Champions League
2013-04-10 - Juventus vs Bayern Munich
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: European Champions League
Wednesday 10 April 2013 - Kick Off 7:45pm
This game is live on TV
Juventus
I couldn't have been the only person watching the first leg of this tie and not being very disappointed with the performance Juventus put in as they lost 2-0 at the Allianz Arena. I have seen Juventus enough this season to know they can play a lot better than that, as Antonio Conte also mentioned in his press conference, although overturning a 2 goal deficit without an away goal is perhaps going to be beyond the Italian Champions.
It has been a successful season back in the Champions League for Juventus with all things considered, while the team are 9 points clear in Serie A as they look to retain their title picked up last season. That lead will give them every chance to put in a full effort for this second leg as Juventus look to win their fourth straight home game in the Champions League.
Juventus have won 5 of their last 6 games in all competitions with the only exception being the loss to Bayern Munich last week. The side are unbeaten in their last 9 home games in all competitions, and they have won 5 in a row coming into this game.
Stephan Lichtsteiner and Arturo Vidal are both suspended and Sebastien Giovinco and Nicolas Anelka are both injured. Gianluigi Buffon missed the win over Pescara over the weekend, but is expected to play in this game.
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich made a little bit of history at the weekend by wrapping up the Bundesliga title with 6 games left to play and that means the Bavarian giants can concentrate fully on righting a couple of wrongs in the Champions League. The fans, players and management all feel that Bayern Munich should have won a Champions League trophy in the last three seasons when they have twice lost in the Final, and they will feel they are capable of going all the way to Wembley this season.
The win at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday ensured that Bayern Munich can't be caught in the German domestic title race and now they will look to join Borussia Dortmund in the Semi Final of the premier competition in European football. Bayern are unbeaten in 3 away games in the Champions League, winning 2 of those games, but will be aware of the performance they had when losing 3-1 at BATE Borisov in the Group Stage.
They have won 10 away games in a row in all competitions since a 1-1 draw in Valencia, a run that includes the impressive 1-3 win at Arsenal in the Second Round. Bayern Munich have only lost 1 of their last 28 away games by a two goal margin, that at BATE, and that is the run of games since they were last beaten 2-0 away from home.
Javi Martinez is available having been suspended for the first leg last week, but Toni Kroos is out.
Head to Head
Juventus have hosted Bayern Munich 3 times previously and won the first 2 of those games, although neither by the required margin to force this game into extra time or put them through to the Semi Final in this game.
The last time they met in Juventus was in the 2009/10 Group Stage of the Champions League and saw Bayern Munich win 1-4.
Prediction
I don't think Juventus will allow Bayern Munich to dominate the game as they did in the first leg, but I am not sure if they have enough to overturn what looks a big lead for the German side.
One thing I do count on is Juventus getting forward and looking to win this game at the very least and that may give Bayern Munich plenty of room to counter, something they could exploit to devastating effect as they did at Arsenal in the Second Round.
I am anticipating goals in this one as I think Bayern Munich will look to score the one that will almost secure the tie, while Juventus will keep pushing in front of their own fans to at least leave with some pride.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Juventus 2-1 Bayern Munich
