Champions League Group B: Real look to seal top spot whilst Juventus desperately need a win against Copenhagen
Real Madrid touted as comfortable 1/3 favourites to defeat Galatasaray and win Group B as Juventus needs a win against Copenhagen to avoid elimination from the competition.
Having already sealed their spot in the last 16, Real Madrid will look to seal the group win with a victory over Turkish champions Galatasaray at the Bernabeu.
Real are already six points clear at the top of the table and they will need just a point to secure themselves a seeded place in the draw for the last 16.
Real |
1/3 |
Draw |
5/1 |
Galatasaray |
9/1 |
However, Carlo Ancelotti’s side will have to get the job done without key talisman Cristiano Ronaldo who is going to miss the game with a thigh strain picked up in Saturday’s win over Almeria.
Ronaldo will be joined by Sami Khedira and Fabio Coentrao in the stands which could give the likes of Jese and Isco the chance to sign in attack whilst Gareth Bale moves into defence to fill the hole left by Coentrao.
For Galatasaray, there is a huge need to get something for the game as the Turkish side sit joint second in the Group B standings as they look to gain momentum in the race for the final qualification spot.
However, the Turkish side will have to get the job done without some of their biggest names as Wesley Sneijder, Hamit Altintop and Semih Kaya are all absent from the game.
It means that they will once again rely on Ivorian superstar Didier Drogba to try and get the job done as he faces against his old boss Carlo Ancelotti for the first time since 2011 when they were together at Chelsea.
Heading east, there is much more on the line in Turin where Juventus need to beat Danish Superliga champions Copenhagen knowing that a loss could eliminate them from the competition altogether.
Juventus are surprisingly bottom of Group B having yet to win a game in the group stages however the three points could put them two points clear of Copenhagen and Galatasaray with one game remaining.
The reigning Serie A champions have been hit by injuries with Andrea Barzagli, Simone Pepe and Sebastian Giovinco all ruled of the tie forcing Antonio Conte to look at other options such as Angelo Ogbonna and Martin Caceres to fill in the gaps.
Copenhagen sit one point ahead of the Italian giants and the Danish side will hope that the experience of Daniel Braaten and the good form of Thomas Delaney will be enough to help them pick up a much needed point in Italy.
As Real Madrid look to ease their way into the last 16, Juventus will need to give everything they got to qualify as two of Europe’s biggest names experience contrasting fortunes in the Champions League.
