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Juventus are set to welcome Olympique Lyon to Turin in a crunch UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie.
The Bianconeri travelled to the Parc Olympique Lyonnais late in February and fell to a torrid 1-0 defeat at the hands of Rudi Garcia's men. The Italians saw the lion's share of the ball and had 14 shots on the night, but not a single one of them was on target.
Houssem Aouar masterminded an excellent delivery into the box to find an unmarked Lucas Tousart in the box, who found the top corner to give Lyon the lead. The hosts kept their shape and discipline throughout the game, leading to a frustrating evening for Maurizio Sarri's Bianconeri.
On Friday, they would hope to make amends for their lacklustre display in France and overturn a 1-0 deficit in the second leg. Here, we take a look at five key battles that could decide the outcome of the game.
#5 Federico Bernardeschi vs Fernando Marcal
Juventus are set to face Lyon without Brazilian star Douglas Costa, due to which Federico Bernardeschi is likely to feature on the right-hand side of Juve's attack. The Italian has seen more minutes under Sarri as the season wore on and has played in both attacking midfield and a wider role.
Marcal has been Lyon's go-to defender at left-back and will be tasked with keeping an out-of-sorts winger at bay. The tough-tackling Brazilian averages just under five tackles and interceptions a game in Ligue 1, and needs to cut off the supply to Cristiano Ronaldo and co in the middle from the right.
Bernardeschi, primarily left-footed, loves to cut in his left and drift centrally, creating space for either of Danilo or Cuadrado to overlap. Marcal will have to be alert to danger from both scenarios, and could very well find himself defending against both the Colombian and the Italian should Juve launch a precise counter. With Juventus the team likelier to push forward in numbers, Marcal could be in for a busy outing.
#4 Juan Cuadrado vs Memphis Depay
Lyon will be massively improved with the return of their talismanic leader, Memphis Depay. The Dutchman endured a few injury-laden months due to an ACL rupture which saw him miss just under 30 games for Lyon. However, upon his return, Lyon look a much more dangerous threat going forward.
Although he has played more centrally this year, he is likely to play a role off the left against Juventus. With a stacked midfield to nullify Juve's threats in the middle, Memphis could cut in from the left wreak havoc along with Moussa Dembele, the central striker. Should this be the case, his duel against Juan Cuadrado could, perhaps, be a crucial battle.
The Colombian has seamlessly taken to the role of right-back, and has done well in shutting out quick wingers on the flanks. Cuadrado has averaged over 3.5 tackles and interceptions per 90 in the UCL, and averaging just under 70 passes a game, he's proved to be a good outlet out wide. Memphis, who could go toe to toe with him, has scored five goals in as many UCL games, tallying 2.6 dribbles and 3.4 shots per game.
Memphis wasn't available for the first leg, and he would hope to impress potential buyers Borussia Dortmund with an impressive performance against Juventus.
Also read: Juventus vs Lyon preview, prediction, team news, and more | UEFA Champions League 2019-20
#3 Adrien Rabiot vs Bruno Guimaraes
Two new signings at both clubs, Rabiot left Paris Saint-Germain for Turin last summer and Guimaraes joined Lyon from the Brazilian top-flight for a reported €20m fee in January. Rabiot has started 21 Serie A games for the Bianconeri and has grown into a dependable presence in the middle of the park. The Frenchman's displays mainly since the restart have been commendable.
Despite being a new recruit, Bruno Guimaraes looks at ease playing in the French top-flight. The tough-tackling Brazilian has played just six competitive games for Lyon and has already established himself as a capable ball-winner in midfield with an eye for a pass. He's averaged four tackles and averaged 65 passes per game in the league.
WIth Juventus likelier to be the team pushing ahead on the pitch, Rabiot and Guimaraes are sure to cross each other's paths and contest in a battle that could play a key role. Disrupting the Brazilian's rhythm could affect Lyon's build-up play, stifling the visitors high up the pitch. Rabiot has shown a knack of driving into the opposition half with the ball, and Guimaraes could be vital in stopping the Frenchman in full flow. Rabiot also has prior experience playing against his former French rivals.
#2 Rodrigo Bentancur vs Houssem Aouar
It's the battle of two exciting young central midfielders as Aouar and Rodrigo Bentancur will lock horns in midfield. The performances of these two players could have a significant impact on their sides as both have played influential roles for Lyon and Juve, respectively.
The Frenchman was the chief architect for Garcia's side in the reverse fixture, continually threatening the Juventus defence with his runs, killer passes and off-the-ball movement. Aouar is an elegant dribbler with the ball, averaging a whopping 4.2 dribbles per game in his five UCL appearances. He would be tasked with more of the creative and ball-carrying duties from midfield, something his counterpart will have to stop.
Bentancur, on the other hand, is an all-action midfielder who does not mind doing the dirty work and winning the ball back for the Old Lady. The Uruguayan averages just under four tackles plus interceptions per game in the UCL, while committing 1.7 fouls. The two young midfielders would be one to keep an eye out for, as two distinctly different approaches to the game will indulge in a heated contest.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo vs Jason Denayer
Former Manchester City youth player Jason Denayer is undoubtedly tasked with the most challenging job of the evening — to keep Cristiano Ronaldo at bay. The imperious Juventus forward has been in stellar form, scoring 21 Serie A goals since the turn of the year after a questionable return in the first ten games of the season.
Denayer has been a rock at the back for Lyon, playing 25 of their 28 league games and contributing profoundly in building up play. The centre-back averages 64.1 passes per game at an accuracy of 94%, and will have to be wary of a lurking Cristiano in the final third. The Juventus forward has a record of scoring clutch goals in his favourite competition, leaving minimal margin for error if any on the evening.
Ronaldo has had an uncharacteristically poor UCL campaign so far, having scored just two goals across seven European games. The stage is set for the Portuguese football icon to atone for his lack of goals and fire Juventus to the next round. Denayer has a herculean task at hand, and would hope to shore up his defence for one of the most crucial nights of the season. After having already shut him out in the first leg, the 25-year-old is undoubtedly going to enter the reverse fixture with a certain amount of confidence.
Also read: Top 10 goalscorers in the race for the European Golden Shoe 2019-20
