UEFA Champions League: Juventus vs Malmö FF live
Preview
Max Allegri’s team will face Malmo in the Champions League today at 17:45 GMT at the Juventus stadium (Allianz Stadium) and if they win and Chelsea loses points in the parallel match against Zenit, they will finish first in the group.
In Match day 5 of the Champions League, Juventus were defeated 0-4 by Chelsea at home. It was the season’s most bitter setback, leaving Massimiliano Allegri’s team emotionally shattered. Juventus’s last league game was against Atalanta, which they lost 0-1 at home. Even Alvaro Morata’s most fervent supporters must acknowledge that the Spaniard is not at his best after the encounter against Genoa. Juventus would have won earlier and more decisively if Morata had converted at least one of his opportunities. Juan Cuadrado’s straight drive from a corner in the first half made it 2-0, and Paulo Dybala’s goal late in the game made it 3-0. Going forward into this game it’s a must win for the home team.
Despite a goalless draw at home against Halmstad last weekend, Malmo managed to retain their Swedish top-flight crown on the final day of the season. They won their 22nd title by goal difference this year, finishing ahead of AIK Fotboll, who almost missed out despite winning their final match, after ending nine points clear at the top in 2020. Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side will play one more game in 2021 before returning to their domestic season in April the following year, and they will be looking to finish on a positive note, albeit against a difficult opponent in the form of two-time European winners Juventus. However, given their terrible away record in the Champions League, their chances of a spectacular victory in Turin are limited. In Europe’s top division, Malmo have only won 7% of their road games.
Head-to-head
Juventus have won all three prior encounters with Malmo, including this season’s rematch in Sweden in September. It ended 3-0 in their favour earlier this season, with goals from Alex Sandro, Paulo Dybala, and Alvaro Morata all coming in the first half. The previous games took place during the group stage of the 2014/15 Champions League. Both games were won 2-0 by Juventus, with Carlos Tevez scoring three of the four goals and Fernando Llorente the other.
Prediction
Despite a few important absences, Juventus have the quality to win this game handily, and they should. There are no excuses not to win with a seeded last 16 spot on the line and an opponent who have already been eliminated from the competition. Only Chelsea and Zenit know whether it will be enough to win the group.
Lineup
Juventus XI: Perin; Rugani, Bonucci, Winter; Sandro, Rabiot, Arthur, Bentancur, Bernardeschi; Dybala, Kean
Malmo XI: Diawara; Nielsen, Ahmedhodzic, Moisander, Olsson; Berget, Christiansen, Innocent, Rakip; Birmancevic, Colak
