Villarreal vs Juventus Champions League round of 16 preview: Where to watch, predicted line-ups, squad changes
Tuesday, February 22, 2022
Article summary
When is it? How can you watch it? What are the possible line-ups? All you need to know about the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg between Villarreal and Juventus.
Article top media content
Article body
Villarreal and Juventus meet in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg on Tuesday 22 February.
Villarreal vs Juventus at a glance
When: Tuesday 22 February (21:00 CET kick-off)
Where: Estadio de la Cerámica, Villarreal
What: UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg (second leg 16 March)
Who: Group F runners-up Villarreal vs Group H winners Juventus
How to follow: Build-up and live coverage will appear here
Where to watch Villarreal vs Juventus on TV
Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here.
What do you need to know?
Neither side has particularly impressed domestically this season but the UEFA Champions League anthem has stirred something inside both teams. Villarreal saved their best until last in the group stage with a 3-2 victory at Atalanta sealing their progress while Juventus took the opposite path, qualifying by winning their first four matches.
Starting line-ups
Villarreal: Rulli; Foyth, Albiol, Pau Torres, Pedraza; Chukwueze, Capoue, Parejo, Moreno; Lo Celso, Danjuma
Juventus: Szczęsny; De Sciglio, Danilo, De Ligt, Alex Sandro; Cuadrado, Locatelli, Rabiot, McKennie; Vlahović, Morata
Away goals rule abolished
There has been a rule change for 2021/22: ties level after the second leg will go to extra time and a penalty shoot-out if required, irrespective of the number of away goals a team has scored.
Form guide
Villarreal
Since Matchday 6 (all competitions, most recent first): WDWWLDLWWWWW
Where they stand: 6th in Liga
Juventus
Since Matchday 6: DDWWDWWLWDWWD
Where they stand: 4th in Serie A, Coppa Italia semi-finals
Expert predictions
Joseph Walker, Villarreal reporter
Villarreal's performances in this season's competition might have gone under the radar, but they have played some excellent football. If they are to get past a side as defensively solid as Juventus they are going to have to find their shooting boots, with missed chances almost costing them dearly in the group stage.
Paolo Menicucci, Juventus reporter
The signings of Denis Zakaria in midfield and Dušan Vlahović in attack have completely changed the face of Juventus ahead of the knockout stage. Former Fiorentina striker Vlahović in particular will add physicality – and goals – in attack, something Juventus desperately needed in the first half of the season. The UEFA Champions League is uncharted territory for the 22-year-old Serbia striker but he seems to have everything to leave an instant mark on the competition.
What the coaches say
Unai Emery, Villarreal coach: "Juventus have international players and every one of them is highly experienced. However, we have internationals too in Pau Torres, Raúl Albiol, Juan Foyth. We’ve tried so hard to be here, we don't just want recognition if we play well, but because we win [...] We have to demand more from ourselves. We are here because we deserve to be."
Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus coach: "The tie isn’t already decided. [Villarreal] are having a good spell at the moment, as are we. They are a technical team with a great coach. It will be a very tactical match, where we will have to pay attention to the details and have patience. We will need to compose ourselves and show balance."
Squad changes
Villarreal
In: Serge Aurier, Giovani Lo Celso, José Manuel Cabrera López*, Gregorio Medina*
Out: Nikita Iosifov, Daniel Raba
Juventus
In: Luca Pellegrini, Dušan Vlahović, Denis Zakaria
Out: Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski, Aaron Ramsey
*Registered to List B. Each club is entitled to register an unlimited number of players on List B during the season. The list must be submitted by no later than 24.00CET on the day before the match in question.
