Barcelona are aiming to finish first in their Uefa Champions League section once again, and to win all six games in a group stage for the second time, as Juventus come to the Camp Nou on Matchday 6.
The Spanish side have picked up a maximum 15 points in Group G, three of them from a 2-0 win in Turin, to hold a three-point lead over the Italian champions at the top of the table. With both teams already through to the round of 16, Barça will win their section for the 14th season in a row unless Juventus can score at least three goals and win by a margin that overturns their home defeat, taking them above their Spanish opponents on head-to-head record.
• On Matchday 2 Barcelona’s sixth away game at Juventus brought their first victory, Ousmane Dembélé (14) giving them an early lead before Lionel Messi sealed the points from the penalty spot (90+1) after Juve defender Merih Demiral had been sent off for a second yellow card.
Previous Meetings
The most high profile of the teams’ 12 meetings came five years ago in the 2015 Uefa Champions League final at the Olympiastadion, where Barcelona triumphed 3-1. Ivan Rakitic gave Luis Enrique’s side a fourth-minute lead and, though Álvaro Morata levelled for Massimiliano Allegri’s Juve ten minutes after halftime, Luis Suárez (68) and Neymar (90+7) sealed Barça’s fourth Uefa Champions League title in ten years.
Marc-André ter Stegen, Gerard Piqué, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Messi all started that final for Barcelona; in addition to current coach Andrea Pirlo, Juve’s line-up included Gianluigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci and goalscorer Morata.
The teams were also paired in the 2017/18 group stage with Messi scoring twice in Barcelona’s 3-0 victory in Spain before a goalless draw in Turin.
The Bianconeri laid the groundwork for their 2016/17 quarterfinal elimination of Barcelona in Turin, where two goals from Paulo Dybala (7, 22) were supplemented by Giorgio Chiellini’s strike (55). The second leg at the Camp Nou ended goalless.
The win in the 2015 final was Barcelona’s first victory against Juve since 1991. Then, Johan Cruyff’s charges beat a Juventus side coached by Gigi Maifredi 3-1 at home in their European Cup Winners’ Cup semifinal first leg, Hristo Stoichkov scoring twice, and held on to progress despite Roberto Baggio’s second-leg strike.
The teams’ first meetings came in the 1985/86 European Champion Clubs’ Cup quarterfinals when Barcelona again prevailed, Julio Alberto getting the only goal of the Camp Nou first leg. Barça struck first in the Turin return too, through Steve Archibald, and advanced despite Michel Platini’s 44th-minute equaliser.
However, Juve ousted the Blaugrana in the 2002/03 Uefa Champions League quarterfinals. The first game in Turin finished 1-1, before Juve substitute Marcelo Zalayeta scored in extra time at the Camp Nou to give Juve a 2-1 win on the night and 3-2 overall.
Barcelona hold the upper hand in the teams’ 12 encounters so far, having registered five wins, four draws and three defeats, with 15 goals scored and ten conceded.
Form Guide
Barcelona
In addition to the Matchday 2 win in Turin, Ronald Koeman’s side have beaten Ferencváros (5-1 h, 3-0 a) and Dynamo Kyiv (2-1 h, 4-0 a) in this season’s group stage and sealed their place in the round of 16 with two matches to spare.
Barcelona could therefore become the eighth team to win all six games in a Uefa Champions League group stage and, having already achieved the feat in the 2002/03 first group stage, the second club to do it twice after Real Madrid (2011/12, 2014/15). AC Milan (1992/93), Paris Saint-Germain (1994/95), Spartak Moskva (1995/96) and Bayern München (2019/20) also took maximum points in a group stage, although Bayern were the first of those teams to go on and lift the trophy.
Second in the Spanish Liga behind Real Madrid last season, this is Barcelona’s 25th Uefa Champions League campaign, a competition record they share with Madrid. They have now reached the round of 16 or better for the last 17 seasons, winning their group every year from 2007/08 onwards and a record 21 times in all. They are unbeaten in their last four group stage campaigns, including this one, and have come through their section undefeated a record 13 times. It is 20 years since Barça last failed to finish in the top two of their Uefa Champions League group.
Barcelona have not lost in the Uefa Champions League group stage since a 3-1 reverse at Manchester City on Matchday 4 in 2016/17. Their record since is W19 D6.
In 2019/20, Barcelona picked up 14 points to finish four clear of Borussia Dortmund in their section, collecting seven points both home and away.
Having replaced Ernesto Valverde with Quique Setién as coach, the Blaugrana then saw off Napoli in the round of 16 (1-1 a, 3-1 h), only to suffer their heaviest European loss in the quarterfinals in Lisbon as they went down 8-2 to Bayern.
That defeat was one of only three in Barcelona’s last 37 Uefa Champions League fixtures (W24 D10).
Barcelona are unbeaten in 38 Uefa Champions League home matches, a run that started in September 2013 (W34 D4); the 5-1 defeat of Lyon in the 2018/19 round of 16 second leg eclipsed the previous competition record of 29 set by Bayern between March 1998 and April 2002.
Barcelona have appeared in 13 successive Uefa Champions League quarterfinals, a competition record. They last failed to reach the last eight in 2006/07, the last season in which they failed to win their group.
Barcelona have been European champions on five occasions, most recently in 2015 after beating Juve 3-1 in the final. Koeman, who succeeded Setién as coach in August, scored the winner in their first final victory against Sampdoria in 1992.
Messi’s goal against Ferencváros on Matchday 1 made him the first player to score in 16 successive Uefa Champions League campaigns.
Already the youngest player to score in the Uefa Champions League, Ansu Fati was also on target at home against Ferencváros; Pedri’s strike meant for the first time in the competition’s history, two players under 18 had found the net in the same match.
Fati’s goal on Matchday 1, aged 17 years 355 days, made him the first player to score more than once in the Uefa Champions League before his 18th birthday.
Barcelona are unbeaten in their last seven games against Serie A sides (W5 D2).
The Blaugrana’s record at home to Serie A clubs is W19 D6 L2. They are unbeaten in their last 16 home fixtures against Italian visitors, winning 13, since losing 2-1 to Juventus in the 2002/03 quarterfinal second leg.
Juventus
Aside from the home defeat by Barcelona, Juve have won their other four Group G games, against Dynamo Kyiv (2- 0 a, 3-0 h) and Ferencváros (4-1 a, 2-1 h). Morata’s added-time winner in the latter game, in Turin on Matchday 4, sealed a place in the round of 16.
Cristiano Ronaldo was also on target against Ferencváros on Matchday 4 and has now found the net in 16 consecutive editions of the Uefa Champions League, matching the feat of Messi and Karim Benzema.
Morata is the joint leading scorer in this season’s Uefa Champions League with six goals – the same number as Erling Braut Haaland of Dortmund and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford.
Champions of Italy for a record ninth season in a row in 2019/20, and 36th time in all, this is Juve’s 21st Uefa Champions League campaign; they have now reached the last 16 in 18 of those seasons, 2020/21 marking the seventh successive campaign in which they have progressed to the knockout phase.
The Bianconeri, under Maurizio Sarri, finished first in their section ahead of Atlético de Madrid in last season’s competition having won five of their six fixtures (D1) but bowed out in the round of 16, eliminated by Lyon on away goals (0-1 a, 2-1 h).
The Turin team have finished first in their Uefa Champions League section on 13 occasions, including in each of the last two seasons.
Winners in 1985 and 1996, Juventus have played in nine European Cup finals – losing a record seven, including all of their last five.
Pirlo replaced Sarri as Juve coach on 8 August.
Juve have won four of their last five away European games (L1); the defeat at Lyon last season is their only reverse in the last seven such matches (W4 D2).
Despite the home defeat by Barcelona, Juve have won five of their last eight matches against Spanish clubs, home and away (D1 L2).
•The Bianconeri have, however, won only three of their last 11 games in Spain (D3 L5), letting slip a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Atlético on Matchday 1 last season. Their overall away record against Liga opposition is W6 D7 L17.
Links and Trivia
Miralem Pjanic left Juventus for Barcelona in the summer, having scored 22 goals in his 178 appearances for the Italian side. Pjanic won the Serie A title in each of his four seasons in Turin, adding the Coppa Italia in 2017 and 2018. He had played for Roma between 2011 and 2016.
Arthur, who had joined Barcelona in 2018, moved to Juventus in the summer having made 72 appearances in all competitions for the Blaugrana, winning the 2018/19 Liga title.
Goalkeeper Neto played for Juventus between 2015 and 2017, featuring 11 times in Serie A. He was a Fiorentina player between 2011 and 2015.
Ronaldo played for Real Madrid between 2009 and 2018. He has scored 18 goals in his 33 career appearances against Barcelona.
• Have also played in Spain:
Álvaro Morata (Real Madrid 2008–14 & 2016/17, Atlético de Madrid 2019–20)
Danilo (Real Madrid 2015–17)
• Has played in Italy:
Philippe Coutinho (Internazionale 2010–13)
In November 2019 Messi scored for Argentina in friendly games against Rodrigo Bentancur’s Uruguay (2-2) and a Brazil side fielding Danilo and Arthur (1-0).
Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in Portugal’s 3-3 draw against a Spain side including Piqué and Busquets in the group stage of the 2018 Fifa World Cup.
Piqué and Busquets converted spot kicks past Buffon as Spain beat Italy 7-6 on penalties in the 2013 Fifa Confederations Cup semifinal. Bonucci missed his penalty.
Alba scored past Buffon in Spain’s 4-0 victory over Italy in the Uefa EURO 2012 final. Piqué and Busquets were also in the Spain team while the Azzurri side included Bonucci and Chiellini as well as Pirlo.
• Have played together:
Frenkie de Jong & Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax 2016–19)
Miralem Pjanic & Wojciech Szczesny (Roma 2015/16)
• International teammates:
Sergio Busquets, Sergi Roberto, Ansu Fati & Álvaro Morata (Spain)
Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembélé, Clément Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti & Adrien Rabiot (France)
Lionel Messi & Paulo Dybala (Argentina)
Weston McKennie & Sergiño Dest (United States)
Philippe Coutinho & Arthur, Alex Sandro, Danilo (Brazil)
Francisco Trincão & Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Frenkie de Jong & Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands)
Latest news
Barcelona
Barça went down 2-1 at Cádiz on Saturday, already their fourth Liga defeat of the season. They have 14 points from their first ten league games in 2020/21 (W4 D2), their lowest total at this stage since the Liga adopted three points for a win in 1995/96. Converted to three points for a win, this is their lowest total at this stage since 1987/88 (W4 D1).
Martin Braithwaite had scored in three successive games, four goals in total, before drawing a blank at the weekend; his first 17 appearances for the club brought one goal.
Antoine Griezmann had also found the net in three successive games before the weekend, and has three goals in his last five Liga matches, as many as in his previous 25 games.
Sergiño Dest became the first American to play for Barcelona when he made his debut as a substitute in a 1-1 home draw against Sevilla on 4 October.
Ansu Fati has scored four goals in seven Liga appearances this season. His goal in a 3-1 defeat against Real Madrid on 24 October, aged 17 years 359 days, made him the youngest scorer in the Clásico in the 21st century.
Gerard Piqué suffered a knee injury in the 1-0 defeat at Atlético de Madrid on 21 November and has not played since.
Sergi Roberto (thigh) has also been out since that loss at Atlético, when he was replaced in the second half.
Fati ruptured the internal meniscus in his left knee in a 5-2 win against Betis on 7 November and is expected to be sidelined for four months.
Ronald Araújo suffered a hamstring injury at Juventus on Matchday 2 and has not played since, although he was an unused substitute at the weekend.
Samuel Umtiti has been out since June because of a knee problem.
Marc-André ter Stegen returned after a knee injury against Dynamo on Matchday 3, his first appearance since the 8-2 Uefa Champions League quarterfinal defeat to Bayern on 14 August.
Roberto was the only Barcelona player to feature in Spain’s 6-0 victory over Germany in Seville on 17 November that secured their place at the Uefa Nations League Finals.
Lionel Messi is among the candidates for Uefa.com fans’ Men’s Team of the Year.
Juventus
Danilo made his 50th appearance in the Uefa Champions League, group stage to final, on Matchday 5.
Juve are still unbeaten in Serie A this season, winning five of their ten games. They scored twice in the final 13 minutes to beat city rivals Torino on Saturday, Juan Cuadrado setting up goals for Weston McKennie (77) and Leonardo Bonucci (89). It was McKennie’s first goal for Juve, and Bonucci’s first since the opening day of the Serie A season.
Cristiano Ronaldo drew a blank at the weekend having found the net in all of his previous five Serie A appearances this season, scoring eight goals in total.
Ronaldo’s goal against Dynamo on Matchday 5 was his 750th career strike.
Juve have drawn five league matches this season, the same as their total for the whole of the 2019/20 Serie A campaign.
Álvaro Morata has been directly involved in 13 of Juve’s 28 goals in all competitions this season (nine goals, four assists).
A 2-0 home win against Cagliari on 21 November is the Bianconeri’s only clean sheet in Serie A since the 3-0 win against Sampdoria in their first game of the season.
Dejan Kulusevski scored his first international goal in Sweden’s 2-1 Uefa Nations League win against Croatia on 14 November.
Ronaldo scored his 102nd goal for Portugal in the 7-0 defeat of Andorra on 11 November.
Federico Bernardeschi found the net as Italy beat Estonia 4-0 in an 11 November friendly.
Morata opened the scoring as Spain defeated Germany 6-0 on 17 November to reach the Uefa Nations League Finals.
Arthur was on target in Brazil’s 2-0 win away to Uruguay in 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifying on 18 November.
Bonucci withdrew from Italy’s squad for last month’s Uefa Nations League games due to a thigh injury, returning to action on Matchday 5.
Giorgio Chiellini has not played since Matchday 3 due to a thigh problem; Merih Demiral returned from a similar injury on Matchday 5, his first appearance since 21 November, only to suffer a recurrence of the problem and sit out the Torino game.
Gianluigi Buffon has missed Juve’s last four games with a muscle injury.
Ronaldo and Matthijs de Ligt are among the candidates for Uefa.com fans’ Men’s Team of the Year
