Antonio Conte’s men claimed their fifth Serie A win on the trot on Sunday to move top of the table, but in Europe the Italian champions have so far struggled to make an impact.
After four group games, Juve - who also lost their last two games in last season’s competition, to eventual winners Bayern Munich - are still winless and sit bottom of the pile on three points and seven behind leaders Real Madrid.
However Juve are only one point behind second-placed Galatasaray and Copenhagen, meaning a win on Wednesday could propel them up to second place -- if Real, as widely expected, account for Galatasaray in Madrid. Depending on events in the Spanish capital, that scenario could leave the Bianconeri on six points with a possible two-point cushion on Galatasaray ahead of a tricky away trip to Istanbul next month.
If Juventus manage only a draw against the Danes, qualification becomes far more complicated, while defeat would end Conte’s hopes of taking his side into the last 16 knockout phase for the second successive season. Llorente, who has scored twice in the group stages so far, smashed a superb volley into the Livorno net on Sunday, when he also set up Tevez for Juve’s second.
‘It’s starting to get better with Carlos every day,’ said Llorente. ‘Playing more regularly gives me strength and this goal has boosted me even further.’
Rio Ferdinand wants Manchester United to book their place in the Champions League’s knock-out stages by beating Bayer Leverkusen away on Wednesday so they can focus on the Premier League. Ferdinand wants United to win at Leverkusen’s BayArena to confirm their progression in Europe, so they can return their focus on the Premier League until next year’s knock-out stages.
‘We want to finish the job, get it done early so we can get back to the Premier League and have nothing else distracting us,’ said Ferdinand.
‘They’re a well-equipped team and it’s not going to be easy but we’re more than capable.’ Moyes’s United top Group A with eight points, just one ahead of hosts Leverkusen, and both sides would guarantee their place in the knock-out stages with a win.
Should Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk lose at home to Real Sociedad in the section’s other game, United and Leverkusen would progress with a draw.
MADRID: Real Madrid will almost certainly be without Cristiano Ronaldo as they look to mathematically seal their place in the Champions League last 16 at home to Galatasaray on Wednesday. The Spanish giants are virtually already in the knockout stage as they would need to lose their remaining two games heavily having beaten Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen 6-1 and 4-0 respectively on matchday one and two. However, they can also guarantee first place.
After four group games, Juve - who also lost their last two games in last season’s competition, to eventual winners Bayern Munich - are still winless and sit bottom of the pile on three points and seven behind leaders Real Madrid.
However Juve are only one point behind second-placed Galatasaray and Copenhagen, meaning a win on Wednesday could propel them up to second place -- if Real, as widely expected, account for Galatasaray in Madrid. Depending on events in the Spanish capital, that scenario could leave the Bianconeri on six points with a possible two-point cushion on Galatasaray ahead of a tricky away trip to Istanbul next month.
If Juventus manage only a draw against the Danes, qualification becomes far more complicated, while defeat would end Conte’s hopes of taking his side into the last 16 knockout phase for the second successive season. Llorente, who has scored twice in the group stages so far, smashed a superb volley into the Livorno net on Sunday, when he also set up Tevez for Juve’s second.
‘It’s starting to get better with Carlos every day,’ said Llorente. ‘Playing more regularly gives me strength and this goal has boosted me even further.’
Rio Ferdinand wants Manchester United to book their place in the Champions League’s knock-out stages by beating Bayer Leverkusen away on Wednesday so they can focus on the Premier League. Ferdinand wants United to win at Leverkusen’s BayArena to confirm their progression in Europe, so they can return their focus on the Premier League until next year’s knock-out stages.
‘We want to finish the job, get it done early so we can get back to the Premier League and have nothing else distracting us,’ said Ferdinand.
‘They’re a well-equipped team and it’s not going to be easy but we’re more than capable.’ Moyes’s United top Group A with eight points, just one ahead of hosts Leverkusen, and both sides would guarantee their place in the knock-out stages with a win.
Should Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk lose at home to Real Sociedad in the section’s other game, United and Leverkusen would progress with a draw.
MADRID: Real Madrid will almost certainly be without Cristiano Ronaldo as they look to mathematically seal their place in the Champions League last 16 at home to Galatasaray on Wednesday. The Spanish giants are virtually already in the knockout stage as they would need to lose their remaining two games heavily having beaten Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen 6-1 and 4-0 respectively on matchday one and two. However, they can also guarantee first place.