- Champions League updates from the 8pm GMT kick-off
- Live scoreboard | Read Football Daily | And email Simon
Will this be any good? I’m very much an optimist, but given the form of these two sides it’s hard to tell. Juventus have drawn their last four matches, five of the last six, and seven of the last nine. In that time they’ve tied 0-0 (twice), 1-1 (twice), 2-2 (twice) and fought back from 4-2 down to draw 4-4 (once). They are absolute wizards of the stalemate. So while it’s true to say that they haven’t lost in nine, they’ve also only won two of those. In the plus column, Douglas Luiz and Weston McKennie could both be back from injury tonight.
The less said about Manchester City’s last nine games the better, but for the record they’ve lost nine and drawn two (including, in their last Champions League game, the 3-3 Juventus need to complete the set). And for this game they’re without John Stones, Nathan Ake, Mateo Kovacic and Oscar Bobb, plus Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji.
I don’t think there is a best time to play Manchester City, but we will face the match as we always do, by trying to stop them from playing their football and impose our own play on them. We have prepared to give it our all in the game, carefully studying what we must do and what we must not do against such a huge opponent. I cannot pass judgement on their current situation, but this is a team that has proven their immense value over the years. I have enormous respect for them and for their coach Pep Guardiola, for whom facts simply speak for themselves, as he has managed to win everything and consistently. We know that Manchester City want to attack and keep the ball. We will have to defend well and show great quality when we have possession.
Continue reading…Champions League updates from the 8pm GMT kick-offLive scoreboard | Read Football Daily | And email SimonWill this be any good? I’m very much an optimist, but given the form of these two sides it’s hard to tell. Juventus have drawn their last four matches, five of the last six, and seven of the last nine. In that time they’ve tied 0-0 (twice), 1-1 (twice), 2-2 (twice) and fought back from 4-2 down to draw 4-4 (once). They are absolute wizards of the stalemate. So while it’s true to say that they haven’t lost in nine, they’ve also only won two of those. In the plus column, Douglas Luiz and Weston McKennie could both be back from injury tonight.The less said about Manchester City’s last nine games the better, but for the record they’ve lost nine and drawn two (including, in their last Champions League game, the 3-3 Juventus need to complete the set). And for this game they’re without John Stones, Nathan Ake, Mateo Kovacic and Oscar Bobb, plus Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji.I don’t think there is a best time to play Manchester City, but we will face the match as we always do, by trying to stop them from playing their football and impose our own play on them. We have prepared to give it our all in the game, carefully studying what we must do and what we must not do against such a huge opponent. I cannot pass judgement on their current situation, but this is a team that has proven their immense value over the years. I have enormous respect for them and for their coach Pep Guardiola, for whom facts simply speak for themselves, as he has managed to win everything and consistently. We know that Manchester City want to attack and keep the ball. We will have to defend well and show great quality when we have possession. Continue reading…
