Real Madrid are the favorites. Not so much for what Xabi Alonso’s team has shown so far, but above all for what Juventus showed against Manchester City.
Especially at the back – and Savona, who was playing center back, won’t even be there – the Bianconeri have shown themselves to be a work in progress with players who don’t seem quite up to the task. Yes, it’s true, there is the pride of a team that certainly doesn’t want to start off already beaten, but it’s clear that there are major problems that Tudor certainly can’t solve in a short time. So, in addition to telling you – and predicting – how this match will end, let’s take a look at who could be the almost-booked player.
Real Madrid-Juventus predictions, our picks
Let’s start with Real Madrid and the first name is Alexander-Arnold. The right-back, who arrived from Liverpool on a free transfer, is a player who will have to contend with Juventus’s most in-form player, Yildiz. Called upon mainly in attack, Alexander-Arnold concedes a lot when not in possession, and the Turk could easily slip in there. And the Englishman will be forced to foul him.
He has always committed fouls. Rudiger. He is tough in defense, as we know, and never holds back. But even when he attacks the opponent’s goal, he is one of those who never gives anything away. In other words, he attacks with maximum force and on many occasions commits fouls even inside the opponent’s penalty area. He will have to deal with Kolo Muani, or with the runs of Conceicao and Yildiz. And he’s not one to mince his words. When he came on against Manchester City, in the space of a minute, maybe not even that, he committed two fouls. Thuram is a certainty in our selection. There is no other explanation for why he is a shoo-in for this team. Finally, we close with Kolo Muani, who, after making way for Vlahovic against City, will regain his starting role in the center of the attack. During his first appearances in this competition, he made six tackles against Wydad and, on his debut against Al Ain, he committed only one foul and made seven tackles. So yes, he will be the defensive player. Consequently, he will commit at least two fouls.