The German giants play Italian side Juventus in the Champions League tonight, with the winners going through to the last 16 and the losers exiting the competition. “We have to be careful”. But obviously Barcelona and Bayern are the two best by form, and if we can avoid them all the better – but at some point we will have to face them.
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Mandzukic, who appeared to be limping when he was substituted on Friday, has been included in Massimiliano Allegri’s 21-man squad for the trip to Germany, but three other key players are definitely out with injury – midfielder Claudio Marchisio, defender Giorgio Chiellini and striker Paulo Dybala.
The 32-year-old winger has been struggling with a cold for the last two days and sat out yesterday’s session at Bayern’s Saebener Strasse training centre in falling snow.
“I don’t know if he can play”, said Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola, according to the Guardian.
They had threatened to humiliate Juventus in their own backyard, pummelling the hosts as they surged to a 2-0 away lead through Thomas Mueller and Arjen Robben.
Two-time champion Juventus may have figured out where Bayern could be vulnerable.
Mainz proved just how vulnerable Bayern are when they became the only side to win at the Allianz Arena this season with a 2-1 victory just over a fortnight ago.
Juventus arguably have the best defence in Europe and may have put Bayern slightly on the back foot thanks to those two comeback goals.
Their Spanish playmaker Thiago Alcantara also netted twice in an impressive display. The Champions League Round of 16 second legs are upon us. Juve need a win or a draw with three goals or more to advance.
“In the first leg we played very well”, Lewandowski told reporters at the pre-match press conference. “We mustn’t be so nervous and have no fear”.
“But right now I am thinking about winning the Champions League with Manchester City”.
As in nearly all the most important games of the season, Brazilian left-back Alex Sandro is expected to start for Juventus, against Bayern Munich on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League. “I am very happy here and I already said that when I finished my contract with City I will go straight back to Argentina”, Aguero said.
“I have to live with the pressure”.
Remarkably they have let in only one goal in their 12 Serie A matches this year and kept an unprecedented 10th successive clean sheet in the 1-0 win over Sassuolo Calcio last week.
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They returned to form on Saturday, though, when they crushed Werder Bremen 5-0.
