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#3 Andrea Pirlo's managerial inexperience
Andrea Pirlo was handed the reins of Juventus despite the former player having no prior experience in senior club management.
To his credit, the 2006 FIFA World Cup winner kickstarted his managerial stint with a convincing win over Sampdoria. However, much of that early momentum seems to have petered out as the Bianconeri are yet to find their feet under their new manager.
It may be very early days in his managerial career but Pirlo's tactics have generally elicited mixed reactions from experts and former players.
The former Juventus player, who has spoken about a possession-based playing philosophy, has drawn mild criticism for asking some experienced players in the team to don unnatural roles. A high defensive back-line has seen the likes of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci susceptible to quick counter-attacks from the opposition.
Moreover, Pirlo's penchant for playing attacking football has meant that Juventus have struggled to maintain their shape and track back when possession gets lost. An experienced tactician like Ronald Koeman might expose the chinks in Pirlo's armour, something that augurs well for Barcelona's chances of coming out with a positive result on the night.
Also check out: Updated Champions League Winners List
#4 Juventus' new arrivals haven't yet had the desired impact
Arthur Melo was touted to walk into the Juventus starting XI after arriving in a swap deal with Barcelona that saw Miralem Pjanic go the other way.
However, the Brazilian midfielder has made a slow start to life in Turin. He is yet to convince Pirlo, who has said that Arthur tends to hold on to the ball for too long, and will need more time to adapt to Italian football.
Another new arrival, Weston McKennie, has also not hit the ground running at Juventus. The player could miss the game against Barcelona.
#5 The absence of Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably one of the greatest players to have played the sport. Since his arrival at Juventus in the summer of 2018, the Portugal captain has scored goals galore for the Bianconeri.
Ronaldo made a blistering start to the new campaign by scoring thrice in his first two games of the season. However, the 35-year-old tested positive for COVID-19 while on international duty with Portugal, which has meant that Ronaldo is yet to play in the Champions League this season.
After Juventus failed to submit a negative test of the player to UEFA, Ronaldo is ruled out of the Barcelona game, something that would severely inhibit the Bianconeri's threat in the attacking third despite Alvaro Morata being in fine form.
Ronaldo's absence means that he will have to wait till the return fixture in December to score his first-ever Champions League goal against Barcelona. Meanwhile, Ronald Koeman and the Blaugrana would breathe easy as they won't have Ronaldo to contend with.
Also check out: Champions League Draws 2020/21
