Monchengladbach vs Juventus - Juventus eyeing Monchengladbach scalp to book Champions League last-16 spot

Posted Monday, November 02, 2015 by PA

Juventus travel to Germany to face Borussia Monchengladbach on Tuesday knowing that if results go their way they will book a Champions League last 16 place with two games to spare.

The defending Serie A champions, last season's beaten finalists, have clinched seven points out of a possible nine to lead Group D.

Juve, who won 2-1 at Manchester City before beating Sevilla 2-0, were held to a goalless draw by Gladbach a fortnight ago.

A victory on Tuesday coupled with a Sevilla defeat at home to Manchester City in the other pool game would see Juve seal a spot in the next round.

"We will be fighting for the three points, which will allow us to put more than one foot in the knockout stages," Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio said on his club's official website. "That is our minimum aim."

Juve, coached by Massimiliano Allegri, go into the contest in high spirits after Juan Cuadrado's last-gasp goal handed the Bianconeri a 2-1 win over Torino in Saturday's city derby.

It was the Bianconeri's fourth triumph in Serie A, a result that lifted them to 10th place.

They are nine points adrift of joint leaders Fiorentina and Inter Milan.

"It didn't matter how we won, it was just important that we got the three points," Marchisio said. "We now need to build on this result in order to achieve our objectives this term."

Gladbach need a victory to revive any hopes of reaching the knockout round.

The draw at Juve was their first point in the group stages and left Gladbach at the foot of the standings, six points adrift of Tuesday's rivals.

The German team had a tough start to their Bundesliga campaign, too, losing their opening five league games.

However, under caretaker coach Andre Schubert, they have hit back with six straight wins in the Bundesliga and Saturday's 4-1 triumph at Hertha Berlin lifted Gladbach to fifth place - 13 points adrift of pacesetters Bayern Munich.

"I think we have a new sort of energy," Gladbach midfielder Havard Nordtveit told his club's official website. "We're confident; we do our own thing, we press hard and make life tough for the opposition.

"We're scoring a lot of goals too.

"We're looking forward to what promises to be a special game.

"It's our second home match in the competition and the atmosphere will be excellent.

"I hope that we put in a good performance because if we do, anything can happen.

"Juventus won't underestimate us - they'll know that we have won six on the bounce in the league and will make life tough for them."

Marchisio is well aware of that.

"Going to Germany will be a completely different match," he said. "They've won their last six fixtures in the league and will have the advantage of playing in front of their home support."

The visitors will be bolstered by the return of defender Giorgio Chiellini from suspension while Martin Caceres, Roberto Pereyra and Stephan Lichtsteiner are all sidelined through injury.

Gladbach will not be at full strength at the Borussia-Park with Andre Hahn, Nico Schulz, Martin Stranzl and Patrick Herrmann, all out injured.