Juventus vs Malmo

Thursday’s UEFA Champions League action kicks off at the Allianz Stadium as Juventus meet Group H basement boys Malmo in a group stage finale.

Barring a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Chelsea last time out, Juventus have won their remaining four Champions League Group H games by an aggregate score of 9-2, including a 3-0 downing of Malmo in the reverse fixture. Hot favorites to maintain their 100% record against this opposition in European football (W3), Juventus are looking to snatch pole position in the group. Level on points with current table-toppers Chelsea, ‘I Bianconeri’ need to better Chelsea’s result against Zenit to qualify for the knock-outs with seeded status. The record-time Italian champions have won each of their last five home matches in the Champions League, their second-longest such run in the competition in the 21st century. Coming into this matchday, Massimiliano Allegri’s side cruised to a 2-0 Serie A triumph over Genoa without allowing a single shot on goal.

On the other hand, Malmo turned a 1-0 half-time lead into a 1-1 draw against Zenit last time out, posting their first Champions League points this season following a stuttering four-game losing Group H start. Soren Rieks’ first-half strike in that match was Malmo’s first goal in the Champions League proper this term, though they’ve now conceded at least one second-half goal in their last four outings in the competition. Amongst sides to have played 25+ away matches in Europe’s elite competition, only AEK Athens (4%) lament a worse win percentage than Malmo (7%). Moreover, the Swedes have only won one of their last eight Champions League meetings with Italian opposition (D2, L5), thereby expecting them to go back-to-back Champions League matches without losing for the first time since 1990 is a bit far-fetched.

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