Areas Where Bayern Munich May Be Vulnerable Against Juventus

Bayern Munich face a tough test in the Champions League round of 16 next week as they visit Turin to take on Juventus in the first fixture of their two-legged tie.

The Bavarians finished winners in Group F and were therefore seeded for their first knockout-round test, but Juventus (who were runners-up in Group D with 11 points, one behind Manchester City) will likely prove a much-tougher task than Shakhtar did for Bayern a year ago. 

Massimiliano Allegri's side have recovered from a poor start to their season and now are in outstanding form. They beat Napoli last weekend to claim top spot in the Serie A table and have won their last 13 games in all competitions.

At the same time, Pep Guardiola's Bayern are an extremely dangerous side with world-class talent all over the pitch and a great record this season. However, there are some weak spots in the Bavarians' ranks that Allegri and Juve will look to exploit. Sports reporter Archie Rhind-Tutt pointed out the extensive injury list to key players:

The most obvious weakness for Bayern is in central defense, where the Bundesliga leaders are extremely thin. Jerome Boateng and Holger Badstuber could be out for the rest of the season, while Javi Martinez won't be available until the second leg at best.

Medhi Benatia could play against Juve, but the Moroccan has made just 10 appearances this season, with his last being on 9 December. He's short of match practice and may not be used in the first leg, even as his side suffers from a personnel crisis in central defense.

Finally, emergency January signing Serdar Tasci is also short of playing time. The former Germany international until recently was on an extended winter break in Russia, having been out of action from early December until his signing with Bayern at the end of January.

Other options who have played at center-back for Bayern as of late have been lacking in size; Joshua Kimmich, Rafinha and David Alaba are prime examples. Thus, the German giants could be weak in the air against some of Juve's more physical targets. To this end, it's fortunate for Bayern that Mario Mandzukic will miss the first leg and that Sami Khedira is also a doubt. Yet those two are not the Italian giants' only threats in the air.

Even if Bayern play with two natural center-backs, their lack of match practice could be costly. Juve have strikers that are far better than the average ones Bayern face, and Alvaro Morata and Paulo Dybala could run in circles around the Bayern defenders.

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Beyond the defense, another Bayern soft spot could be in midfield. Xabi Alonso's age is a concern, and in truth, the veteran has been a defensive liability for years. Arturo Vidal hasn't looked to be fit enough to cover the Spaniard, and although healthy, Thiago lacks size and power to compete in midfield. Bayern will have plenty of skill in the center of the park, but Paul Pogba's combination of strength and technical skill could prove extremely difficult to contain.

Bayern's real advantage is in attack, where their forwards at least have an individual advantage against Juve's aging and ailing back line. Patrice Evra and Andrea Barzagli both turn 35 in May, and Stephan Lichtsteiner is 32. The fact Giorgio Chiellini will miss the first leg is a huge blow for the Italians, and the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Douglas Costa, Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller will be licking their chops.

At the same time, Guardiola will have to be very careful as he prepares his game plan for the Juve match. There is little room for error in the Champions League, and his opponents next week may be his toughest of the season to date. Although Juve will have clear weaknesses, so will Bayern. The key to victory could rest in the tactical battle between Guardiola and Allegri.

@Mr_Bundesliga