‘We need a good team performance’

Following the defeat against the Russian club, Bayer 04 sporting managing director Rudi Völler admitted the situation in the group was much more difficult ahead of the flight to Italy. The Werkself are already under pressure to perform ahead of the clash with the Italian serial champions and team currently second in Serie A: “Now we have to produce an absolutely top performance away to the big favourites and try to get a result.”

Peter Bosz shares that assessment. ”We set out to win our home game against (Lokomotiv) Moscow. That didn’t work. Now we have to get the points from elsewhere. And tomorrow is the first chance,” said the Werkself head coach at the press conference before the away game at the ultra-modern Juventus Stadium (41,507 capacity) rebuilt eight years ago.

According to Bosz, a disciplined team performance is the primary requirement against the star-studded squad coached by Maurizio Sarri, who won the Europa League with Chelsea in May. That was also the view of Lukas Hradecky, who was sat next to the 55-year-old at the press conference: “We know we face a tough challenge tomorrow. We have to keep it tight at the back and leave as little space as possible for Ronaldo, Pjanic, Higuain and all the others.” The Werkself number one has no fear of the Champions League finalists of 2015 and 2017: “Our primary focus is for us to produce a good performance. And if we can do that then anything is possible.”

Bosz only missing Bailey

It is common knowledge Juventus are strong at home: The last time the Black and Whites lost a match in front of their own fans was back in April of this year: A 2-1 defeat in the quarter-final tie against Ajax that meant going out of Europe’s elite club competition. A look at the stats reveals: Juventus have never lost twice in succession at home in the Champions League. The Werkself could be the first to make that happen: The Turin team have lost three of their last six home games on the European stage – exactly as many as in the previous 65 European home games.

For this third meeting with the Old Lady, Peter Bosz is only missing Leon Bailey due to injury. Karim Bellarabi, who was sidelined for the Augsburg game, has recovered from a viral infection and was on the flight to Turin along with Joel Pohjanpalo who was back in the Werkself squad on Saturday for the first time in 599 days.