It has been a cumbersome week for Juventus.
After struggling , Juventus discovered themselves trailing 2-0 at dwelling to Lazio, solely to drag one again through Weston McKennie and snatch a last-second equalizer courtesy of Pierre Kalulu to . The Bianconeri at the moment sit fourth within the Serie A desk, three factors behind Napoli, 4 behind Milan (who’ve a recreation in hand), and 12 behind league leaders Inter Milan.
Commercial
Barring an unprecedented flip of occasions within the league, Juventus solely have one path to avoiding a second-straight trophyless season: profitable their first UEFA Champions League title in three many years (third general). However earlier than they will begin dreaming of lifting the trophy in Budapest, they’re going to need to discover a well beyond one of the best workforce in Türkiye: Galatasaray.
Juventus and Galatasaray have confronted off on exactly 4 events: Juve received 2-1 at dwelling and misplaced 2-0 to Gala throughout the 2003-04 group stage. Ten years later, they had been once more drawn collectively within the group stage, with Gala drawing 2-2 in Turin earlier than prevailing 1-0 in Istanbul and securing their spot within the knockout spherical at Juve’s expense courtesy of Wesley Sneijder’s late strike.
Equally to how Sneijder had already been a thorn in Juve’s aspect from his time at Inter, Gala have loads of gamers who’ve showcased their efficiency in opposition to Juventus like midfielder Lucas Torreira — who scored in opposition to the Bianconeri throughout his breakout 2017-18 season for Sampdoria — and star striker Victor Osimhen. Acknowledged as one of many world’s finest strikers by the likes of , Osimhen drove Napoli to the 2022-23 Scudetto with a league-high 26 objectives earlier than making the transfer to Gala in 2024, and with three objectives and an help in his final 4 video games, he’s hitting high kind on the proper time.
Osimhen has cemented himself because the workforce’s beginning heart ahead on the expense of membership captain Mauro Icardi, who scored eight objectives and two assists in his 13 Serie A appearances in opposition to Juve throughout his time at Inter, and who has scored in two of his final three matches. There’s additionally latest arrival Noa Lang, who helped PSV Eindhoven eradicate Juventus from the Champions League final yr after helping Ivan Perišić‘s opening purpose of their second-leg victory.
They could play in a weaker home league, however Gala are not any slouches. For the reason that begin of the 2023-24 season, they’ve overwhelmed Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Ajax, and Bodø/Glimt, and so they additionally held Atlético Madrid and Manchester United to stalemates. However simply precisely how do they match up with the Bianconeri? Let’s check out the numbers.
Commercial
Whereas Juve have been preventing it out for top-four finishes over the previous few years and watching as their home rivals take turns lifting the Scudetto, Gala have received every of the final three Süper Lig titles and at the moment sit six factors above second-placed Fenerbahçe, who’ve a recreation in hand. There’s no gainsaying that Serie A is a stronger league than the Süper Lig, so it’s solely rational to match the workforce’s statistics within the one competitors the place they overlap: the UEFA Champions League.
Juve discover themselves forward of Gala within the attacking division, scoring 14 objectives in distinction to Gala’s 9 and racking up 6.1 photographs on the right track per match in distinction to Gala’s 4.9: they’re additionally outranking them with 13.3 Anticipated Targets to Gala’s 12.1. Apparently, 11 of Juve’s objectives have come from an help, whereas solely 3 of Gala’s objectives have featured an help. Nevertheless, it ought to be famous that Gala are producing extra massive probabilities per recreation (3.1 to 2.9) and lacking extra massive probabilities (2.1 vs. 1.6).
When it comes to possession, in the meantime, Gala are averaging 50.6% vs. Juve’s 48.8%, though Juve are doing a greater of job of caring for the ball, finishing 85.3% of their 385.1 passes per 90 vs. Gala’s 84.3% for his or her 385.0. Whereas Juve have prioritized a affected person build-up technique below Luciano Spalletti, Gala are extra keen to launch it ahead for Osimhen to carry up and knock it on to a teammate. They’re finishing 54.3% of their 20.4 lengthy balls per 90 vs. Juve’s 58.9% for his or her 17.0 lengthy balls per 90, in addition to 5.1 correct crosses per match to Gala’s 4.8.
Juve have been marginally higher in protection with 10 objectives conceded vs. Gala’s 11 and three clear sheets to their 2, however regardless of yielding fewer Anticipated Targets (11.7 vs. 13.8), they’re however relying extra on their goalkeeper to return up clutch and ship important contributions, registering 3.6 saves per 90 to Gala’s 3.1. Nevertheless, Gala are retaining issues tidier within the two bins: they’ve been awarded 3 penalties to Juve’s 0, while they’ve conceded 1 penalty to Juve’s 1.
Commercial
If there’s one space the place Galatasaray have the higher hand, nonetheless, it’s the off-the-ball aspect of the sport. Beneath the watchful eye of Okan Buruk, Gala have been in a position to stay aggressive in Europe and turn out to be a feisty opponent that’s able to urgent like a hungry pack of hyenas and getting caught in with forcefulness and readability. Gala are profitable 49.5 duels per recreation (50.6% success fee) to Juve’s 42.9 (47.0%), while they’re additionally rating forward when it comes to interceptions (9.0 vs. 6.5) and clearances (24.0 vs. 17.4).
Regardless of being way more keen to roll up their sleeves and get their fingers soiled, Gala are literally proving to be higher disciplined than Juve. While they’ve obtained 15 yellow playing cards to Juve’s 14 and 1 pink card to Juve’s 0, they’re however averaging 11.9 fouls per match vs. Juve’s 15.4. Furthermore, Juve’s backline hasn’t precisely confirmed to be watertight — simply this season, they’ve conceded three or extra objectives to Inter, Borussia Dortmund and Atalanta and two or extra objectives to Villarreal, Como, Bodø/Glimt, Lazio, and Napoli.
Whereas Juve’s protection has come undone time and time once more when confronted up in opposition to Europe’s high sides, Gala has held its personal save a 5-1 demolition in Frankfurt of their opening matchday. Since then, they’ve conceded two or extra objectives on simply 4 events, doing so simply as soon as of their final eight — at Manchester Metropolis nonetheless — and it’s exactly that defensive competence that has seen the likes of label Gala as a possible darkish horse. If they will beat Liverpool, there’s no cause why they will’t beat Gala.
Commercial
“I believe the most important distinction between the 2 groups lies within the present state of their initiatives: Galatasaray is a well-established workforce that has received virtually every thing in Türkiye within the final 4 years, whereas Juventus is within the midst of a restructuring,” said Turkish soccer professional Alejandro Parra. “This doesn’t imply Galatasaray is the favourite within the tie, however they’re roughly at an analogous stage in European competitors, so failing to advance could be a disappointment for each.”
“For Galatasaray, the important thing particular person gamers will clearly be those that could make a distinction, akin to Osimhen, Lang, Leroy Sané, Gabriel Sara, Davinson Sánchez, or Mario Lemina, however particularly lesser-known gamers like Bariş Alper Yilmaz or Yunus Akgün, who’re extra essential than individuals understand in a system that thrives on physicality. One participant I’d preserve a detailed eye on is Wilfried Singo, who, when in kind, is a game-changer each at right-back and center-back.”
“In Europe, they’re a curious case: in recent times, we’ve seen them draw in opposition to groups like Riga, lose in opposition to Sparta Prague within the Europa League, or in opposition to Younger Boys within the Champions League, however then safe victories in opposition to Manchester United (2-3), Liverpool (1-0), Tottenham (3-2), or draw in opposition to Atlético Madrid (1-1). It looks like a topsy-turvy world, however they actually step up in opposition to these massive rivals, bettering tactically on the defensive finish and, particularly when taking part in at dwelling, forming a strong unit throughout all strains.”
Commercial
Maybe the opposite essential benefit that Gala boasts is their potential for rotation: over the following three weeks, Gala will face three bottom-half sides in Eyüpspor, Konyaspor and Alanyaspor, along with their two matches vs. Juve. Juventus, in the meantime, will journey to Inter and Galatasaray earlier than internet hosting sixth-placed Como and Galatasaray, adopted by a visit to Roma.
Can Juventus return to the Champions League Spherical of 16 for the primary time since 2021/22? Or will it’s Galatasaray who returns to the Spherical of 16 after 12 years? Keep tuned for what guarantees to be a compelling fixture.