Juventus Season 2014-2015

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

Dortmund face 'one of football's biggest
challenges' against Juventus, says Klopp

The coach feels that taking on an Italian side who only need a draw
to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League represents an almighty task.

Mar 17, 2015

Jurgen Klopp believes Borussia Dortmund face one of the "biggest challenges in football" as they look to overcome a 2-1 deficit to beat Juventus in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

The Bundesliga side host Massimiliano Allegri's men on Wednesday having suffered defeat in Turin two weeks ago and Klopp believes there is no greater task than taking on an Italian side who only need a draw to progress.

"To reach the quarter-final you have to put in one outstanding performance," the BVB boss told reporters. "We did not have one of those in the first leg.

"We face one of the biggest challenges in football - to win against an Italian side who only need a draw.

"If you have to lose away from home, you want to lose 2-1. So we are still in a good position. It is up to us.

"Juventus will be organised and defend with discipline. We must avoid conceding, although if we did the game wouldn't be over. They are a strong team, but not unbeatable

"We still know how to score. Two weeks ago, people were saying we 'buried' Schalke. Now, we've gone two games without goals, we are 'back in crisis'. That's too easy."

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

Buffon: ‘Allegri brave to take over’

Mar 17, 2015

Gigi Buffon admits Juventus’ 14 point Serie A lead is ‘a lot’, and says Max Allegri was ‘brave’ to take over from Antonio Conte.

The Bianconeri stretched their lead at the top of the table this weekend, beating Palermo in Sicily before seeing Roma go down 2-0 at home to Sampdoria.

“Is the Scudetto won? Well, a lead of 14 points is a lot,” Buffon admitted in an interview with Sky.

“Few thought we could do this, repeat this feat for a fourth time in a row.

“I’m happy for myself, for the players and for the fans, but also for Allegri.

“Only a brave man would take over Juventus after three Scudetti in a row, because probably no-one - including ourselves - thought we could do it again.”

The Italian international was speaking in Germany as Juventus prepare to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, and the goalkeeper believes the Old Lady have progressed on the European stage.

“The first game told us that we’re a good team who can play good football against anyone, and at times impose our game too.

“I think Borussia are one of the five or six best teams in Europe, so the fact that we played an even game with them, and in some instances were even better is a good sign.

“That said, we must do it again and confirm these things tomorrow.”

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

Hummels demands deadly finishing from Dortmund

The Germany international defenders knows that chances will be at a premium against
an experienced Juventus defence and urges his team-mates to be efficient in front of goal.

Mar 17, 2015

Mats Hummels warns that Borussia Dortmund must be at their clinical best against Juventus if they are to stand any chance of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.

The first leg ended 2-1 in favour of the Serie A leaders, meaning that Jurgen Klopp's men must score in the return if they are to progress to the last eight.

Chances are likely to be few and far between, however, against a Juve side who have conceded just 14 goals in 27 league games this season.

Hummels told the press: "We will have to take the chances we get as there will not be many against Juventus. In the final third we will have to be more direct and maybe take on shots from distance. Maybe one of them will be deflected and go in."

Dortmund's recent form has been good after a dismal run saw them prop up the Bundesliga – the defeat in Turin was their only setback in their last eight games in all competitions – and Hummels expects a raucous atmosphere at Signal Iduna Park.

"We will begin the game with the same attitude as ahead of a Bundesliga game," added the World Cup winner. "We want to profit from the home advantage. From the beginning we want to ensure that our supporters are very excited.

"I am sure that no player needs any special motivation."

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

Overcoming Juve could lift Dortmund's
otherwise disappointing season

Mar 17, 2015

"It's probably one of the hardest things in football to win against an Italian team when they only need a draw," Jurgen Klopp mused in his Tuesday news conference ahead of Wednesday's Champions League round-of-16 return leg vs. Juventus. The difficulty of the task of going through is enormous for Borussia Dortmund, who need just a 1-0 win after grabbing a vital away goal in Turin, but that's not as easy as it sounds.

BVB's past two Bundesliga matches have demonstrated they have a very hard time breaking down tight defences while being prone to counter-attacks. Hamburg and Cologne are mediocre Bundesliga teams; on Wednesday night it won't be a mediocre German team but the Italian champions-elect, who hold a 14-point advantage over second-placed Roma in Serie A. Thus, Juventus will care little about their next domestic match, and will put their entire focus and energy into this tie.

After all, the Italian giants are desperate for success on the European stage after recent disappointing European campaigns. It would be a major dent in their season if their Champions League aspirations were to end in Dortmund.

Juve arrive at the Westfalenstadion without Andrea Pirlo, but that won't hinder them from lining up in a defensive 5-3-2 formation with a midfield block of Arturo Vidal, Claudio Marchisio and Paul Pogba ahead of their defence. Massimo Allegri told the media on Tuesday, "We will look to restrain BVB from using their speed." Every Dortmund fan will know exactly what that means: a tightly woven net in front of Gigi Buffon.

Borussia Dortmund will have to be very creative in order to break down their opponents without falling on their sword. It will be very important for the Germans to find the right balance. It will be a blow to miss Nuri Sahin in central midfield, as he would have given his side an edge to create opportunities -- it is no coincidence that BVB were completely uninspired up front ever since Sahin was sidelined with a niggling muscle injury. After the trouncing of their derby rivals Schalke, in which Dortmund created chances aplenty, they haven't found the net.

At least Klopp will have a bit more physicality in midfield with Sven Bender, who often throws himself in every tackle without thinking twice. Bender's inclusion will be vital as the first leg demonstrated that Juve like to use their physical strength just as much as their technical abilities.

Bender, who is an expert in regaining possession, will have his hands full in breaking down Juventus' counter-attacks. Of course it won't be a match of attack vs. defence with Dortmund in full control over the entire 90 minutes, but the two goals they conceded in the first leg came from counter attacks. It will be Benders job to to gather up the ball before Carlos Tevez or Alvaro Morata do.

Bender alone won't make much of a difference, though. The entire team will need to play at their limit to have a chance to go through. Ilkay Gundogan especially will need to play his best after he had "Sorry, I'm a winner" etched on his boots.

It remains to be seen who Gundogan will be providing service to, as it's still a tough guess who Klopp will field in his front four. Marco Reus is set, everything else is left up to interpretation.

Will Ciro Immobile feature? Given that Juventus won't offer much space for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to run into, it might make sense to opt for the Italian -- even if he looked terribly isolated in the first leg. Will Klopp go for the light feet of Shinji Kagawa and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, or will he go for the more industrious Jakub Blaszczykowski and Kevin Kampl?

In Dortmund, everyone is looking forward to the clash, especially considering it might be the last for a while. Overcoming Juventus would be a huge highlight in an otherwise disappointing season. Extending the Champions League campaign for a little while longer would be an even greater reward for the entire club.

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

UEFA Champions League Preview:
Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund, Leg 2

Mar 17, 2015

It was only natural for Max Allegri to be asked about Borussia Dortmund following Juventus' 1-0 win over Palermo on Saturday. If you played an absolute snoozer against a mid-table team with arguably the game of the season next on the fixture list like Juventus, I'd be asking about the Champions League, too.

Allegri's words about how his team needs to "perform better from a technical standpoint" was far from a surprise based on what they did — or mostly didn't — do in Sicily. It wasn't exactly going into the decisive second leg against Dortmund with a ton of wind in their sails on the performance alone.

"It will be difficult but we've got a good chance of going through. We know all about Borussia's qualities. It's a game in which we need to score, perhaps more than once, so we need to play on the front foot and perhaps also have a slice of luck. However, we approach it with plenty of enthusiasm and must make sure our preparations are spot on."

(Source: juventus.com)

To say Juventus' game on Wednesday night against Borussia Dortmund is fundamental for the 2014-15 season's final verdict is the easy thing to do. Juve have the slim 2-1 lead heading into the second leg. Sure, the lead leaves little breathing room and is far from not ideal, but a lead is a lead and you'd rather have it this way compared to Juventus having to win in Germany. Instead, Juventus don't need to win, although that would be a lot less stressful than sweating out a scoreless or 1-1 draw.

In simple terms, yes, this is Juve's most important game of the season. Hopefully there are a few more important European games to be played this year. The Serie A lead is at 14 points after Roma lost to Sampdoria on Monday night. Seriously, people, FOURTEEN POINTS. For all intents and purposes, it's all over. It doesn't matter what folks around the team may say. A 14-point lead with 11 games to go is pretty damn comfortable to me and a lot of other people. And that means Juventus' No. 1 priority should shift, if it hasn't already, to going as far in the Champions League as humanly possible.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "We're now at the final straight. We want to get through to the next round and we have the league to wrap up."

That won't be possible if the aggregate scoreline gets flipped into Dortmund's favor in the second leg. That's also pretty simple to figure out.

Thus, everything hinges on the 90 or so minutes in Dortmund tomorrow night. As much as winning another Scudetto will be a great accomplishment for this club we love so much, an even deeper run in Europe would be just that much more sweeter. Especially with this squad, how much talent it has and how frustrating the Champions League was last season.

Juventus want to be amongst the game's elite once more. There's only one way to do it after dominating Serie A for yet another season — win in Europe. Simple statement, yet not always the easiest to see out.

 

GOOD NEWS

Juventus' current Champions League situation: Up 2-1 on aggregate heading into the second leg. I think I've mentioned that once or twice already. Oh well. It's not a bad thing to be reminded of right now.

 

BAD NEWS

Juventus could very well be out of the Champions League a little over 24 hours from now. That's ... not a very good thing to think about right now — especially when you throw in Juventus are entering the second leg ahead on aggregate.

Oh, and the injuries. No Andrea Pirlo. No Martín Cáceres. No Stefano Sturaro. No Kwadwo Asamoah, Paolo De Ceglie, Romulo and Luca Marrone. Many of those are reserves, but those first two are rather important players.

 

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

1. How Andrea Barzagli does on short rest following his return from injury.

Here is the reason why Allegri is heavily-rumored to be going from a 4-3-1-2 to 3-5-2, folks. Barzagli's showing in his first start in nearly a year was, well, a typical Barzagli performance. He came up huge at times and pretty much looked he had been playing for weeks on end rather than the complete opposite. Now, if Barzagli is going to get the start — and, not surprisingly, Allegri was rather coy when asked about it because he always is — it's a matter of how he responds to 90 minutes in his legs a few days prior. One would think that if Allegri didn't feel Barzagli was able to play 180-plus minutes within a five-day period, he wouldn't risk things at all knowing the defender's recent history with injuries. That's why when you see this kind of stuff said at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday...

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "@andreabarzagli2's in great shape. He played very well in Palermo and I'm happy to welcome back someone we missed."

...it makes you think that we'll be seeing plenty of Barzagli come Wednesday night against Borussia Dortmund. Judging by how he looked over the weekend, that's definitely not a bad thing.

2. How Juventus does sans-Pirlo.

If anything, the first leg in Turin proved that Juventus can be a competitive team against a competitive opponent without Pirlo pulling the strings in the midfield. Claudio Marchisio might not have the passing ability of Pirlo, but he's certainly an upgrade on the defensive end of things. No trequartista duties means Arturo Vidal plays a more natural role on Marchisio's right. And, well, Paul Pogba always has the chance to wow us every chance he gets on the ball. If you remember back a couple weeks, this is the midfield trio I wanted to see start in the first leg. And with Pirlo out injured for tomorrow's second leg, it's almost certainly the midfield we'll see from the opening whistle. This is about as energetic and effective of a midfield as Juventus can offer to try and counter everything Dortmund is going to be throwing their way.

3. Juventus' lack of speed at the back vs. Dortmund's superior ability to accelerate.

Just like in the first leg, this is what worries me the most. Mainly it's because of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Marco Reus and the incredible amount of pace and creativity they bring to the table. Juventus, however, has nowhere near the amount of pace to match what Dortmund will be throwing in the Italian champions' direction. Aubameyang is expected to play at the top of Jürgen Klopps' 4-2-3-1 formation as opposed to out on the wing in the first leg. That's obviously a spot where he's had much more of his success this season than as a winger where he was relatively quiet in Turin. And Reus, well, I think we all know what he brings to the Dortmund side. Barzagli and Stephan Lichtsteiner will have their hands full trying to silence the talented German winger. Hopefully, just hopefully, nobody slips in the process ... right?

4. Can Juventus get a goal or two from Carlos Tévez and Álvaro Morata?

In the four games Dortmund has played since the loss in Turin in late February, they haven't allowed a goal. While they have only won two and drawn the other pair of games over that stretch, it's not because of the play at the back. Despite the recent shutout streak, we know that Dortmund's defense is susceptible to mistakes just like we can say for Juventus' backline. We saw it for ourselves in the first leg. It would certainly behoove Juve's chances to advance if they get the goal Allegri mentioned in the opening quote — especially if it's Wednesday's opener. And, let's remember one other thing: Max Allegri has spoken about his liking for 1-0 wins lately. What better way to get into the quarterfinals than to do exactly that?


My starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra; Tévez, Morata

OFFICIAL KICKOFF TIME: 8:45 P.M. IN ITALY; 3:45 P.M. ON THE EAST COAST; 12:45 P.M. ON THE WEST COAST

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

Borussia Dortmund - Juventus Betting: Visitors look
good value to claim another win over Jurgen Klopp's men

Max Allegri's men already have a lead from last month's first-leg tie and our tipster
is backing the Serie A side to record another victory over thier German hosts on Wednesday.

Mar 17, 2015

Borussia Dortmund and Juventus go head-to-head for a place in the last eight of the Champions League in what promises to be a thrilling clash in Germany on Wednesday night.

Juventus lead 2-1 from last month’s first-leg match in Rome but Jurgen Klopp’s side will feel confident that they can turn the tie around in front of what is sure to be a vociferous home support.

It has been a difficult campaign thus far for Dortmund and, indeed, the German side have often produced their best form in this competition – and Klopp will be hoping that his side can book their place in the quarter-finals with victory over the Italian league leaders.

Dortmund are chalked up as favourites with bet365 to claim a crucial victory on home soil, while Juventus are available at a chunky with the same firm to secure their place in the last eight of the competition in style with a win in Germany.

Of course, a draw would be enough to ensure that Max Allegri’s side reach the next round of the competition and bet365 go that Wednesday’s tussle ends in stalemate.

The Italian champions, in contrast to Wednesday’s hosts, are enjoying a successful domestic campaign, having opened up a substantial lead at the top of Serie A, and Allegri’s side are sure to be in confident mood ahead of their meeting with Dortmund, having gone 11 matches without defeat on the road in all competitions.

Jurgen Klopp will have been heartened that his side have kept four successive clean sheets since their loss to Juventus in Rome last month and punters may be tempted to back Dortmund to shut out Juventus at a juicy with bet365 on Wednesday night.

However, Allegri’s men have scored in no fewer than 17 of their last 18 matches in all competitions and they are good enough to book their place in the last eight of the Champions League at the expense of Klopp’s side here.

Juventus can be backed at just with bet365 to qualify for the next round, but better value can be found in backing the Italian giants at a hugely appealing in bet365’s "draw no bet" market ahead of Wednesday’s crunch clash in Dortmund.

This market will see your stake returned if the match ends in a draw while still offering a tempting price about the Serie A leaders getting the better of a Dortrmund side whose need to overturn the first-leg deficit could leave them defensively vulnerable.

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

‘Juventus formation not decided’

Mar 17, 2015

Juventus Coach Max Allegri admits he still hasn’t decided whether to field a back three or a back four tomorrow night.

The Bianconeri take on Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League tomorrow night looking to hold onto a 2-1 advantage from the first leg and qualify for the Quarter Finals.

Despite reports today that the Coach had decided to field a four-man defence for the tie, Allegri says he still hasn’t made his mind up.

“I don’t know,” the former Milan Coach responded when asked about his formation during his pre-match Press conference.

“I don’t know how the game will go, and it depends on how the game goes. As far as the formation tomorrow goes, I still have doubts, I have to decide whether to play three or four [in defence].

“I’ll have to decide tomorrow, because we play tomorrow night.”

Allegri also echoed President Andrea Agnelli’s sentiments that tomorrow’s match should not be the only reflection on his first year on the Juve bench.

“As for the game tomorrow, what counts is the year. I’d say first that I’m grateful for the President’s words yesterday, that a game doesn’t define an entire season.

“So far we’ve all worked together well, now we’re on the home straight.

“We’re here, and we want to get to the next round of the Champions League, get to the Quarter Finals and then see what happens.

“We still have the League too, which is still to be secured, despite a 14-point lead, which is a lot when you’re 11 games from the end, but we still need to win six games [to guarantee the Scudetto].

“We’ve got the Coppa Italia too, where we have the chance to overturn the result [a 2-1 defeat to Fiorentina] and reach the final.

“The goal was to reach this stage of the season and still be competing in all three competitions and… here we are.

“We have to be good to finish the season, but especially tomorrow night to progress in the Champions League.”

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

‘Juventus strong, not unbeatable’

Mar 17, 2015

Borussia Dortmund Coach Jurgen Klopp says Juventus are ‘not unbeatable’ ahead of their Champions League show-down.

The Bianconeri take on Klopp’s men in Germany tomorrow night, holding a 2-1 advantage from the first leg, but the opposition Coach is confident.

“It’s a challenge to beat an Italian team for whom a draw is enough,” Klopp admitted in his pre-match Press conference.

“We’re ready for anything, but we must remain calm, as we conceded a goal on the break in the first leg.

“Juve are not unbeatable, [but] we’ll have to make sure we don’t repeat the mistakes we made two weeks ago.

“We’ll have to do special things in a special atmosphere.

“Are Juve tough in tackles? I don’t remember that from the first leg, apart from a foul on [Lukas] Piszczek.

“They’re a team that plays football, ok they might be tough too, but in that situation the referee will intervene.

“I don’t have any particular desires tomorrow. Many remember May 28, 1997 [when Dortmund beat Juventus 3-1 in the Champions League final], it was a beautiful moment, but it won’t help tomorrow.

“We have to create a beautiful harmony between ourselves and the fans, we know how to be dangerous and we’ll have to do it right.

“We don’t want to concede goals, but even if we do it's not over.”

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

‘Juventus not defensive’

Mar 17, 2015

Borussia Dortmund Coach Jurgen Klopp laughs off suggestions Juventus are defensive and calls them ‘a great team’.

The Old Lady are in Germany to take on Klopp’s men in the Champions League Last 16, but the Dortmund Coach doesn’t think the Bianconeri will sit on their 2-1 first leg lead.

“Juventus, defensive maestros? At the level of an average German team?” Klopp considered with a raised eyebrow.

“We don’t consider Italian football and Juventus as a team to be so mediocre, on the contrary!

“They’re 14 points clear of second [in Serie A], they’re consistent in their play. Maybe they don’t rack up huge goal differences when they win, but they’re a great team.

“We’ve had problems in attack in recent games, but we know how to create problems for Juventus. We have to make the right choices, because Juventus will not give us a lot of space.

“Juventus will try to keep us out and hit us with the weapons the possess.

“This will be a great game.”

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

Borussia Dortmund V Juventus – Team News,
Tactics, Lineups And Predictions

Mar 17, 2015

Borussia Dortmund welcome Juventus to the Westfalenstadion on Wednesday knowing that a 1-0 victory over Massimiliano Allegri’s men would be enough to see them through to the quarter-final stages of the Champions League. Juve hold a slight advantage in the two-legged encounter following a slender 2-1 victory at home to Jurgen Klopp and his charges back in late February. The Italian side know that any form of draw would give them safe passage, with an away goal making it a little more difficult for the German club. Dortmund have enjoyed an important resurgence in 2015 and have managed to lift themselves from probable relegation to a safely-placed position in the middle of the German top flight. The Germans have slightly faltered on the domestic front in their last two Bundesliga games, with Dortmund drawing blanks in two scoreless draws against Hamburger SV and FC Koln respectively. Juventus are currently cruising at the summit of the Serie A standings, with a monumental 14-point gap separating the Old Lady and second-placed Roma. The Italian outfit find themselves in fairly good form, having won their last two Serie A matches by one goal against Palermo and Sassuolo. Dortmund may not be too put off by the task in hand come Wednesday, given that Juve have only managed to notch wins by a one-goal margin over the course of their last six matches. What could appeal to Klopp even more is the fact that Allegri’s men have conceded at least one goal in four of those last six fixtures, meaning that if Dortmund can defend well enough then progression will be no impossible task. Dortmund have also kept four clean sheets in six matches across all competitions.


Team news and tactical brief

Dortmund

Dortmund are expected to be missing both Kevin Grosskreutz and Lukasz Piszczek through injury, potentially leaving Oliver Kirch and Sokratis Papastathopoulos to battle it out for a place in the right full-back position.

Nuri Sahin was also missing for the German club at the weekend and he could miss out again on Wednesday. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could start up top instead of Ciro Immobile, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Shinji Kagawa and Kevin Kampl providing options in midfield.
 

 

Probable Starting Line-up (4-2-3-1)
 
Weidendeller
 
Kirch, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer
 
Bender, Gundogan
 
Mkhitaryan, Kampl, Reus
 
Aubameyang

 

Juventus

Gianluigi Buffon will start in goal while Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini start at centerback. Andrea Barzagli will start as well if there is a 3-5-2 module. Out wide the starters will surely be Patrice Evra and Stephan Lichtsteiner on their respective sides. Lichtsteiner had a fine performance last time versus Dortmund, while Evra is one of the most experience Champions League player on the squad.

Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba are sure to start, Claudio Marchisio is probably the most likely after those two. Pogba of course was suspended versus Palermo, so he will be well rested for this game.Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata should be the starters up front. The duo were phenomenal versus Dortmund last time, and Morata scored a beautiful goal versus Palermo that proved to be the game winner.

 

Probable Starting Line-up (3-5-2)
 
Buffon
 
Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini
 
Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra
 
Tevez, Morata

Key Facts

After having won their first four Champions League games this season, Borussia Dortmund are now winless in their last three (D1 L2).
The last time Juventus faced Borussia Dortmund in Germany was in the 1997 Champions League final at Munich’s Olympiastadion. The Turin side lost 3-1.
Dortmund have never kept a clean sheet against Juventus in their eight competitive encounters.


Players to Watch Out For

Marco Reus (Dortmund)

Reus has primarily played from the left this season. He’s a direct runner with over three successful take-ons per game this season and the same number of chances created for his team-mates. He’s very quick and dangerous on the ball. He is also a very good defensive winger, winning eight tackles in six games and also making three defensive actions per game. He scored the vital away goal in the first leg which might be decisive in this tie.


Carlos Tevez (Juventus)

Juventus with Carlos Tevez and Juventus without Carlos Tevez are two different teams. His energy and willingness to close opposing defenders down begins the press; he is both an inspiration, his example leading others to greater effort. Once Tevez goes, the rest follow. Traditionalists wanted him, as a forward, to spend more time in the box. But it is precisely that willingness to come deep or pull wide that makes him such an asset to Juventus. His movement prevents the team breaking up, providing a link with the midfield, and as he drops deep, so he can interact with Vidal or Pogba. Tevez’s movement also encourages those around him to move. Tevez adds something extra, linking the two parts of the team, and making the whole more fluent. He scores goals, but more important is that he lubricates the whole mechanism.


Prediction

Dortmund 2–2 Juventus

This game is very much in the balance due to Borussia Dortmund’s away goal, with a 1-0 win enough to see the German’s progress, and this may well be a low scoring game with neither side firing on all cylinders of late. The hosts have assured things up at the back recently so they will be confident that they can keep a clean sheet but breaking down a resolute Juventus defence is easier said than done. In a game that really is too close to call Juventus would settle for a draw and may well play that way in Dortmund.


Blast From the Past

Juventus and Borussia Dortmund locked horns in the 1995 UEFA Cup at the semi final stage. The Bianconeri ran out 2-1 winners in the second leg at Westfalenstadion thanks to a stunning free kick from Captain Roberto Baggio.
 

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

Complacency could cost Juventus, warns Amoruso

The ex-Bianconeri striker admits he made the mistake of underestimating
Borussia Dortmund 18 years ago in the Champions League final.

Mar 18, 2015

Former Juventus striker Nicola Amoruso has warned his former club they must not take Borussia Dortmund lightly in the second leg of their last-16 Champions League tie on Wednesday night - as they did in the 1997 final.

Fresh from winning the Scudetto, Juve were defeated 3-1 by Dortmund at the Olympiastadion 18 years ago, despite having the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Didier Deschamps and Christian Vieri in their side.

Juve are again favourites on Wednesday night after winning the first leg 2-1 and boasting a 14-point lead at the top of Serie A, but Amoruso is convinced the tie is far from over.

"Juventus looks much better than Dortmund right now,” he told Goal. "Juventus looks much closer to the top form, they were physically well prepared in order to get the peak form right now.

"But in 1997 we were stronger than them - we won the Serie A title the weekend before and that day we were been unbelievably beaten.

"We were too sure of how we were stronger, too sure we were going to beat them, too confident - and it cost us."

Amoruso also cast his eye over the tactics of Wednesday's teams and believes that Juve have the best weapon in the form of Carlos Tevez, but he fears the hosts' rapid pace and Ciro Immobile

"I’m sure Dortmund will push Juventus from the kick-off," he added. "I expect Klopp’s team to set a high pace - that’s their main quality, especially in European matches.

"Juventus should be careful, they should try to play their own game and create some good counter-attacks. They must not have a soft approach to the game, they have to concentrate and be reactive from the beginning, and not concede chances to Dortmund.

"Carlos Tevez is the most likely candidate to be man of the match, he’s got what it takes to push his team into the quarter-finals.

"On the other hand, Immobile can be really dangerous, he will have strong motivations against his former team."

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

Juventus Must Impose Themselves
On Dortmund States Buffon

Mar 18, 2015

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has claimed that Juventus must play their own game if they are to go through as they travel to take on Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

Buffon and his side won the first leg in Turin 2-1 but the Italian international believes that Juve must impose themselves once again in order to reach the final eight.

“We have to impose ourselves on this Dortmund team,” Buffon told Sky Sport Italia ahead of the game.

“The first leg showed that we can play great football and impose our game on a good team.

“We will have to perform in a similar way in order to progress.

“Coming back to Dortmund is a pleasure after the (2006 World Cup semi-final) victory over Germany.

“That was an amazing game and one of the highlights of my career. The fans here are amazing and help their team to perform.

“However they can also help to stimulate the opponents and that is what we are hoping for.”

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

Five Things For Juventus To Beat Borussia Dortmund

Italian clubs have shown a recent revival this season with six of them
making it through to the knock-out stages of European competitions.

Mar 18, 2015

But Juventus will be under the greatest pressure as they try to end their recent disappointing run in European competitions when they go to Germany to defend a slender one-goal lead against Borussia Dortmund.

Juve’s 2–1 victory from the first leg leaves them with a slight advantage but it will be a very difficult one to protect. So how should they go about it?


1. Be Brave

The first leg result means that a goalless draw would take Juventus through to the quarter-finals but a 1–0 win would be enough for Dortmund. So it doesn’t make sense for Juventus to sit back and hope to keep a clean sheet. Just one slip could change the tie and send Dortmund through.

Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Claudio Marchisio and Leonardo Bonucci were all there in Brazil when Italy tried to progress to the knockout stages with a goalless draw against Uruguay.

Diego Godin’s late header in the World Cup should be such a trauma that it will spur them on to be brave and head to Germany with the intention of beating Dortmund on the night.


2. Silence the Crowd

The Westfalenstadion is one of the most celebrated stadiums in world football with its famous Yellow Wall, which will have no doubt been preparing a spectacular choreography to light up the South Stand on a famous night of European football.

The atmosphere seems to have an effect on the players with Dortmund finishing victorious in 11 of their last 14 Champions League home games.

If Juventus can be brave and get an early goal it would an invaluable boost. They want the Dortmund fans to silently sip on their beers in a state of forlorn desperation as Juve put a stranglehold on the game.

A 0–0 would be enough to send Juventus through but nerves will be stretched as the game goes into its final minutes and the Dortmund fans won’t need much encouragement to make noise and push their side on.


3. Put faith in Roberto Pereyra

Andrea Pirlo will miss this game due to the injury, and many have seen the absence of the elegant regista (deep-lying midfielder) as a blessing in disguise.

Nuri Sahin admitted Dormund’s plans to press and hassle the veteran defender were integral to their tactics in the first leg, and their effectiveness was evident after Ciro Immobile notched up Dortmund’s first shot on target off the back of a loose Pirlo pass.

Pereyra may not be as much of a joy to watch but he is the utility man that Juventus may need to qualify for the next round

Pereyra adds a degree of mobility and stamina to the midfield that Pirlo lacks and this will be invaluable in defence.

However, Pereyra is not just a holding midfielder and his dynamism will help him to join the outstanding Paul Pogba in linking the midfield to the attack. This might just be what the Bianconeri need to steal an away goal on the counterattack.


4. Don’t panic

Juventus have the pressure of being the sole Serie A representatives in Europe’s top competition. That is compounded further by their Champions League failings in recent seasons.

Juventus can normally control games in Italy but have failed in recent years to do that in the Champions League. Things will certainly be more comfortable if they can score early and shut up the home fans but that is far from a formality.

If Dortmund score early, the Bianconeri’s approach should not change. An away goal will put them back in the driving seat and a certain degree of arrogance will serve Juventus well.

They are the better team on paper and in terms of league form. So Juventus must not sit back or retreat in terror when Dortmund pressure them.

The win at Juventus Stadium wasn’t easy but it was hard-fought and the Bianconeri stuck to their game plan even after Marco Reus’s first half equaliser. So the plan must be to stay calm and grind out a result, but not to be so timid as to hand Dortmund the initiative.


5. Practise penalties

And if all is level after extra time, Juventus must be prepared for the lottery of the penalty shootout.

Germans are stereotypically efficient and the narrative dictates that this leads to them being masters of the penalty shootout, while Juventus are traditionally poor from 12 yards.

Only in December did Juventus lose the Supercoppa Italiana final to Napoli on shootout, and again in 2003 when they suffered the same fate in the Champions League final against AC Milan.

It’s hard to know how much Juventus will have prepared for penalties but a shootout will be won by the team with the stronger mentality.

Juventus have scored four time from five penalties in Serie A this campaign and they may take comfort from the fact that former Torino ace Ciro Immobile missed one for Dortmund earlier in the season. But past records count for little and it will indeed come down to who keeps their nerve better on the night.

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

Borussia Dortmund vs. Juventus: Team News & Preview

Mar 18, 2015

Borussia Dortmund return to Champions League action this week with a final chance of progressing in the premier continental competition with a second-leg clash against Juventus on Wednesday night.

Jurgen Klopp's side picked up a bitter defeat in Turin a few weeks ago when the Old Lady ultimately finished with a 2-1 win but the German side will take confidence from their vital away goal and the home advantage they'll undoubtedly enjoy at the famous Westfalenstadion.

Massimiliano Allegri's side have looked inconsistent in the Champions League as well as their own Serie A title challenge, with recent stumbles against Fiorentina and Roma populating their form sheet following their win over Dortmund.

Luckily for the travelling team, Wednesday's hosts have done little better in the Bundesliga of late having reverted back to their earlier troubles in the season with disappointing draws against Hamburg and Cologne in recent weeks.

Alas neither side have been without criticism of late but will fancy their own chances in the knockout clash on Wednesday. Who will win? It's anyone's guess.

The biggest blow for Dortmund will undoubtedly be the absence of Nuri Sahin, who may not shake off an injury in time to feature in the Euro fixture. As such Klopp will be forced to bring in defensive midfielder Sven Bender to play alongside Ilkay Gundogan in the middle of the park.

Similarly, Oliver Kirch should keep his newly appointed role at right-back in cover of the injured Lukasz Piszczek as Dortmund line up in defence with Marcus Schmelzer, Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic.

Marco Reus, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Shinji Kagawa should take up the midfield attacking three in front of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Juventus will be missing key players of their own with playmaker Andrea Pirlo out injured after coming off in the first leg of the tie. As such we should see Claudio Marchisio come in to play alongside Arturo Vidal, Paul Pogba and Roberto Pereyra in the midfield four.

Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata will likely line up in attack while Patrice Eva, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci make up the back four.


Key Players

Ilkay Gundogan

Without Sahin directing the tempo of Dortmund's midfield on Wednesday night it'll be up to box-to-box midfielder Gundogan to ensure Klopp's team still pass with the silk intensity that will be needed to break through a stubborn Juventus defence.

Gundogan will have to take up the role of playmaker-in-chief in this most high pressure of games.


Paul Pogba

Already highlighted as one of Europe's most exceptional talents, Pogba will undoubtedly play in his left-sided role on Wednesday and hope to be the architect of Juventus' counterattacks through the game.

With an outstanding range of passing, skill on the ball and a fierce shot to complement his eye for goal the Frenchman will undoubtedly be the danger man for the Old Lady.


Key Battles

Ilkay Gundogan v Arturo Vidal

As we've already stated Gundogan will undoubtedly be Dortmund's key presence in midfield on Wednesday and as such will be tasked with evading the closing down and tackling of Vidal in the opposing side.

The former Bayer Leverkusen star will know exactly what Gundogan is capable of and will be tasked with keeping the German international quiet. As such we can't wait to see who comes out on top in this midfield battle.


Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang v Giorgio Chiellini

If Dortmund are to score on Wednesday, it'll most likely be through the magic feet of Aubameyang and the pace he so notable possesses. For Juventus to stop this they'll need their stalwart defender Chiellini at the top of his game and keeping an eye on the pacy striker.

The Italian international wasn't at his sharpest in the first leg when he gifted Reus Dortmund's only goal and will have to be much better if he hopes to ensure that doesn't happen again at the Westfalenstadion.


Odds(per Odds Shark)

Dortmund - 240

Draw - 145

Juventus - -175

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

Marotta: 'Qualification imperative'

Mar 18, 2015

Juventus director Beppe Marotta warned Champions League qualification past Borussia Dortmund is “imperative.”

The Bianconeri won the first leg 2-1 and go into the Westfalenstadion at 20.45 CET for the decider.

“There is reverence towards this type of opponent, but also awareness of our own quality,” Marotta told Mediaset Premium.

“Our objective is to go through to the next round, so qualification is imperative. Max Allegri examined the players at his disposal carefully and chose what best represents Juventus at this moment.”

Arturo Vidal takes a deeper midfield role, leaving Roberto Pereyra behind the strikers.

“Vidal is fired up and knows this stadium well, having played in Germany. I hope he can find the motivation to be decisive tonight.”

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

Line-ups: Borussia Dortmund-Juventus

Mar 18, 2015

Juventus rely on Paul Pogba, Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund.

It kicks off at 20.45 CET and follows on from the 2-1 first leg victory in Turin.

Max Allegri goes for a 4-3-1-2 system with Roberto Pereyra in the hole behind Tevez and Morata.

Andrea Pirlo, Martin Caceres, Kwadwo Asamoah and Romulo are injured, so Claudio Marchisio has more of a playmaker role this time round.

Ciro Immobile is dropped, while Neven Subotic and Sokratis Papasthatopoulos get the nod in defence ahead of Oliver Kirch.

These sides famously met in the Champions League Final 18 years ago, the Germans emerging surprise 3-1 winners.

Other than that, Juve have a very good record against Borussia, especially when playing in Dortmund.

They won 3-1 here in the 1992-93 UEFA Cup Final and 2-1 in the 1994-95 semi-final.

The Westfalenstadion also holds great memories for several of the Juve players, as it was here that Italy beat Germany 2-1 in extra time in the 2006 World Cup semi-final.


Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller; Sokratis, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer; Bender, Gündogan; Kampl, Mkhitaryan, Reus; Aubameyang

Borussia bench: Langerak, Kehl, Kagawa, Blaszczykowski, Kirch, Immobile, Ramos


Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba; Pereyra; Tevez, Morata

Juventus bench: Storari, Barzagli, Ogbonna, Padoin, Pepe, Llorente, Matri

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. - JUVENTUS

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)

HT 0-1: Tevez screamer stuns Dortmund

Mar 18, 2015

A Carlos Tevez screamer has given Juventus the half-time lead away to Borussia Dortmund, but Paul Pogba is injured.

The Bianconeri won the first leg 2-1, but Andrea Pirlo, Martin Caceres, Kwadwo Asamoah and Romulo were sidelined. Jurgen Klopp dropped Ciro Immobile to the bench against his old club and opted for Sokratis Papastathopoulos at right-back.

It was the perfect start for Juve, as Carlos Tevez suddenly unleashed an absolute screamer from 25 metres out that flew into the near top corner. Roman Weidenfeller had no chance of stopping that wonderstrike. Remarkably, Apache had failed to score in four European campaigns, but this was his fifth of the current season.

Stephan Lichtsteiner hit a similar effort, but more central, which Weidenfeller punched out from under the bar.

Arturo Vidal went into a few too many sliding tackles and received a talking-to from the referee. Paul Pogba was forced off by a muscular problem and Andrea Barzagli came on, changing the system to three at the back.

Borussia Dortmund poured on the pressure and pinned Juve back, but struggled to create actual chances, as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scuffed a shot wide.


Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Juventus (1-3 agg, Half-Time)

Scorers: Tevez 3 (J)


Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller; Sokratis, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer; Bender, Gündogan; Kampl, Mkhitaryan, Reus; Aubameyang


Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba (Barzagli 27); Pereyra; Tevez, Morata


Ref: Mazic (SRB)

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS

Carlos Tévez (3')
Álvaro Morata (70')
Carlos Tévez (79')

Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1

 

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)
Attendance: 65851

Borussia Dortmund 0-3 Juventus (agg 1-5):
Tevez tears BVB apart

The Argentine opened the scoring with a thumping strike and then, after teeing
Alvaro Morata up for a tap-in, sealed a famous win for the Bianconeri with a fine finish.

Mar 18, 2015

Carlos Tevez was at his brilliant best as Juventus stormed into the quarter-finals of the Champions League by beating Borussia Dortmund 3-0 at Signal Iduna Park to progress 5-1 on aggregate.

The Argentina international, who also scored in Juve's 2-1 victory in the last-16 first-leg tie in Turin, caught goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller off guard in the early stages of Wednesday's contest at Signal Iduna Park.

Tevez then played in Alvaro Morata, also on the scoresheet in Turin three weeks ago, to tap home the second with 20 minutes remaining.

The former Manchester City man drilled home a third in the 79th minute to cap off a fine individual performance and reward Juve's counter-attacking masterclass, as they completed a 5-1 aggregate win.

It was no less than the Serie A champions deserved, with Massimiliano Allegri's men excelling particularly after the break - Weidenfeller twice forced to deny Morata before his goal.

For Juve, progression to the last eight will go some way to silencing the doubters who have voiced claims that they have been largely unable to replicate their domestic form in Europe, on the back of their Champions League group-stage exit in 2013-2014.

The Champions League has provided some respite for a Dortmund side who have struggled for much of the Bundesliga this campaign, and their exit now means that participation in Europe's premier club competition next season is highly unlikely.

Juventus opened the scoring in the third minute in some style.

Tevez collected Morata's pass 25 yards from goal and Dortmund goalkeeper Weidenfeller was late to react as the Argentine striker's fierce effort flew into the left-hand corner.

Having found the goal, Juve seemed content to protect their lead, although Stephan Lichtsteiner also tried his luck from range - Weidenfeller this time up to the task.

The visitors were dealt a blow just before the half-hour mark, when an apparent hamstring injury saw Paul Pogba replaced by Andrea Barzagli.

Dortmund looked more threatening after the Frenchman was taken off, but a series of set-pieces and crosses into the box were dealt with well by Juve's defence - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's flashed shot the best the hosts had to show.

The Germans failed to register a shot on target in the first half and they were fortunate not to be 2-0 down five minutes after the restart.

Tevez evaded several Dortmund challenges before slipping Morata in one-on-one, with the Spaniard attempting a deft chip over Weidenfeller that the goalkeeper blocked.

Morata again wasted a great chance to give Juve clear daylight, the former Real Madrid man collecting Roberto Pereyra's ball on the right of the penalty area and forcing Weidenfeller to save with his legs.

The third time proved a charm in the 70th minute, though, as Tevez sprung the offside trap before unselfishly squaring for Morata to provide the tap-in.

And Tevez was celebrating again with 11 minutes remaining, collecting Arturo Vidal's throughball before his angled drive across Weidenfeller nestled in the back of the net to complete a comfortable win.

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS

Carlos Tévez (3')
Álvaro Morata (70')
Carlos Tévez (79')

Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1

 

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)
Attendance: 65851

Juventus cruise by Borussia Dortmund
with Carlos Tevez scoring two

Mar 18, 2015

Carlos Tevez scored two and set up another as Juventus cruised into the Champions League quarterfinals with a 3-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund.

Tevez's stunning long-range strike gave the Italians an early lead before the Argentine presented strike partner Alvaro Morata with a simple finish to double the advantage in the second half.

Dortmund's hopes of progression were in tatters but Tevez added a final flourish, driving home his second and Juventus' third late on to seal a 5-1 win on aggregate.

The German side gave themselves a good chance of progression after taking an away goal from a narrow 2-1 defeat in Italy a fortnight ago but the hosts were second best throughout at Signal Iduna Park.

Their prospects suffered a heavy blow within just three minutes as Tevez received possession 25 yards out and unleashed a stinging shot that flew past Roman Weidenfeller and into the top left-hand corner of the net.

The early breakthrough seemed to knock the home side's confidence and Juventus almost doubled their advantage after the quarter-hour mark when Stephan Lichtsteiner again tested Weidenfeller with an effort from distance but this time the Dortmund goalkeeper was able to punch the swerving shot clear.

Dortmund gradually established a foothold in the contest but struggled to convert possession into chances and apart from set-pieces, Jurgen Klopp's men were restricted to optimistic shots from range.

Juventus eased through the rest of the first period and Morata should have wrapped up the tie early in the second when he was twice sent clear, but on both occasions he failed to beat Weidenfeller, who was quick to close down the shots.

The Spaniard made no mistake in the 70th minute, however, as Dortmund's defence was caught out by another ball over the top and as Weidenfeller rushed out, Tevez generously slid the ball across for the young striker to side-foot into an empty net.

Dortmund's misery was compounded nine minutes later when Tevez latched onto Arturo Vidal's neat pass and he slammed the ball home to wrap up an excellent individual display and seal his side's place in the last eight.

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS

Carlos Tévez (3')
Álvaro Morata (70')
Carlos Tévez (79')

Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1

 

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)
Attendance: 65851

Borussia Dortmund 0-3 Juventus (1-5 Agg):
Tevez Double Sinks Die Schwarzgelben

Mar 18, 2015

Juventus defeated Borussia Dortmund 3-0 at the Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday night to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Carlos Tevez scored early on in the game before setting up Alvaro Morata for his side’s second, the Argentine then put the icing on the cake with a third goal late on in the second half to ensure progression.

Juve started the game off in exquisite style when Tevez’s stunning long-range strike found the back of Roman Weidenfeller’s net.

Despite Dortmund seeing more of the ball, Stephan Lichtsteiner came close to making it 2-0 when his attempt from distance was kept out by the hosts’ goalkeeper.

However, things got troubled for the Bianconeri when Paul Pogba was replaced by Andrea Barzagli due to sustaining an injury in a clash with Die Schwarzgelben defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos.

The 2013 Champions League runners-up could’ve had their opener, when the ball was played through to Ilkay Gundogan, but Ginaluigi Buffon was able to prevent it from materialising.

Bianconeri summer signing Alvaro Morata came agonisingly close to finishing off the tie early on in the second half, when he latched onto Tevez’s perfectly weighted pass, however his attempted chip was kept out by Weidenfeller.

The 2014 World Cup winner was once again called into action minutes later, denying Morata from close range.

Kevin Kampl attempted to tie the scoreline soon after, but his left-footed shot from outside the penalty area was saved by Buffon.

Teammate Neven Subotic was next to try his luck from distance, and his deflected effort from outside the penalty are went inches wide of the post.

Morata made up for his two misses earlier by scoring his side’s second goal, having been left with an easy tap-in after some great work by Tevez to set up the Spaniard.

The Argentine international got his name on the scoresheet soon after to wrap up Juve’s progression to quarter-finals, when his powerful finish found Weidenfeller’s net for the second time on the night.

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS

Carlos Tévez (3')
Álvaro Morata (70')
Carlos Tévez (79')

Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1

 

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)
Attendance: 65851

CL: Juve dominant in Dortmund

Mar 18, 2015

Carlos Tevez scored two screamers and set up Alvaro Morata as Juventus crushed Borussia 3-0 in Dortmund.

Max Allegri leads the Old Lady through to the Champions League quarter-finals thanks to a 5-1 aggregate triumph.

The Bianconeri won the first leg 2-1, but Andrea Pirlo, Martin Caceres, Kwadwo Asamoah and Romulo were sidelined. Jurgen Klopp dropped Ciro Immobile to the bench against his old club and opted for Sokratis Papastathopoulos at right-back.

It was the perfect start for Juve, as Carlos Tevez suddenly unleashed an absolute screamer from 25 metres out that flew into the near top corner. Roman Weidenfeller had no chance of stopping that wonderstrike. Remarkably, Apache had failed to score in four European campaigns, but this was his fifth of the current season.

Stephan Lichtsteiner hit a similar effort, but more central, which Weidenfeller punched out from under the bar.

Arturo Vidal went into a few too many sliding tackles and received a talking-to from the referee. Paul Pogba was forced off by a muscular problem and Andrea Barzagli came on, changing the system to three at the back.

Borussia Dortmund poured on the pressure and pinned Juve back, but struggled to create actual chances, as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scuffed a shot wide.

Oliver Kirch, who had been tipped to start, came on for the second half, moving Sokratis Papastathopoulos to the left. Borussia continued to pour on pressure, but Weidenfeller had to stick up a hand to deny Morata, sent clear one-on-one by Tevez. Morata had another great opportunity set up for him by Roberto Pereyra, but Weidenfeller parried the low drive with his foot.

Buffon’s first genuine save was to easily smother a Kevin Kampl effort on 63 minutes, then Neven Subotic’s deflected strike whistled wide from distance.

Morata did get his goal eventually, though it was laid out on a plate for him by Tevez. The Argentine sprung the offside trap on a Claudio Marchisio ball over the top – kept in play by Jakub Blaszczykowski – and drew Weidenfeller out before rolling across for Morata to tap into an empty net.

Buffon did have to beat away an Adrian Ramos header, but Juve added a third in Dortmund when Pereyra threaded through for Tevez, who didn’t hesitate when smashing his finish past Weidenfeller. This was the first time in his Champions League career that Tevez had actively contributed to three goals in a single game.

Leonardo Bonucci landed awkwardly on his shoulder in the final minute, but was able to play on through the pain.


Borussia Dortmund 0-3 Juventus (1-5 agg)

Scorers: Tevez 3, 79 (J), Morata 71 (J)

Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller; Sokratis, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer (Kirch 46); Bender (Ramos 64), Gündogan; Kampl, Mkhitaryan (Blaszczykowski 64), Reus; Aubameyang

Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba (Barzagli 27); Pereyra; Tevez (Pepe 82), Morata (Matri 78)

Ref: Mazic (SRB)

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS

Carlos Tévez (3')
Álvaro Morata (70')
Carlos Tévez (79')

Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1

 

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)
Attendance: 65851

Tevez: I Was Just Doing My Job

Mar 18, 2015

Juventus striker Carlos Tevez declared he was just doing his job after leading the Bianconeri to a 3-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League match.

The Argentinian bagged a brace as Juventus easily brushed aside their German opponents to advance to the quarter-finals of Europe’s premier club competition.

“I think the team played a great game, and that is the important thing,” Tevez told Mediaset after the match.

“I just did my job. The match was won by the team.

“The Champions League is a difficult competition, but I think Juventus are on the right track.”

The Old Lady now go into Friday’s draw to find out their last-eight opponents.

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS

Carlos Tévez (3')
Álvaro Morata (70')
Carlos Tévez (79')

Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1

 

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)
Attendance: 65851

BORUSSIA DORTMUND 0-3 JUVENTUS PLAYER
RATINGS – CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Mar 18, 2015

Juventus came away 3-0 winners to make it 5-1 on aggregrate in the second leg of the Champions League final 16.


Gianluigi Buffon 7.0 - Precious little to do, but when he was called upon, he made his saves with ease. Marshalled his defence really well.

Stephan Lichtsteiner 7.0 - Showed incredible restraint, timed his tackles well, kept Mkhitaryan very quiet. Defensively perfect, didn’t get forward as much as he usually does, but that was only to be expected.

Leonardo Bonucci 8.0 - A near perfect display in the centre of defence. Tackled, shoved, barged and formed a black and white wall at the back. Kept Reus in his back pocket for 90 mins.

Giorgio Chiellini 8.0 - Put his mistake from the first leg behind him. Superb positioning, time and again. Vocal in managing the defenders around him. A leaders performance.

Patrice Evra 8.0 - Showed exactly why Juve bought him in the summer. His experience told throughout. Made some great tackles, worked brilliantly in tandem with Chiellini and even managed an assist for the opener.

Arturo Vidal 8.5 - Arguably his best performance of the season for Juve. An old-fashioned, hard-tackling display. Tracked up and down the pitch for the full 90, never slowing down. Immense.

Claudio Marchisio 8.0 - No Pirlo. No Problem. Principino kept the side ticking over, completing 86% of his passes, shielding the defence and moving the ball forward when he could. Spectacular.

Paul Pogba N/A - Made a great start but injured early on and was replaced by Barzagli.

Roberto Pereyra 7.0 - Hard-working display, if not overly effective, but his role changed after Pogba’s injury and he sat in midfield and defended as well as the rest.

Carlos Tevez 9.5 - Absolutely rampant. Took his first goal with a sublime finish, unselfishly set up Morata for the second and finished Dortmund off with a perfectly placed third to put Juve 3-0.

Alvaro Morata 8.5 - Exceptional display from the youngster. Could easily have scored twice before finally getting his goal and Juve’s second, with a simple tap in. Caused the Dortmund defence all kinds of problems with fast running on the counter


Substitutes

Andrea Barzagli 7.5 - Didn’t look like a player who has spent 8 months recovering from an injury. Sat in at the back and calmly and cooly kept Dortmund at bay. Made the best tackle of the night to deny Dortmund on the counter.

Alessandro Matri N/A

Simone Pepe N/A

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS

Carlos Tévez (3')
Álvaro Morata (70')
Carlos Tévez (79')

Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1

 

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)
Attendance: 65851

Allegri: 'Juve can do better'

Mar 18, 2015

Max Allegri said Juventus “can do even better” in the Champions League after flattening Borussia Dortmund.

The Bianconeri secured a crushing 5-1 aggregate victory, including 3-0 at the Westfalenstadion, to reach the quarter-finals.

“The work was done all together between the club, team and Coach. The players allowed nothing to Borussia and I think over two legs they only had one real shot on target,” he told Sport Mediaset.

“It is an important result for Italian football, especially in the way it came about. This squad has everything needed to play even better than they did tonight.

“Obviously you go against sides of great quality and technique at this level, but the lads, the club and the fans all showed they are up to it.

“We can and must improve in terms of passing and game management. We above all did well in the second half. There was a moment of confusion when Paul Pogba went off for Andrea Barzagli.

“In general we were tactically astute and didn’t give away many free kicks either, apart from early on with Arturo Vidal.”

Carlos Tevez scored twice this evening and set up Alvaro Morata for a tap-in.

“We’ll see how the draw goes and then play our games. It is our duty to believe, just as we believed going into this round, as the team has great physical and tactical qualities.

“The defence can play with three or four, while everyone moved well and Tevez is an extraordinary striker. Not only does he score goals, but he also helps his teammates and works for the midfield too.

“It is a deserved victory, but we still look forward and can do even better.”

Allegri only arrived at Juventus a couple of days into pre-season training when Antonio Conte suddenly resigned. Is this qualification a personal victory for him over the critics?

“The first day I arrived at Vinovo, I said this team could improve a lot after three years of great results. Of course four at the back means developing the play differently, but the important thing is that everyone takes part and doesn’t just stick to their positions.

“I always believed this team could comfortably play with four at the back, as few sides in Europe have the players Juve do. I think this tactical versatility is a big advantage.”

[Socrates 8516]

BORUSSIA D. 0 - 3 JUVENTUS

Carlos Tévez (3')
Álvaro Morata (70')
Carlos Tévez (79')

Juventus win Aggregate 5 - 1

 

Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 - 08:45 p.m.
Signal-Iduna-Park Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia)
Attendance: 65851

Marotta: 'Allegri silences sceptics'

Mar 18, 2015

Beppe Marotta said Juventus demolishing Borussia Dortmund proves the “sceptics” wrong about Max Allegri.

The Bianconeri won the first leg 2-1 and triumphed 3-0 at the Westfalenstadion to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

They go into the draw with PSG, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Porto, Monaco, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.

“I am here to give the just tribute to Massimiliano Allegri, who at the start of the season was welcomed with scepticism, yet has continued our winning trend,” director general Marotta told Sport Mediaset.

“We are top of the Serie A table and into the Champions League quarter-finals. He and the squad deserve all the credit for achieving this qualification with hard work.
“It took courage for Allegri to come here and the club had full faith in him. Antonio Conte won and it is right to remember what he won, but it is also right to underline what Allegri is doing.”

Does this mean that Juventus will soon sign a contract extension with the Coach?

“Right now let’s enjoy this wonderful night and focus on the imminent targets, including the Coppa Italia semi-final where we must overcome a negative first leg result.”