The Champions League knockout phase playoffs commence today with one of the ties in this stage of the competition being a repeat of a fixture in the league phase. Juventus and PSV did enough to get here, but it will be the end of the road for one of those teams. Seeing as the difference between these two was just 2 points in the league phase, we are definitely in for a close tie.
Juventus Team News
Juventus can be quite pleased with the draw for this stage of the UCL, as they will face a known opponent that they managed to defeat during the league phase of the tournament. However, the Bianconeri have failed to score in their last 2 UCL games and this drought could be worrying. Although Juventus has proven their ability to find the net, as evidenced by the 6 goals scored across their last 2 Serie A outings, they have failed to translate this to the UCL. At home, the Bianconeri have already lost 2 fixtures during the previous round, but they have recorded more than 3 home defeats in a single Champions League campaign in their history.
PSV Team News
PSV ended the league phase of the UCL on a high note with back-to-back wins, one of which was over Liverpool at home. Although The Reds had already secured a top 8 spot and fielded a drastically different starting XI, 3 points are still 3 points. Coincidentally, PSV’s strong end to the league phase ensured that the team finished above Juventus and will have the benefit of hosting the second leg game in this tie. Where worries might arise for the team is their overall uninspiring away form in the UCL – 1 win, 1 draw and 2 losses, one of which was to Juventus. Recent travels for PSV seem to continue being troublesome as the team has just 1 win in their last 5 away games across all competitions.
Head-to-Head-Games
There has been just 1 meeting between Juventus and PSV and it came during the league phase of this year’s UCL. The Italian side managed to secure a convincing 3-1 victory.
Juventus – PSV Betting Prediction
My pick for this game is a Juventus win. Although the Bianconeri might be facing some issues with scoring in the UCL, they don’t seem to have that problem overall if we are judging their recent matches. Juventus is also a team that has displayed a solid defence throughout this season as well. I suspect that they will lean into this and try to secure a win at home, preferably with a clean sheet to stand the best possible chance before a tricky trip to The Netherlands.
Betting Tip: Juventus To Win
Bookmaker: Stake
Odds: 1.92
Stake
Place your bet on Juventus – PSV at Stake