Bayern Munich vs. Juventus: Areas Where the Tie Will Be Won and Lost
German and Italian titans clash on Wednesday as Bayern Munich host Juventus in the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie. The Bavarians came out a dominant force in the first leg and were 2-0 ahead at one point, but the hosts battled back to earn a 2-2 draw. And now the contestants head into a second leg of action at the Allianz Arena.
Both Bayern and Juve have clear strengths and weaknesses that could decide the outcome of Wednesday's match and the tie overall. Bleacher Report has analyzed the squads and their recent performances and picked out the top three areas that could influence the result.
Click "Begin Slideshow" to see our picks.
The Wings: Juve's Ability to Win Set Pieces and Play Crosses
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With David Alaba standing 1.80 meters in height, Joshua Kimmich 1.76, Juan Bernat 1.72 and Philipp Lahm 1.70, it's quite obvious Bayern's weakness is in the air. If Juve can play crosses, they should have chances to score. The key is in being able to create these chances, which is easier said than done.
Free-kicks and corners are obvious sources of crossing opportunities, and Juan Cuadrado could be critical in winning these. The Colombian has blistering pace and fine dribbling ability, and it's his type on the wing that can force Bayern to "play it safe" and send the ball out for a corner.
Also on the wing, Alex Sandro could be key to the crossing game. The Brazilian will have plenty of targets in the box; depending on lineup selection, the likes of Mario Mandzukic, Alvaro Morata, Sami Khedira, Paul Pogba and more could be waiting from free play. And from corners and free-kicks, the centre-backs could be added to the mix.
Sometimes, slight tactical nuances win games. On Wednesday, though, Juve's most obvious key to success is the classic game of crossing the ball into the penalty area and counting on one of the many big men in the box to head it in.
Midfield: Bayern's Ability to Cover Their Back Four and Control the Tempo
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Bayern head into the second leg with the current scoreline being enough for them to advance, which is a big advantage. Juve will have to score at least once in order to stand a chance of progressing—probably two or three times.
To that end, Bayern will be wise to try to play as they did in their recent scoreless draw with Dortmund, controlling the tempo and waiting for their opponents to get frustrated and overcommit to the attack before they unleash an attack of their own. The Bavarians were unlucky not to score in that game, but will probably be on target against Juve if Wednesday's game plays out similarly.
The longer the game draws on without Juve working their way into a situation of advantage, the more in control the hosts will become. The visitors will have to commit more and more to the attack, and Bayern will have to favor their odds of scoring if attackers like Arjen Robben, Thomas Muller, Douglas Costa and Robert Lewandowski find themselves attacking with space.
Aside from controlling the tempo, Bayern will need to defend from the front line in order to cover their under-sized back four and a pair of inexperienced centre-backs. Yes, Kimmich and Alaba have played well together. But their natural abilities are better suited to other positions and for all their positive performances, both have played very few games at centre-back. One of the reasons they've played so well is that they've had good support, with the midfield and forwards pressing opponents into making poor passes.
If Juve can get the ball between the Bayern midfield and defense, it could cause Bayern real problems. Kimmich admitted (via Stefan Coerts of Goal) to his mistakes having let the Italians back into the game in the first leg, and the second leg could play out similarly if the visitors are able to expose Kimmich and Alaba.
The Goalkeepers
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Tactically analyzing such a high-profile encounter as that between Bayern and Juve might be highly entertaining, but each of the contestants has a player between the posts who can transcend tactical considerations.
Even as he remains a regular starter, Gianluigi Buffon has become a legend of the game. The 38-year-old has played senior football for 21 years and won accolade after accolade. Throughout his career, he's proved to be a game-changer. Former Italy coach Marcello Lippi put it best when, after asked about his team's lack of a fantasista (a Lionel Messi or Roberto Baggio-type, given freedom of position in attack and capable of winning games on their own) he said, per Goal.com Italia (via Goal): "We have our own fantasista in goal; his name is Gigi Buffon."
If Buffon is approaching the twilight of his career, Manuel Neuer is still at the height of his. The Bayern man turns 30 later this month and has enormous experience. He, too, has single-handedly kept his teams in contention in the Champions League, World Cup and otherwise. And in 2011, Buffon even admitted to Sky Sports News (h/t Goal) that Neuer had become "the best goalkeeper in the world."
Both Buffon and Neuer are world-class goalkeepers, and either could decide his team's progression. Theirs might be the most interesting head-to-head matchup on Wednesday.
