Pressure on Juve boss Conte
The Serie A champions and leaders, hopelessly outclassed in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, must also overcome the absence of suspended midfielder Arturo Vidal in the return.
Bayern Munich were crowned Bundesliga champions on Saturday with six games to spare but skipped the traditional beer-showers and lederhosen celebrations as they immediately turned their attention to this match at the Juventus Stadium, where no foreign team has won since it opened in 2011.
Juventus, who won Serie A unbeaten in Conte’s first season, usually unsettle their opponents with high-tempo pressing and aggressive attacking but got a taste of their own medicine in Munich.
“I struggled to sleep the night after the match,” said defender Giorgio Chiellini. “We are not the side that played so badly in Munich, we are much better than that and are eager to turn the page as quickly as possible.”
Part of the blame must lie with Conte’s team selection, particularly in attack where Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Matri were preferred to the usual pairing of Mirko Vucinic and Sebastian Giovinco.
Conte’s midfield was also overrun as Stephan Lichtsteiner, suspended for tonight, produced a subdued performance on the right. Juve missed Paul Pogba’s physical strength and neat footwork alongside Andrea Pirlo.
Conte may also consider replacing Federico Peluso with the more imposing Kwadwo Asamoah on the left flank tonight.
JUVENTUS (Probable): Buffon; Barzagli, Chiellini, Bonucci; Isla, Pirlo, Pogba, Marchisio, Asamoah; Vucinic, Giovinco.
BAYERN MUNICH (Probable) Neuer; Lahm, Van Buyten, Dante, Alaba; Schweinsteiger; Martinez; Kroos, Robben, Ribery; Mandzukic.
