The runaway leaders of Serie A, Juventus, host Ligue 1 leaders Monaco on Tuesday night in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.
The first leg at the Stade Louis II ended with Juventus winning 2-0, thanks to a brace from Gonzalo Higuain. They became the first team to win in the principality this season and also stopped the opposition from scoring for the first time in a home game since November 2015. The Old Lady managed to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to seven, with a draw against Torino on Saturday, a game in which they were also able to rest a number of key players. Furthermore, they’ve kept a clean sheet in five of these seven games and to make it even more impressive, two of those came against Barcelona. They haven’t lost a game at home in any competition since the start of last season and they haven’t lost a game at home by two goals since losing to Bayern Munich in 2013.
It looks to be a tall order for Monaco, who have managed just three away wins from eight Champions League games this season, conceding 15 goals. It could be a step too far for Leonardo Jardim’s side who’ve amazed and entertained audiences across Europe this season. They’re more than capable of scoring goals, including 28 in the Champions League this season, but they’re yet to come up against a defence as well organised and miserly as Juventus’.
Juventus vs. Monaco Predictions
Monaco have to come out and attack in this game, which could play into Juventus’ hands. The Old Lady are superb defensively and deadly on the counter attack. A draw is good enough for Juventus and they can play for that, but a home victory seems the most likely result here.
Juventus vs. Monaco Betting Tips
- Juventus to win: 20/33
- Draw: 3/1
- Monaco to win: 19/4
- Juventus to win and keep a clean sheet: 31/20
- Paulo Dybala to score anytime: 11/10
Head to Head
- No team has ever overturned a 2-0 first leg home defeat in the Champions League knockout stages in 14 previous attempts.
- No French team has ever beaten Juventus on their own soil in European competition (D3 L11).
- This is the second time these sides have met in a Champions League semi-final. Juventus won 6-4 on aggregate before losing to Real Madrid in the final (1997/98).
- After failing to reach the last four of the Champions League from 2003/04 to 2013/14, Juventus have now made the semis for the second time in three seasons.
- Monaco have reached the Champions League semis for the fourth time after 1993/94, 1997/98 and 2003/04. No other French team has made the last four more than once.
- Juventus, alongside Real Madrid, are the only unbeaten team in this season’s Champions League (W8 D3).
- Juventus are also unbeaten in their last 18 Champions League home games (W11 D7); their longest ever run without a defeat in the competition on home soil. Bayern Munich are the last team to beat them, back in April 2013 (2-0).
- Juventus haven’t conceded a goal for 621 minutes, the current longest run in the competition.
- Monaco have only won two of their 11 away games in the Champions League knockout stages (D2 L7), and have also never kept a clean sheet in those 11 outings.
- Monaco have conceded 18 goals in the Champions League this season, including 10 in their last three away games, more than any other remaining semi-finalists.
- Gonzalo Higuain scored twice in the first leg, the same number as his previous 24 Champions League knockout games.
- Falcao and Kylian Mbappe have scored 10 of Monaco’s last 16 Champions League goals.
Juventus Team News
Juventus defender Daniele Rugani and midfielder Marko Pjaca will miss this match.
Monaco Team News
Benjamin Mendy and Djibril Sidibe are both injured, along with Gabriel Boschilia and Guido Carrillo.