Juventus travel to France to take on Monaco in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. And its all set to be a thrilling encounter.
Juventus: The old war horse
Juventus are the old war horse if you wish to call them that. They have witnessed and have been part of many a battle. Massimiliano Allegri has a team which oozes experience and confidence. When it comes to pressure situations, not many teams can handle it better than Juventus. Sitting on the throne for the ‘Old Lady’ is a certain Gianluigi Buffon. A hero, a legend. Good days, bad days, triumphs, relegations. Name it and this man has seen it all. They also have the likes of Alves, Bonucci who have are all seasoned campaigners.
But having said that, Juventus is also home to some of the finest young talents across Europe. They have the likes of Paulo Dybala, who has been dubbed the next big Argentine sensation after Messi. And he is just, twenty-three.
Juventus injury list & stats:
- Juventus will most likely miss the services of defender Daniele Rugani due to a knee injury.
- Khedira will also be missing as he serves his one-match suspension.
- Juventus have scored 17 goals in this year Champions League.
- Juventus boast the best defensive record this season as they have conceded only 2 goals in this whole campaign.
Monaco: The new kids on the block
Monaco are the new kids on the block. They are the new entrants to the big stage of the Champions League. And they have also grabbed a lot of attention en route to the semis. Monaco have surprised as well as captivated a lot of people with their fine attacking football. They have a whole squad who are not afraid to try the juggernaut. Fear and failure is something that they are not used to. Maybe that is exactly why they will go all out to win this tie.
And speaking of young prodigies, if Juventus have Dybala, then Monaco have their very own Kylian Mbappe. The 18-year-old French has taken the world by storm with his performances and is already being heavily linked with the English giants Manchester United. Monaco also have the experience of Radamel Falcao up front. Falcao who spent a couple of disappointed loan seasons in England has come back to France as a player rejuvenated. Though it will be a tough job for Monaco to break down the Juventus defense, but with their attacking lineup, they stand a great chance.
Monaco injury list & stats:
- Monaco with miss midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko after he suffered an injury on the training grounds.
- Radamel Falcao has scored 5 goals in the current Champions League campaign.
- Kylian Mbappe has also netted 5 goals.
- Monaco have conceded 16 goals in the Champions League this season.
