With playoff places on the line, two former European Cup winners meet on Wednesday evening, as Juventus and Benfica clash in the Champions League.
Coming into the league-phase finale, Juve have already confirmed a place in the knockout rounds but are one point shy of the top eight, while last week's incredible loss to Barcelona means Benfica could still be eliminated.
Match preview
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Juventus may have claimed 12 points from seven games so far, but after winning their first two fixtures in the inaugural league phase, the Italian giants have managed just a single success from the next five - most recently drawing 0-0 away to Club Brugge.
That result in Belgium was Juve's 16th stalemate across all competitions this season, and more than half of their matches have ended all square; however, only victory will do if they are to snatch automatic entry into the Champions League's last 16.
Amid a sea of draws, Thiago Motta's men have at least proven tough to beat, but they suffered a third loss of the 2024-25 campaign last weekend, when former Juventus boss Antonio Conte led his current club to maximum points at Stadio Maradona.
The Bianconeri's first Serie A defeat of the season came at the hands of league leaders Napoli, despite a debut goal from new signing Randal Kolo Muani, who had only completed his loan move from Paris Saint-Germain a few days earlier.
Not only did that setback against one of their traditional rivals leave them fifth in the domestic standings, but it also confirmed a certain frailty.
Motta's side have now let some 17 points slip through their fingers, leaving the ex-Bologna boss with the third-lowest win percentage of any permanent manager in the Turin club's history.
Now, his team head into a vital continental contest against bogey club Benfica, to whom Juventus have lost six times in eight previous meetings - they have only been beaten by Real Madrid more times in UEFA competition.
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Stretching back to a European Cup semi-final starring Eusebio in the late 1960s, Benfica have a 100% record against Juventus in Europe's top club tournament, and they will be desperate to extend it on Wednesday.
Only three points will confirm beyond all doubt that their current Champions League journey can continue into the knockout stage - any other result may see them miss out on the top 24.
It could have been a very different story, but last week's extraordinary defeat at home to Barcelona has left the Portuguese side in such a sticky situation.
In control at half time, thanks to a Vangelis Pavlidis hat-trick, they imploded during the final minutes, as Barca surged back from 4-2 down to win 5-4 at a stunned Estadio da Luz.
As a result, Benfica became just the second team to score four times and lose in the Champions League - the last instance was Legia Warsaw's 8-4 loss to Borussia Dortmund in 2016 - and they slipped to a precarious 21st position in the table.
Bruno Lage's side may have scored 14 goals in seven matches so far - beating Atletico Madrid and Monaco along the way - but they have now shipped 12, amid a run of one win from their last five European fixtures.
Domestic form has become an issue, too. The Eagles are still in contention for a treble - after winning an eighth Taca da Liga by beating Lisbon rivals Sporting CP, and progressing to the Portuguese Cup quarter-finals - but they have recently lost two of their last three Primeira Liga matches.
On Saturday, Casa Pia pulled off a shock 3-1 win that put a significant dent in Benfica's title hopes, despite Angel Di Maria putting them in front; now six points adrift of top spot, they have won only five of their last 11 games across all competitions.
Team News
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After boldly throwing Randal Kolo Muani straight into a Serie A grudge match against Napoli, Thiago Motta must look elsewhere for his central striker on Wednesday, as the French forward is not eligible to play for Juventus in the league phase.
Due to what Motta has termed "technical issues", top scorer Dusan Vlahovic has found himself out of favour - despite netting four goals in six Champions League games this term - so Nico Gonzalez may again operate as a false nine, as he did against Club Brugge.
The hosts' attacking options have recently been boosted by Kenan Yildiz and Francisco Conceicao returning from injury, which only leaves long-term absentees Arkadiusz Milik, Juan Cabal and Bremer on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Benfica's front line should be led by Vangelis Pavlidis, who last week became just the fifth player in Champions League history to score a hat-trick and end up on the losing side.
The Lisbon club's top scorer this season - with 14 goals in 29 games - Angel Di Maria had a one-season stay with Juventus two years ago, in addition to playing alongside Motta at PSG between 2015 and 2018.
Once again, Bruno Lage will be without Tiago Gouveia (knee) and Renato Sanches (thigh) through injury; Alvaro Carreras and Arthur Cabral are both suspended.
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Di Gregorio; McKennie, Kalulu, Gatti, Cambiaso; Luiz, Thuram; Yildiz, Koopmeiners, Mbangula; Gonzalez
Benfica possible starting lineup:
Trubin; Araujo, Otamendi, Silva, Bah; Aursnes, Luis; Di Maria, Kokcu, Schjelderup; Pavlidis
We say: Juventus 2-1 Benfica
Benfica are averaging two goals per game in this season's Champions League, but Juventus can usually keep things tight - it is just a matter of whether they find any rhythm in the final third.
If the hosts are able to break through a suspect visiting defence, then they should go on to win, leaving the endangered Eagles awaiting news from elsewhere.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
