Women's Champions League preview: Juventus vs Servette
Monday, December 13, 2021
Article summary
A win would ensure that the final hosts reach the last eight for the first time.
Article top media content
Article body
Juventus will be seeking the win that would book their UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final spot against a Servette side who have one last chance to pick up their first Group A points.
• The Bianconere will go through if they win, or if they draw and Wolfsburg do not beat Chelsea, or regardless if Wolfsburg lose.
• If both Wolfsburg and Juventus triumph, the final ranking of the three teams would depend on the outcome of the Wolfsburg-Chelsea match.
• Both of Juve's Group A successes have come on the road, their biggest win a 3-0 victory at Servette on Matchday 1 thanks to goals from Arianna Caruso (36), Lina Hurtig (65) and Valentina Cernoia (71). Andrea Stašková had a 27th-minute penalty saved by Inês Pereira.
• Servette are one of two clubs to lose all five of their group outings along with HB Køge in Group C and are still awaiting their first group goal, as are Breidablik in Group B.
Ones to watch: Juventus
Barbara Bonansea
• The 30-year-old scored Juve's second goal in a 5-2 league win against AC Milan on Sunday.
• The forward was named Player of the Match in the 2-0 victory in Wolfsburg on Matchday 4, providing an assist for Stašková's strike in added time.
• Bonansea registered her fourth UEFA Women's Champions League goal this season, including qualifying, against Chelsea on Matchday 2.
• Bonansea ended 2018/19 as the Bianconere's joint-top scorer along with Eni Aluko on 16 goals in all competitions as they secured the league and cup double.
Cristiana Girelli
• The 31-year-old made her 50th UEFA club competition appearance in the win in Wolfsburg on Matchday 4.
• Girelli is the only Juventus player to scored more than once in the group stage, hitting two goals – including a dramatic added-time equaliser – in the 2-2 draw with Wolfsburg on Matchday 3.
• The forward is Juve's top scorer in Serie A this term with five strikes, including both in the 2-0 win at Sassuolo on 4 December.
• Girelli was the first Juventus player to reach 50 goals for the club in all competitions and hit four in as many appearances in qualifying for this group stage.
Lina Hurtig
• The most recent of the 26-year-old's nine UEFA club competition goals came at Servette with the second in Juve's 3-0 win in Geneva.
• The forward joined Juventus in August 2020, having spent three years with Swedish side Linköpings, with whom she clinched a Damallsvenskan title in 2017.
• Hurtig was a member of the Linköpings team that reached the last eight of this competition in 2017/18, hitting four goals en route to the quarter-finals.
• The Swedish international scored in both of her nation's recent FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers, marking her 50th cap with the opener in the 3-0 success against Slovakia on 30 November.
Ones to watch: Servette
Jade Boho
• The 35-year-old is the only Servette outfield player to feature in all nine UEFA Women's Champions League matches, including qualifying, this season.
• The Equatorial Guinea international is also the only Servette player to score more than once in this season's competition having scored in three of her four qualifying appearances.
• The forward has had five attempts on goal in the group stage, the joint most in the Servette squad along with Léonie Fleury.
• Boho joined the Geneva-based side in the summer, penning a one-year deal after three seasons with Spanish outfit Logroño. She represented Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Women's Champions League over a decade ago.
Natalia Padilla Bidas
• The 19-year-old headed against the post three minutes after her 63rd-minute introduction in the Matchday 1 meeting with Juventus.
• Padilla Bidas signed a contract extension until 2023 on 5 November, the day before her 19th birthday.
• The forward joined Les Grenat in January 2021 from hometown side Málaga.
• She represents Poland and started both of their November FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers; qualifying via her mother, Padilla Bidas made her senior debut earlier this year.
Inês Pereira
• The 22-year-old is one of three players to save a penalty in this group stage, keeping out Andrea Stašková's spot kick in the 3-0 Matchday 1 reverse against Juventus.
• Pereira has made 31 saves in this group stage so far, with only HB Køge's Kaylan Marckese (34) called into action more often.
• The goalkeeper has played every minute of Servette's UEFA Women's Champions League campaign so far this term, qualifying included, keeping clean sheets in her first two outings.
• The Portuguese international became the first signing of the summer for Les Grenat when joining from Sporting CP in June.
Key stats
• Juventus have lost only one of their nine UEFA Women's Champions League matches this season (W6 D2), keeping six clean sheets.
• The Italian side have lost only one of their last 29 competitive matches.
• Servette have conceded more than one goal in just one of their last eight away games in all competitions.
• Juventus have scored five goals in each of their last two home games in all competitions.
• Servette have won six of their last eight away games in all competitions (L2).