UEL 2022-23: SC Freiburg vs Juventus: Predicted lineup, injury news, head-to-head, telecast

The Bianconeri travel to South-West Germany to defend a 1-0 lead from the first leg in the Europa League, Round of 16 tie.

Juventus have had a lot of misfortune both on and off the field with constant injuries to key players including Federico Chiesa and Paul Pogba. They have faced trouble off the field as well, incidents including the point deduction in the Italian League top flight. However, they've recently turned things around with a reliable defensive structure and creative outlets such as Di Maria and Kostic, becoming more prominent in Manager Allegri's attacking tactics.

They've scored 14 goals in the last six games in all competitions, including a 0-3 away win over Nantes in the last 32 of the Europa League. Juventus will be travelling to Freiburg with one goal lead from the first leg, having managed to keep a crucial clean sheet at home. They'll be confident that their form and experience, with the ambition to go all the way in the competition, will help them past their German opponents on Thursday.

Freiburg are enjoying a fantastic maiden campaign in the Europa League and finished unbeaten and top of Group G with 14 points (4W, 2D). They suffered their only defeat, in Turin last week, in a closer-than-anticipated encounter. However, they'll have to do more than the single shot on target last week and an expected goal (Xg) of 0.04, despite keeping 53% of the possession.

The German side is unbeaten in all second legs in European competitions as well as unbeaten in 18 games at home. They'll be needing all the support, luck, and a bit of extra quality on the night to overturn the deficit against arguably a much-stronger opponent in the Bianconeri.

Kick Off

Thursday, 16-03-2023, 11:15 PM (IST)

Thursday, 16-03-2023, 5:45 PM (GMT)

SC Freiburg form (all competitions): W-L-D-D-W

Juventus form (all competitions): W-W-L-W-W

Players to watch out for

SC Freiburg: Vincenzo Grifo

The Italy International has been the talisman for Freiburg and helped his side reach the Europa League (6th position) last season with 16 goals and assists combined in all competitions. He's already matched it this season's tally with 12 goals and four assists in all competitions including scoring twice in the group stages in the Europa League.

The set-piece expert will have to help his side, having scored 14 out of 16 penalties for his side. Grifo possesses lethal accuracy from free-kicks and will need to be decisive in set-piece opportunities whenever called upon.

Juventus: Angel Di Maria

Angel Di Maria has been a revelation in Europe this season for the Old Lady and has scored four goals in the last two knockout stage matches, including the winner last week against Freiburg at home in the first leg, and a hattrick against Nantes away from home in the Round of 32 second leg.

The newly crowned World Champion looks well-settled in the Juventus side who are chasing the only realistic silverware available to them currently in the form of the Europa League. They find themselves far away from the Scudetto title race in Italy. He'll have to be the difference maker yet again for Juventus to go through on the night and the key man to watch out for after being rested in the weekend against Sampdoria.

Match Facts

SC Freiburg are unbeaten in 18 home games.

SC Freiburg have never lost the 2nd leg of a European Cup knockout stage tie, with a record of (W2,D2).

Juventus have lost only once in the last nine outings against German sides, with a record of (W5,D3), with their last win coming against Bayer Leverkusen in 2019.

Juventus have gone through eight times out of nine European knockout matches, whenever they've ended up winning the first leg.

Team & Injury News

Freiburg will be without forward Kyereh (Cruciate ligament) and center back Phillip Lienhart (hip) for this fixture.

Juventus had hoped midfielder Pogba(adductor) could have been reintroduced in this crucial tie but has injured himself again. Forwards Milik (Muscle), Chiesa (Knee), and defender Alex Sandro (Tendon) are all likely to miss out as well in their travels to Germany.

Head to Head

Matches: 1

Juventus wins: 1

SC Freiburg wins: 0

Draws: 0

Juventus predicted lineup (3-5-1-1)

Szczesny - Danilo, Bonucci (c), Bremer - Cuadrado, Miretti, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic - Di Maria - Vlahovic

SC Freiburg predicted lineup (3-4-3)

Flekken - Kübler, Ginter, Gulde - Sildillia, Eggestein, Höfler, Günter (c) - Sallai, Gregoritsch, Grifo

Match Prediction

Freiburg will be looking to enjoy a home win on Thursday evening, as they host an Italian opponent for the first time in their club's history. They're in midst of their deepest-ever European knock-out stage experience and will be hoping that whatever result at the end of the evening can be reflected on as progress and history are made.

Hence, given their splendid home record and recent cup form, they'll be hoping to keep their European hopes alive for another knockout fixture of the Europa League.

Juventus have enough European pedigree and experience to get knocked out this early in the knockout stage of the Europa League, and it was reflected in their 0-3 away win over French side Nantes, in the Round of 32. They have captain Bonucci back in the starting lineup and the veteran defender with his leadership and defensive prowess will be crucial, if Juventus are to orchestrate a classic Italian defensive job (clean sheet), away from home, at the Europa Stadion.

Prediction: SC Freiburg 1 - 2 Juventus

Telecast

India – Sony Ten Network & Sony Liv App

USA – Paramount+

UK – BT Sports & BT Sport App

Nigeria – SuperSport