres has not featured since 5 October because of a thigh problem. Barzagli is yet to play this season due to an Achilles tendon injury.
• Kwadwo Asamoah will be out for up to four months after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on 2 December. Rômulo had an operation the following day to cure a persistent groin problem that has restricted him to three appearances this season.
Atlético
• Gabi, Godín and Cristian Ansaldi are all a booking away from suspension.
• José María Giménez scored his first ever goal at club level as Atlético won 2-0 at struggling Elche CF on Saturday. The defender has scored two in 15 appearances for Uruguay.
• Atlético are on a five-match winning run and have been victorious in ten of their last 11 outings.
• Simeone's side have gone 386 minutes without conceding, since Roque Santa Cruz's consolation for Málaga CF on 22 November.
• Atlético won 3-0 at third-tier CE L'Hospitalet in the first leg of their fourth round Copa del Rey tie on 3 December, with all the goals coming in the final 25 minutes.
• Miguel Ángel Moyà is the only goalkeeper not to have conceded a goal in this season's UEFA Champions League, keeping four clean sheets after replacing Jan Oblak for matchday two.
• Lucas Hernández made his debut against L'Hospitalet and Cerci was given his first start for the club. Jesús Gámez also featured on his return from a broken nose suffered in training on 14 November.
• Miranda has not featured since injuring his hamstring in Brazil's 2-1 friendly victory against on Austria on 19 November.
• Simeone has been shortlisted for the 2014 FIFA World Coach of the Year award along with Carlo Ancelotti and Joachim Löw.