Juventus will face the biggest test of their season so far on Wednesday when they travel to the Spanish capital to face Champions League record champions Real Madrid in Matchday 3 of the League Phase at the Santiago
Bernabéu. Given the form of both teams and the unfortunate but clear gap in quality between the two squads, it’s not hyperbole to say that a Juve win on Wednesday would be almost a miracle.
Sunday’s loss at Como was dispiriting and concerning on many levels, and going to Madrid riding a six-game winless streak (even if five of those are draws) isn’t exactly filling Juve fans with much hope of pulling off an upset against Los Blancos.
But if they are to achieve the seemingly impossible, Juventus needs to know one thing: the right side will decide everything.
More specifically, the right side of Juve’s defense. That is where the biggest and most dangerous weapons on Xabi Alonso’s team like to be, where they combine for some pretty potent offense, and where Igor Tudor must pay the most attention when designing a gameplan.
The left side of Real Madrid’s attack has Vinicius Junior, who is rounding into form after a very slow start to the season, left-back Álvaro Carreras who has been one of the best full-backs in Europe since joing Madrid, and Kylian Mbappe, who starts through the middle but naturally drifts to the left flank where he likes to receive the ball, cut inside and unleash devastating shots from anywhere in and around the box — including the penalty spot.
Alonso’s team has faced a mostly comfortable schedule so far in Spain and in Europe, and have been exposed in the only true big game they’ve played this season in a decisive 5-2 loss to city rivals Atlético Madrid, but the principles of his system have become very obvious: Xabi’s Real is built on high pressing, full control through possession, and plenty of quick interchanges between players with the goal of finding Mbappe in the best possible position to strike.
And a lot of their good work comes through the left where their best players tend to drift naturally, so it is absolutely imperative that Juventus have the right personnel and tactics to deal with all of the movement and quick passing that happens on that side while also paying attention to the off-ball running and quick switches of play that can catch teams off-guad, thanks to the passing quality of Kenan Yildiz’s international teammate Arda Güler, who has been the revelation of Madrid’s season so far.
Tudor’s challenge is to maintain a good defensive structure while also providing a threat going the other way, and picking the right personnel is even more important than the formation.
I believe the coach’s favorite 3-4-2-1 system might be a good fit for this matchup, given the fact Madrid have struggled somewhat against low blocks and back fives this season. All of their best players love to attack space, both vertically and laterally, and a low block with five across the backline might help slow down Madrid’s quick passing and force them to play a slower, more patient style that doesn’t really benefit their top players.
But an attacking threat is still needed to cause problems on the counter, and this game is tailor-made for Loïs Openda: his electric pace can create serious issues for a Madrid defense that struggles with speed, but the fact he has played a total of 20 minutes in the last three games doesn’t bode well for his chances of playing in this one.
Beyond all the tactical and personnel decisions that need to be made, however, Juve will also need a little bit of luck: games in the Bernabéu are notoriously hard to win, and the phrase “90 minutes at the Bernabéu is a very long time” exists for a reason, even if that reason isn’t exactly related to just what the players are doing.
The truth is Juventus face a monumental task on Wednesday, and their situation in the League Phase will get even more complicated if they can’t escape Madrid with at least a point, and any chance of pulling off the upset requires a tremendous defensive effort with a special focus on denying Real’s biggest threats when they move into the right side of Juve’s backline.
