Champions League Meeting with Bayern Munich Gives Juventus Chance to Show Growth

Having only managed to finish second in the Champions League group, Juventus knew that UEFA's Monday draw for the knockout stage was likely to be unkind. It proved to be just that, pitting the Bianconeri against a Bayern Munich side that have been in incredible form thus far in 2015/16.

Indeed, the Bavarian giants have lost just one Bundesliga fixture this term, also taking maximum points in five of their own European outings. The daunting prospect of taking on such a formidable opponent will undoubtedly hang over Juve until the first leg is played in February when the competition resumes.

Such an arduous task could have been avoided had the Turin-based side clinched top spot in Group D, particularly having notched two impressive victories over Manchester City. Yet losing to Sevilla on the final day—in addition to drawing both matches against Borussia Monchegladbach—saw them enter the last 16 unseeded.

“Do or do not, there is no try,” Massimiliano Allegri said in the above tweet, the Juve boss channelling the wisdom of Yoda but fully aware that more than a Star Wars-esque Jedi mind trick will be needed to topple Bayern.

The coach understands the difficulty this clash poses, as—in a recent interview with the Independent—his answer to the most difficult opponent he has faced shows beyond any doubt.

“Guardiola,” Allegri replied abruptly going on to explain that decision, “because just when you think you have the advantage, he changes everything in the middle of the game and countering that is so difficult.”

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Yet the former Milan coach has proved more than capable of matching those shifts, playing a variety of formations as the Bianconeri looked for their best form this term, eventually settling on a 3-5-2/4-3-3 hybrid that allows flexibility to the side’s approach.

It is a draw that will see the likes of Arturo Vidal, Kingsley Coman and Mario Mandzukic against their former club, but it also offers the Italian champions a chance to show how they have grown in recent years.

Two seasons ago—with Antonio Conte on the bench—Juve were soundly defeated by Bayern Munich, suffering a 4-0 aggregate defeat that showed the clear gulf in quality between them and the continent’s elite teams.

Last season, however, Allegri arrived and showed just how competitive the Old Lady can be when applying herself properly.

Reaching the final, they despatched Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid along the way, with much of the credit given to the new coach by players and officials who had enjoyed only domestic success in earlier campaigns.

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“We need to congratulate the boss who has equipped the team with the mentality to tackle European games,” former midfielder Pavel Nedved told reporters, per the club’s official website.

Now acting as vice-president of Juventus, the former Czech Republic star was not alone, with Giorgio Chiellini also weighing in on the subject as he would tell the press following the win away in Dortmund at this stage.

“The change of coach gave Juventus something more, because in the first two months of the season we wanted to prove that we were still the best,” the defender told Sport Mediaset (h/t Football Italia). “We are grateful to Conte and recognise everything he did here, but we also want to prove to everyone and above all to ourselves that we are a great team.”

Now set to go head-to-head with one of the very best teams, Allegri and Juventus have the perfect opportunity to do just that. Bayern Munich will present a difficult challenge, but one La Madama will undoubtedly be ready for.