Atletico Madrid vs. Juventus: Key Issues That Will Shape Champions League Game
Champions League Matchday 2 in Group A will see the champions of Spain and Italy meet.
Atletico Madrid needs a positive result following their disappointing performance in Greece a fortnight ago.
They have lacked the same intensity as last season, but they have performed admirably in their big matches against Real Madrid and Sevilla.
Juventus are currently steamrolling their way through the competition in Serie A, setting a new record with five straight wins without conceding a goal since the start of the campaign.
They have won the last three Scudettos, and although they haven't hit the same standards in Europe, there's a feeling they can progress further in this year's tournament.
Here are the key issues that will shape the meeting between Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
Positioning vs. Possession
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Diego Simeone's side may be the home team, but don't expect them to dominate the ball.
Atleti have a very disciplined and rigid shape when they are defending—though they press the opposition initially, they quickly drop back into an organised unit after losing the ball.
They are the great anomaly of club football, and they rank only 15th in terms of average possession in La Liga, per WhoScored.com.
Juventus are now the opposite under Massimiliano Allegri; the Old Lady is much more proficient in possession than with Antonio Conte.
They play more passes per game, and their statistics are up a massive 10 per cent compared to last season's possession rate, as James Horncastle explained for WhoScored.com.
It will be a fascinating blend of styles, but Atleti may have the slight advantage as they are more accustomed to their individual approach.
Midfield Battle
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Now that the powers of Xavi and Andres Iniesta are on the decline at Barcelona, it's arguable that Juve has the best midfield on the planet.
There's obviously stiff competition from the natural successors at Camp Nou and also at Bayern Munich, where Pep Guardiola has multiple options in that area, but the combination of Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, Paul Pogba and Claudio Marchisio is difficult to beat.
They offer an unbelievable collection of technical and physical attributes, but they will certainly know they are in for a battle against Gabi, Mario Suarez and Tiago.
Atleti won't allow them time to settle as they harass and tempt them into making mistakes.
Pirlo will miss out through injury, but the return of Chilean Vidal is a huge boost for Juventus.
He scored twice last week against Cesena and played a further 70 minutes against Atlanta on Saturday.
Atletico Overloading the Wide Areas
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With Juventus deploying a 3-5-2 system, their wing-backs could be in for a busy evening.
Los Rojiblancos know they are unlikely to get the upper hand in central positions, so they will look to exploit Juve in wide areas.
Stephan Lichtsteiner, Kwadwo Asamoah or even Patrice Evra could get isolated if Atleti can get their full-backs into attacking areas and unite with their winger to create a two-against-one situation.
As a former wide player, Juanfran will be a particular threat, although the centre-backs and midfielders will shuttle across to provide assistance.
Because Atleti won't have as much of the play, expect to see direct balls played into the channels when they counter-attack.
The Movement of Tevez
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Centre-backs Diego Godin and Miranda will know exactly what to expect from Fernando Llorente from his time at Athletic Club.
His size and strength makes him a difficult competitor, but the two defenders aren't exactly lightweight and more than capable aerially.
It will be his strike partner Carlos Tevez who will cause most concern.
The Argentine's movement is hard to follow, while is confidence will be high after ending his five-year Champions League goal drought, via Sky Sports.
Another brace at the weekend took his tally to six goals in five games in all competitions this season.
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