With a three-point advantage in the top 24 positions heading into this UEFA Champions League (UCL) matchday, Club Brugge has the opportunity to secure their place in the playoffs with a victory. The arrival of Juventus, who are only one point ahead of them, poses a challenging test since the last time a Belgian team defeated an Italian opponent in the UCL was in 2003 (Club Brugge 1-0 Milan).
The hosts are well-positioned to make history as they have won two consecutive UCL home matches and are currently in excellent form, having emerged victorious in their last five matches across all competitions. This winning streak has propelled them forward in their domestic title race. However, their struggles in attack could undermine their efforts on the continental stage, as Brugge has scored the fewest goals among all the top-24 teams (six).
Improving upon that performance against Thiago Motta’s notoriously tight Juventus team, who have managed to keep clean sheets in consecutive matches in the UEFA Champions League, will certainly be a challenging task (W1, D1). The Bianconeri are heading to Belgium with a positive mindset after putting an end to a four-game winless streak in all competitions (D3, L1) by defeating AC Milan 2-0 last Saturday. This victory has alleviated some of the mounting pressure on Motta, as his tenure got off to a disappointing start.
The reason why Motta is currently facing scrutiny is due to a season filled with draws, with six of their last seven away games ending in a tie (W1). This includes their two most recent away fixtures in this competition against Lille (1-1) and Aston Villa (0-0). These matches are part of an impressive unbeaten streak on the road for the Old Lady since April (W5, D10).
Players to keep an eye on: Gustaf Nilsson netted two goals against Beerschot in their recent match – six out of his eight goals for Club Brugge this season were scored in the second half. Juventus will be aiming for Nicolás González to find the back of the net, as all of his last 14 goals for the club came in victories, with ten of them being scored after halftime.
Impressive run: Juventus have taken the lead in each of their previous four away games.
