The highly anticipated match-up between Aston Villa and Juventus is unlikely to overshadow the concurrent clash between Liverpool and Real Madrid in terms of popularity. Essentially, both the teams from Birmingham and Turin are clear contenders for the playoffs, yet their current form raises some concerns.
Before their defeat to Club Brugge (0:1), Aston Villa were nearly flawless in the group stages of the Champions League, chalking up three consecutive clean-sheet victories. However, in Belgium, the Birmingham side lacked composure; their strategy of intense substitutions in the second half failed miserably, managing only 0.42 xG and a single shot on target in 90 minutes. On the flip side, Aston Villa have conceded just one goal in the European tournament and they still rank in the top eight, having secured a dramatic 2:2 draw against Crystal Palace over the weekend.
Juventus also dropped points in their last Serie A match, in a goalless draw against AC Milan (0:0). Since October 6th, the Turin team have secured only three wins in nine matches across all competitions, while in the Italian league, Juventus have generated just 20.93 xG, placing them sixth. When visiting Lille (1:1) at the beginning of November, despite commanding possession (66-34%), they failed to capitalise on opportunities, with shots on target also equal at 3-3.
Juventus will be without some key players for the clash with Aston Villa: Juan Cabal, Douglas Luiz, Nico González, Weston McKennie, and Dušan Vlahović are all sidelined. These absences will impact the Turin side's performance on the field, making it significantly more likely for the home side to secure all three points.
