BarcelonaWith the hope of mirroring the team that reached the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2006, Villarreal will face Juventus in the round of 16 (9pm, Movistar Champions League). Álvaro Morata will return to a league stadium following being regarding to land at the Camp Nou in the winter market. He will be accompanied by Dusan Vlahovic, the brand new signing of the Italians, who will make his debut in the Champions League.
“If it were up to me, I would stay at Juve all my life,” said Morata on his return to Spain. The striker that Xavi wanted explained that Massimiliano Allegri, coach of the Vecchia Signora, was key to his continuity. “He told me that Vlahovic would help me,” he added. Juventus released Cristiano Ronaldo last summer, following scoring 102 goals in three seasons. However, Emanuele Gamba, a journalist from The Republic, believes that with the Portuguese Juve played “a sad football”. Vlahovic hit the mark for 80 million euros, and Unai Emery told a news conference that “he is probably the best player in Italy.” However, for Raffaele Riverso, from Tuttosport, “he still doesn’t have to be held accountable, as Fiorentina’s leap to Juventus is great.” The Serbian striker, a new classic, will be a good complement of Morata, of whom Filippo Ricci, of The Gazzetta dello Sportcomments that “he is a very good supporting actor”.
Juve did not start the season at all well, although in recent days they have been close to the top three: Napoli, Inter and Milan. “The league is open, Juve is a lot of Juve,” says Ricci. In addition, the Piedmontese finished the group stage as the first, following Chelsea beat Saint Petersburg once morest Zenit (3-3) on the last day. Against Villarreal, Allegri has not promised any attractive approach. “I imagine a tactical confrontation in which patience will be key,” the coach explained. Emery’s statements were in the same vein, as she predicted a “very complicated and physical” match.
A duel marked by casualties
On the other hand, Villarreal, current champions of the Europa League, reach the playoffs following beating Granada (1-4) thanks to the hat trick of a plethora of Danjuma. The yellow and white striker, who arrived from Bournemouth, has proved to be one of the best signings of the season. “He is very powerful in space, fine in one-on-one and has a goal,” said Albert Quera, a journalist who follows the League. Who will not accompany Danjuma will be Gerard Moreno, who has been sidelined due to injury in the Castellón attack.
The winning pair of European Championships will not be at La Ceràmica Stadium either. Chiellini is injured, while Bonucci has entered the call-up despite dragging some muscle aches that left him out of the last league game. According to Riverso, De Ligt and Danilo will be at the center of the defense. The Dutchman, who was already under Barça’s radar, is playing his best season since arriving in Italy, but Gamba says that “it will possibly be his last season in Turin”. One of the options for the Italian midfielder will be Arthur Melo, who has not been abandoned in Italy due to extra-sporting problems, and Locatelli, one of the sensations of the European Championship, has taken over.
If Allegri alone is a conservative coach, the casualties of Dybala, who will be ready for the return leg, and Chiesa, who broke his cruciate ligament last month, will make Juventus a speculative team. “Without them, Juve lose their imagination, although Allegri’s teams are never spectacular,” said Riverso. From Italy they expect a contemplative but solid Juventus. “We let them be favorites, but we can beat them,” Emery said. “He has built a solid block that can compete with anyone, they are a better team than two months ago,” said Quera.
It will be a match in which both Emery and Allegri will try to hide their weaknesses through the collective. Vlahovic will face Pau Torres, who is not at his best. For its part, Danjuma, the main weapon of the Valencians, will find a pair of unpublished power plants.
Lilla visits the house of the reigning champion
After being crowned world champions by defeating Palmeiras (2-1), Chelsea will face Lille to defend the continental throne. The Londoners, who are following in the footsteps of Manchester City and Liverpool in the Premier League, have only lost two of their last 19 Champions League games. The French, on the other hand, arrive at the meeting at a delicate time. Last season they were proclaimed champions of the French league, but this year they occupy the eleventh position. The reigning European champions are waiting for them at Stamford Bridge, who despite investing more than 100 million euros in him, the Belgian Lukaku has not finished giving Chelsea a competitive advantage.
