Champions League Preview: Juventus - Maccabi Haifa

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Juventus celebrating (Grazia Neri)

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• Juventus
• Maccabi Haifa

Kick-Off: Wednesday, October 21. 20:45 CET
Stadio Olimpico, Turin

Juventus Desperate For A Win

Juventus are struggling domestically and on the continent. They have not won in five games in all competitions and, like Maccabi, are hoping to record their first win in the Champions League this season.

Juve have just two points to their name in Group A, so anything less than a win here will feed the critics with more ammunition. Like in Serie A, Juve are third in the standings, two points better off than Wednesday night's opponents.

The Old Lady's early-season momentum has gone. Draws against Bordeaux and Bayern in their first two games have raised eyebrows, but confidence is high at Vinovo.

Giorgio Chiellini, who is likely to start against the Israeli side, has underlined the importance of a win. A sense of deja vu has gripped the Turin-based club, with the stopper drawing parallels to last year's adventures against Real Madrid.

“We played the two games against Real Madrid, and that was when we turned it all around. It has to be like this now against Maccabi Haifa,” Chiellini said in the build up to the game.

"We have to play against Maccabi like we did against Real last year. This game and the next in Tel Aviv are fundamental, and we have to win.”

Maccabi are no Real Madrid, but the Israeli side will not lie down in Turin. Juve have never played against Haifa, but they did clash with Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2004. That game ended 1-0 to Juve, and it was Mauro Camoranesi who grabbed the winner. He should start here.

Mohamed Sissoko has some experience of Haifa. He was in the Liverpool side that beat them during the 2006-07 season.

Maccabi Haifa Looking To Make History

Haifa have no goals and no points to their name in the Champions League this season, yet they will be fully charged and eager to pour more misery onto a struggling Bianconeri side.

Elisha Levi's team are flying high domestically and are unbeaten in 18 matches. However, Europe is a very different story, and the Greens have a mountain to climb in Turin. Haifa made history back in 2002 when they became the first Israeli team to qualify for the Champions League. A win here would also go down in the record books.

Realistically, the Israeli side know their chances of qualifying for the next round are extremely slim. However, beating Juve would send shock waves through Europe, earning them new-found respect.

History is stacked again Levi's men though. They have never won in any of their previous four Champions League games away from home. They lost their last match on the road 1-0 to Bordeaux. Their opponents this week are unbeaten at home in this competition since 2004. Juve have drawn five and won ten since then, meaning Haifa will have to pull out all the stops here.

FORM GUIDE

Juventus

October 17 v Fiorentina (H) - DREW 1-1 (Serie A)

October 4 v Palermo (A) - LOST 2-0 (Serie A)

September 30 v Bayern Munich (A) - DREW 0-0 (Champions League)

September 27 v Bologna (H) - DREW 1-1 (Serie A)

September 23 v Genoa (A) - DREW 2-2 (Serie A)

Maccabi Haifa

October 17 v Hapoel Beer Sheva (A) - WON 3-1 (Ligat Al)

October 3 v Maccabi Petach Tikva (H) - WON 2-0 (Ligat Al)

September 29 v Bordeaux (A) - LOST 1-0 (Champions League)

September 23 v Hapoel Petah Tikva (A) - WON 3-1 (Toto Cup Ligat Al)

September 21 v Hapoel Tel Aviv (A) – WON 2-1(Toto Cup Ligat Al)

TEAM NEWS

Juventus

Hasan Salihamidzic is still unavailable due to injury. Alessandro Del Piero is still struggling with his adductor strain and Claudio Marchisio will not be back in action until late November after having knee surgery during the international break. Mohamed Sissoko returned from injury during the 1-1 draw with Fiorentina at the weekend. He is likely to start here.

Probable Starting XI: Buffon; Grygera, Cannavaro, Chiellini, Grosso; Camoranesi, Felipe Melo, Sissoko; Diego; Amauri, Iaquinta.

Maccabi Haifa

Eyal Meshumar and John Culma returned from injury at the weekend and are available for selection. Eyal Golasa is out with a hip complaint. Biram Kayal is suspended for two games. Captain Yaniv Katan is out of contention after having complained of a bout of flu against Hapoel Beer-Sheva. Amir Edri is still out, Tsepo Masilela and Shlomi Arbeitman are doubtful.

Probable Starting XI: Davidovitch, Masilela, Keinan, Meshumar, Teixeira, Boccoli, Culma, Dutra, Arbeitman, Dvalishvili, Ghadir.

Players To Watch

Juventus

Keep an eye on Amauri. He scored at the weekend, and will be confident of grabbing another. It was his first goal for the club since February. It will be interesting to see what he can do here.

Maccabi Haifa

Vladimir Dvalishvili will be the dangerman. The highly-rated Georgian hitman scored twice on Saturday against Hapoel Beer-Sheva and he will be eager to do the damage against the Old Lady.

PREDICTION

While Haifa will be expected to put up a fight, Juve are clear favourites for the win. Italian strength and quality should see the Old Lady prevail. Haifa's winless streak will continue.

Juventus 4-0 Maccabi Haifa

Salvatore Landolina, Goal.com