Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Preview: Barcelona vs. Juventus - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 24 July 2022, 13:02
Barcelona will be looking to make it four wins from their opening four pre-season matches this summer when they take on Italian giants Juventus on Tuesday night.

The Catalan giants will enter the contest off the back of a 1-0 victory over Real Madrid on Saturday evening, while Juventus opened their preparations for the new season with a 2-0 success over Guadalajara.

Match preview

Barcelona started their preparations for the new season with a 1-1 draw against Olot on July 13 before heading out to North America for their pre-season tour, and Xavi's side opened their schedule with an impressive 6-0 victory over Phil Neville's Inter Miami side on July 19.

The Catalan giants then had the small matter of a Clasico with Real Madrid in Las Vegas on Saturday evening, with Raphinha's first-half strike proving to be the difference between the two sides.

Robert Lewandowski led the Barcelona attack, with the Poland international playing the opening 45 minutes following his arrival from Bayern Munich, while there was also a spot for fellow new signing Andreas Christensen at the heart of the defence.

Franck Kessie was also involved, with the Ivorian making a strong impression in the early stages of his time at the club, and Barcelona will now face Juventus and New York Red Bulls in their final two friendlies on tour before taking on Pumas UNAM in the Joan Gamper Trophy on August 7.

Xavi's side will begin their 2022-23 La Liga campaign at home to Rayo Vallecano on July 13, meanwhile, and they will be looking to improve on what was a largely disappointing 2021-22 season, having finished second in Spain's top flight, 13 points behind the champions Real Madrid.

Juventus, meanwhile, started their preparations for the new campaign with a 2-0 victory over Mexican outfit Guadalajara on Friday night.

Marco Da Graca and Mattia Compagnon scored the goals for the Old Lady, who are building towards their 2022-23 Serie A opener against Sassuolo on August 15.

Massimiliano Allegri's side will face Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in their final three friendlies of the summer, and like their opponents here, the team will be looking to improve on last season, having finished fourth in Serie A, 16 points behind the champions AC Milan.

Juventus have brought in Bremer, Federico Chiesa, Andrea Cambiaso, Paul Pogba and Angel Di Maria this summer, while Matthijs de Ligt has been their major outgoing, with the Netherlands international making the move to Bayern Munich in a £60m deal.

The Old Lady are still attempting to improve their squad for the new season, where they be looking to return to the top of Italian football once again, in addition to being competitive in the Champions League.

Barcelona friendlies form:

Barcelona form (all competitions):

Juventus friendlies form:

Juventus form (all competitions):

Team News

Barcelona boss Xavi is unlikely to make many changes from the side that started against Real Madrid in El Clasico, as a number of the players only played 45 or 62 minutes.

Kessie could come back into the midfield, though, with the Ivorian potentially replacing Gavi, while Sergino Dest might be given a start at right-back, with Ronald Araujo moving inside.

Ousmane Dembele and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will both be pushing for starts, but Raphinha, Lewandowski and Ansu Fati could continue as the front three.

Meanwhile, there is unlikely to be a starting role for Frenkie de Jong, as the Netherlands international continues to be linked with a move to Manchester United.

As for Juventus, head coach Allegri is expected to make changes to the side that started against Guadalajara, with summer arrivals Pogba and Bremer likely to come into the XI.

Leonardo Bonucci and Dusan Vlahovic were unused substitutes in the team's first friendly of the summer, but the pair are expected to be in the side against Barcelona.

Denis Zakaria could also come into the midfield, but there are not likely to be alterations in the full-back areas, with Juan Cuadrado and Alex Sandro set to continue in the side.

Barcelona possible starting lineup:

Ter Stegen; Dest, Christensen, Araujo, Alba; Kessie, Busquets, Pedri; Fati, Lewandowski, Raphinha

Juventus possible starting lineup:

Sczcesny; Cuadrado, Bremer, Bonucci, Sandro; Locatelli, Pogba, Zakaria; Di Maria, Vlahovic, Kean

We say: Barcelona 2-1 Juventus

Both managers will again make wholesale changes throughout this contest, so it is difficult to know exactly what to expect on Tuesday, but Barcelona have been in strong form during pre-season, and we are tipping the Catalan outfit to record a 2-1 win in Texas.

Previews by email

Top News

20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool Women will get their Women's Super League campaign up and running when they play host to Leicester City Women on Sunday. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayer Leverkusen were triumphant in their Champions League return last Thursday and will be hoping to win their third consecutive game on Sunday when they host Wolfsburg at BayArena in their fourth Bundesliga match of the season. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk St Pauli will aim to pick up their first points of the season on Sunday when they host RB Leipzig at Millerntor-Stadion in the Bundesliga. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Stuttgart will hope to earn their second win of the Bundesliga season against Nuri Sahin's Borussia Dortmund on Sunday at MHPArena. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is supposedly giving consideration to an exit from the Emirates Stadium in January amid his injury torment. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United supposedly failed with an attempt to bring Xavi Simons to Old Trafford over the summer before his loan return to RB Leipzig. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has praised Marcus Rashford for changing his "lifestyle" and "attitude" as he hits a rich vein of form for the Red Devils. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Off the back of two defeats in the space of three days, Heerenveen will go in search of a much-needed lift when they welcome Groningen to the Abe Lenstra Stadion on Sunday. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The inaugural edition of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup kicks off with a first-round clash between UAE's Al-Ain and New Zealand's Auckland City FC on Saturday, with the hosts entering the tournament as reigning AFC Champions League winners after overcoming formidable opponents like Al Nassr and Al Hilal on their path to victory. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brest return to domestic matters after a historic midweek win when they host Toulouse at the Stade Francis-Le Ble on Sunday. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur could match an unwanted club losing streak should they fall to defeat against Brentford in Saturday's Premier League London derby. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fortuna Sittard will be in for a stern test this Sunday when they host free-scoring PSV Eindhoven at Fortuna Sittard Stadion in gameweek six of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid will be aiming to make it four straight wins in all competitions when they welcome Espanyol to Bernabeu in La Liga on Saturday night. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Adi Hutter's in-form, confident Monaco side welcome Le Havre to the Stade Louis II for a Ligue 1 clash on Sunday afternoon. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid will reportedly make an attempt to appoint Xabi Alonso as their new head coach next summer despite Carlo Ancelotti's ongoing success at the helm. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid are reportedly at the head of the queue for Bayer Leverkusen attacker Florian Wirtz, with the Spanish and European champions confident of winning the race for his signature. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Feyenoord will be looking to bounce back from their midweek disappointment when they return to the Eredivisie to face NAC Breda at Stadion Feijenoord on Sunday afternoon. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fresh from kicking off their Champions League adventures with respective goalless stalemates - although certainly not uneventful ones - Manchester City and Arsenal cross paths in Sunday's Premier League blockbuster at the Etihad Stadium. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United defender Tyrell Malacia was able to take part in the warm-up section of his team's training session on Friday, as the Dutchman stepped up his recovery from a serious knee injury. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday evening. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Last season's Premier League top two collide in a heavyweight affair at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon, when Manchester City and Arsenal battle for first place and bragging rights. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal Women will kick off their Women's Super League season with a mammoth clash against Manchester City Women at the Emirates Stadium. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Atletico Madrid will be aiming to make it four straight wins in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign with a clash against Rayo Vallecano at Campo de Futbol de Vallecas on Sunday night. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid have reportedly highlighted Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi as a strong alternative to Rodri, should they miss out on a move for the Manchester City man. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Gameweek five of Sports Mole's weekly Premier League prediction sees us take on Kav Sandhu, member of Blitz Vega and former guitarist in the Happy Mondays - a notoriously Manchester United-supporting band. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Athletic Bilbao will be aiming to make it three straight La Liga victories when they welcome Celta Vigo to San Mames on Sunday afternoon. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Having made their worst start to a season since 2018, AC Milan will try to halt Inter Milan's six-game winning streak in the Derby della Madonnina when the two teams convene at San Siro on Sunday evening. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Newcastle United have reportedly tabled a new contract offer in front of Anthony Gordon in the hope of fighting off interest from Liverpool for the young winger. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Newcastle United have reportedly tabled a new contract offer in front of Anthony Gordon in the hope of fighting off interest from Liverpool for the young winger. 20 September 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery has admitted that Jhon Duran is "close" to making his first start of the season.