Igor Tudor anticipates a challenging encounter against Borussia Dortmund as Juventus begin their Champions League journey on Tuesday. Last season, under Thiago Motta, Juventus reached the knockout-stage play-offs but were eliminated by PSV with a 4-3 aggregate score, missing the last 16. Tudor, who took charge in March, led Juventus to a top-four finish and has started this season with three consecutive Serie A victories.
Tudor will be the fourth person to both play for and manage Juventus in the Champions League. He is eager to continue their positive momentum but acknowledges the difficulty of facing an in-form Dortmund side. "They are a great team, not only in Germany but also on the European stage," Tudor stated at a press conference. The match
will be held at home, and he expressed excitement about starting this prestigious competition.
Juventus recently secured a thrilling 4-3 victory over Inter Milan, thanks to Vasilije Adzic's stoppage-time goal. This win maintained their perfect start to the campaign. Despite this success, Tudor emphasised that they must focus on their next challenge against Dortmund rather than thinking too far ahead in the Champions League.
The upcoming match marks the 10th meeting between Juventus and Dortmund in European competitions. Historically, Juventus have won six of these encounters (D1 L2). Additionally, they have never lost an opening game of a European Cup/Champions League campaign at home (W11 D3), which might give them confidence heading into Tuesday's clash.
Manuel Locatelli highlighted the team's unity as crucial for success this season. "We're really pumped for our Champions League opener," Locatelli said. The squad's cohesion is seen as vital for achieving their goals in all competitions. He added that starting the season with clear ideas under Tudor's guidance has been beneficial.
Locatelli acknowledged that while they performed well against Inter, there are areas needing improvement. "We are at the start of our journey," he noted, emphasising that they have much progress to make together as a team.
The Allure of the Champions League
Tudor described the Champions League as "beautiful and fascinating," noting that players often forget fatigue when playing in such prestigious tournaments. He stressed that every player aims to participate because it is considered a privilege.
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Juventus aim high for the 2025-26 season after failing to secure any trophies last year. They aspire to go all the way in every competition they enter. Locatelli reiterated this ambition: "At Juventus, our goal is we must always try to go all the way. "
The anticipation builds as Juventus prepare for their opening match against Dortmund. With history on their side and a strong start under Tudor's leadership, they hope to make a significant impact in this year's Champions League campaign.
