Real Madrid vs Juventus: preview, predictions and line-ups

For the first time in seven years, Real Madrid and Juventus will face off on Europe’s biggest stage in front of a packed Santiago Bernabéu.

The two European giants have shared many Champions League battles over the years, dating back to their first fight in 1962. None were bigger than their clash in 2017, when Real Madrid beat Juventus to become the first and only team in history to win back-to-back Champions League titles.

A lot has changed since that night in Cardiff for both teams. When Real Madrid and Juventus met this summer in the round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup, the iconic clubs were full of new faces, both on the pitch and on the touchline.

Since Los Blancos’ 1-0 win in July, Xabi Alonso’s men have won 10 of their next 12 matches. The Old Lady, for her part, currently finds herself without a win in her last six matches before her very important trip to the Spanish capital.

Here is Sports Illustrated guide to the Champions League clash.

Real Madrid vs Juventus head-to-head record (last five matches)

Current form (all competitions)

As the Clásico approaches, Real Madrid will not take any risks with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal. Both full-backs have returned to training after a long absence, but they will still be missed against Juventus.

Dean Huijsen, Dani Ceballos and Antonio Rüdiger are also unavailable. David Alaba also joined the three players in the infirmary after the centre-back suffered a calf injury against Getafe on Sunday.

Alonso will therefore have to rely on Federico Valverde and Raúl Asencio to complete his backline. The new boss also faces a decision from Jude Bellingham: will the England international be named alongside Arda Güler, or is he rested for this weekend’s crucial clash against Barcelona?

Predicted line-up of Real Madrid against Juventus (4-3-3):Courteous; Valverde, Asencio, Militão, Carreras; Güler, Tchouaméni, Bellingham; Mastantuono, Mbappé, Vinícius Junior.

Juventus will experience an increase in injuries with the return of Fabio Miretti and Edon Zhegrova. Both players took part in training ahead of Wednesday’s clash and were officially part of Tudor’s squad.

The bad news for the Italian giants is that Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal remain sidelined with knee and thigh injuries respectively. Juventus have not won a game since Bremer became unavailable.

The pressure will be on 20-year-old Kenan Yıldız to produce another magical Champions League moment for the Old Lady. The Chelsea and Arsenal target shone against Dortmund, but has since gone five consecutive games without a goal.

Juventus predicted lineup against Real Madrid (3-4-2-1): DiGregorio; Gatti, Rugani, Kelly; Kalulu, Locatelli, Thuram, Cambiaso; Design, Yıldız; David.

Real Madrid have only been beaten once in all competitions this season and remain perfect in the Champions League under Alonso. On paper, a fight against Juventus promises to be a huge test for the Spanish giants, but the Old Lady’s recent form makes Wednesday’s clash a lopsided affair.

Juventus have dropped points in their last six matches, with their last victory dating back to September 13. Now pitted against a Real Madrid side, led by a seemingly unstoppable Kylian Mbappé, at the Santiago Bernabéu, the Serie A side are set to continue their recent struggles.

Prediction: Real Madrid 2-0 Juventus

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