Juventus vs. Borussia Monchengladbach: Winners and Losers from Champions League
Having already recorded two wins in their Champions League campaign, Juventus welcomed Borussia Monchengladbach to Turin on Wednesday evening hoping to take an even more commanding position in Group D.
They would fail to maximise that opportunity, however, held to a 0-0 draw by their German opponent in a tightly contested affair.
Coach Massimiliano Allegri had discussed the fact that victory would be important and at his pre-match press conference made note of the danger their opponents could pose:
“It will be a decisive game if we win it, seeing as Manchester City and Sevilla still need to go head-to-head,” he told reporters.
"Borussia have bounced back under their new boss and mustn’t be underestimated. We need to play as if it were a one-off game because winning would take us a big step towards the knockout stages.”
Yet his players must reflect on a disappointing evening, failing to make their overall dominance count on a night where three points were theirs for the taking.
Over the following pages we take a look at some of the prominent figures from this clash at Juventus Stadium, focusing on the best and worst performers on display.
Winner: Andre Schubert (Borussia Monchengladbach)
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Had his side had slightly more impact going forward, interim coach Andre Schubert could have seen his Borussia Monchengladbach players return home from Turin with all three points on a difficult evening for the Bundesliga outfit.
Showing none of the poor form that has blighted their 2015/16 campaign thus far, the German side gave a good account of themselves here, looking a vastly improved team from the one seen earlier this term.
Loser: Paul Pogba (Juventus)
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The recent struggles of Juventus are perhaps best summarised in the form of Paul Pogba, a player struggling under increased responsibility this season. With finely balanced games such as this, it is the club’s new No. 10 who should be looking to control proceedings, but he once again came up short.
The French midfielder is enduring a thoroughly underwhelming campaign and must look to kick on soon in order to help the Old Lady achieve her goals.
Winner: Andrea Barzagli (Juventus)
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Just as he had in the previous three matches, Andrea Barzagli turned in another superb performance as a makeshift full-back. The former Wolfsburg and Palermo man was solid in defence but also pressed forward to good effect on the right flank whenever Juventus gained possession.
The 34-year-old Italy international has been in incredible form since being pressed into action after both Stephan Lichtsteiner and Martin Caceres suffered injuries, ensuring the Bianconeri remained well covered in a position that he has rarely been asked to fill.
Loser: The Juventus Attack
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Having netted just nine times in their opening eight Serie A outings, this would prove to be another disappointing evening for the Juventus attacking corps. Lacking general fitness and sharpness in front of goal, Mario Mandzukic, Alvaro Morata, Simone Zaza and Paulo Dybala would fail to pierce their opponents' defence.
The encounter marked the second game in a row in which the Bianconeri had failed to score, and having invested heavily in that quartet, the club are fully entitled to expect more from their talented strikers.
Winner: Gigi Buffon (Juventus)
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Given very little to do by the opposition, Gigi Buffon’s presence in goal ensured he became Juventus’ all-time record holder for minutes played.
As reported by Football Italia, the Bianconeri captain surpassed Alessandro Del Piero’s 48,867 minutes of action late in the second half, although he has played more than 150 games fewer than the retired striker.
