The duel between the "stumbling" giants, former European champions Juventus and Manchester City, will mark the second day of the 6th round of the Champions League.
Why did they stumble? Juventus is in 20th place and City is only in 18th place of the new format of the elite European competition. And while the passage to the knockout stage, at least through the 1/16 finals (where the teams placed from 9th to 24th place go) should not be a problem, the results of both teams in the domestic championships remain in the background.
Juve is only sixth in Serie A, although it is the only unbeaten team in Italy (it has six wins and even nine draws), but with Tiago Mot embarked on a new, rejuvenated story, of which the Montenegrin is also a part - Vasilije Adžić, who will wait for his chance from the bench.
The "Old Lady" has been terribly affected by injuries in recent weeks, so this crisis of results is not perceived as the one that City is going through, who have won only one of the last six matches in the Premier League, are fourth in the table and behind the leading Liverpool late eight, potentially 11 points (match up).
A victory over a giant like Juventus would mean City's self-confidence, he admits that Guardiola.
- We lack speed, and the players are tired - it's lucky that we play on Wednesday, that we didn't play on Tuesday. One extra day for recovery - said the Catalan.
Win or lose, Guardiola seems to have decided to change the board - namely, he won't whine anymore.
- Yes, we are being followed by injuries, we have encountered a difficult period, but we are thinking positively. We accept the challenge, no matter how difficult it is, maybe in the end we will be more satisfied with the way we behaved than in some other seasons when we won titles - he added.
Juventus is that much more relieved, because Siti is still Siti - the favorite against anyone...
- We are a young team that can improve in every aspect of the game. We showed great character, we are growing because we have great solidarity on the field - said Tiago Mota, who after a long time can count on the recovered McKenzie i Douglas Louis.
- Those who deserve to play will play, and I'm glad that some guys are back in the team after injuries - said Mota.
Whether Vasilije Adžić will be among those who "deserve to play" will be seen in the second half. Only, it would be the biggest game in the career of the former Buducnosti midfielder.
Borussia and Barcelona play at Dortmund's "Signal Iduna Park" in another clash of giants - former European champions.
"Millionaires" and "Blaugrana" are in a better position than City and Juventus, they share the third place with 12 points each and their legitimate goal is to place among the top eight - therefore, a direct passage to the round of XNUMX.
Robert Lewandowski, the Barça striker, returns to the place where his great story started, and the Pole turned from Borussia legend into the "killer" of the team from Dortmund - wearing the Bayern jersey, namely, he gave the "millionaires" as many as 27 goals in 26 games.
Tonight he will attack them for the first time as a Barcelona player.
Coach of Borussia Nuri Sahin he complained about injuries, but he's not the only one - everything, he says, is the fault of an overcrowded calendar.
"The constantly growing number of matches has become a big burden and this is already becoming unbearable - he said.
- Because yesterday, for example, we planned the season with the World Club Championship (June-July) and I don't know when the goalkeeper will kobel go on vacation I'm not that old, but about 10 or 15 years ago the game was different with less sprints, less running. Now you have to go to your limit in every game, and there are more and more matches. I don't think FIFA will change it now that Sahin has spoken, but I think the burden is too great. You see it in the top teams. Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid... They all have many injuries - said Sahin.
Arsenal welcomes Monaco, while Milan awaits Red Star at San Siro, in another duel between the former European champions.
Milan and Zvezda turn back time (again), whenever they meet in recent years, and they played twice in 2021, twice in 2006, the media remembers the famous Belgrade fog in 198 - it prevented Zvezda's sensation, and from it, at least that's what they say legend, gave birth to the great Milan who swept Europe in the years that followed.
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