Juventus vs. Manchester City: Complete Player-by-Player Comparison
Juventus and Manchester City meet on Wednesday in the penultimate matchday of this season’s Champions League Group D.
City’s qualification is already assured, but a win would guarantee them top spot. Three points for Juventus would see them join City in the knockout phase and put themselves into pole position to finish first going into Matchday 6.
Juventus won the first game between the two sides at the Etihad. City controlled the match, but two ruthless finishes on the counter saw them severely punished.
Massimo Allegri, the Juventus manager, and Manuel Pellegrini, the City boss, have some big decisions to make in terms of team selection, but here, we suggest possible XIs and grade each player. Both teams line up in 4-3-3 formations here, but there could be changes. Juventus may opt for 3-5-2, and City have often gone for 4-2-3-1.
Do you agree? Use the comments section below to make alterations.
Goalkeepers
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Gianluigi Buffon versus Joe Hart
Joe Hart’s form this season has been magnificent, and again on Saturday he made a series of excellent stops that kept the score against Liverpool somewhat respectable.
His opposite number, Gianluigi Buffon, is one of the game’s all-time greats—a goalkeeper who has consistently displayed remarkable quality over a long period of time.
He’s barely put a foot wrong this season and has saved Juve on numerous occasions, including this weekend against AC Milan, when his save from Alessio Cerci deep into stoppage time helped secure the points.
Buffon: 9.5
Hart: 8
Defenders
2 of 4
Stephan Lichtsteiner versus Pablo Zabaleta
It’s been a strange season for Stephan Lichtsteiner. Like many in the Juventus squad, his start to the season was slow, but since returning from an operation, he’s been much better. He scored a key equaliser against Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 4 and has shown improvements ever since.
Pablo Zabaleta may return for this game. Bacary Sagna has been involved in a lot of games this season, including France’s recent double-header, which saw him playing while the Paris attacks ensued.
He understandably looked distracted against Liverpool, so this may be the perfect opportunity to bring Zabaleta back in.
It’s been an injury-affected season so far for the Argentinian, but we all know his quality.
Lichtsteiner: 6.5
Zabaleta: 7.5
Leonardo Bonucci versus Nicolas Otamendi
Leonardo Bonucci was dropped for the weekend game with Milan but did manage a late cameo. He’s likely to come back in for this game, having been fairly consistent so far this term.
Juventus’ defence is under far more strain this season given the departures of some star names in midfield, most notably Arturo Vidal.
Nicolas Otamendi is almost certain to start after being rested for the weekend’s shambolic performance against Liverpool.
He was beginning to settle into his role at City, but after travelling to South America and playing two games for Argentina during the recent international break, Pellegrini decided to rest him.
It backfired. City looked all over the place defensively, and Martin Demichelis will drop out for this game, surely.
Bonucci: 7
Otamendi: 7
Giorgio Chiellini versus Eliaquim Mangala
It’s been a difficult start to the season for Giorgio Chiellini, but he was superb against Milan this weekend and remains a tough defender to get the better of.
His lack of pace is becoming more of a problem, particularly against counter-attacking sides, and City have the capability to counter-attack effectively.
The less said about Eliaquim Mangala’s game against Liverpool on Saturday the better. The Frenchman was awful.
He had been showing signs of improving this season, particularly alongside Vincent Kompany, but those familiar concentration and footwork issues reared their head again this weekend.
He needs a big performance.
Chiellini: 7
Mangala: 6.5
Alex Sandro versus Aleksandar Kolarov
With Patrice Evra set to miss the game through injury, Alex Sandro, one of the fastest-rising stars in Serie A, is likely to deputise. Evra’s injury could signal a run in the side for Sandro, with many expecting him to take his chance.
He assisted winners against Torino and Milan this season and has shown already he’s a real threat going forward.
Aleksandar Kolarov is likely to remain in the starting lineup. The Serbian has limitations, particularly defensively, but given Gael Clichy’s injury problems this season, it would seem odd to put the Frenchman back in for this one.
Sandro: 6.5
Kolarov: 6.5
Midfielders
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Stefano Sturaro versus Fernando
With Vidal gone, there is a significant hole in the Juventus midfield, one that Stefano Sturaro has attempted to fill when injuries have taken hold.
He plays an unfussy style, winning the ball back and recycling possession quickly. He hasn't impressed on a consistent basis and will need to improve for the visit of City.
Fernando has had a far better season than he managed in 2014/15.
He was key in City’s victory away at Seville on Matchday 4, with the protection he offers the back four vital in allowing City’s attacking players express themselves more freely.
Sturaro: 6
Fernando: 7
Claudio Marchisio versus Fernandinho
With Vidal and Andrea Pirlo exiting in the summer, Juventus’ midfield has suffered, but Claudio Marchisio is hellbent on filling the gaps.
He’s been superb—Juventus’ best player this season. He dictates the pace of the game and looks to control things for The Old Lady.
The Brazilian midfielder has been City’s player of the season thus far. His energy, drive, passing and stamina make him the most important player in the team at the moment.
Quite why he was dropped on Saturday remains a mystery. He travelled to south America but hardly played in Brazil’s double-header. City missed him badly.
Marchisio: 8.5
Fernandinho: 9
Paul Pogba versus Yaya Toure
Paul Pogba is set for greatness. The France midfielder possesses everything he needs to be a top-quality player for years to come: power, pace, vision and technical quality.
His assist for Juventus’ equaliser against City in the game at the Etihad earlier this season was a great example of his brilliance, producing a remarkable ball to the back post in a split second. The ball was so good that the City defence barely moved.
In truth, though, he’s had a mixed season. There have been some stirring displays and some average ones. Still, there’s no doubting his quality and his ability to produce in big games.
It’s been a familiar story for Yaya Toure. He remains one of the most gifted players in world football, yet, at 32, there are times when it seems age is catching up with him.
Pogba: 9
Toure: 9
Forwards
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Juan Cuadrado versus Kevin De Bruyne
Juan Cuadrado may have underwhelmed at Chelsea, but his move to Juventus has seen him show far better consistency.
He brings pace and directness to the right-hand side of the pitch and gave City all sorts of problems on Matchday 1. He is one of the few Juve players prepared to take a man on and create some space.
After a blistering start to the season, Kevin De Bruyne has slowed up in recent weeks, but he remains one of the team’s most creative players.
At 24, the way he has confidently come into the side and produced so many excellent displays has been remarkable, and he was perhaps the only starter against Liverpool to leave the field with his reputation unharmed.
Cuadrado: 7.5
De Bruyne: 8.5
Alvaro Morata versus Raheem Sterling
Alvaro Morata is gradually finding his best form again. He’s played an unfamiliar role on the left of a front three for much of the season, with his Champions League performances eclipsing his Serie A displays.
For Raheem Sterling, it’s also been a mixed campaign. He’s shown flashes of brilliance, but they’ve been interspersed with ineffective games.
His pace is always a threat, though, and he brings balance to the City attack. He will look to recreate the form he showed against Sevilla in the last Champions League game—his best performance for the club thus far.
Morata: 7
Sterling: 7.5
Paulo Dybala versus Sergio Aguero
Paulo Dybala has been Juventus’ star man so far this term. He’s scored six goals and registered two assists and has assumed the mantle of Carlos Tevez, the forward who left in the summer having made a habit of dragging Juventus to victory.
Sergio Aguero is the finest striker in Europe, though. He’s not yet fully match fit, but his goal against Liverpool was a reminder of his brilliance.
Dybala: 8
Aguero: 9.5
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