Juventus have their own domestic woes to deal with after being deducted 15 points because of financial irregularities.
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Juventus face a tricky Europa League test against French outfit Nantes in the first leg of the playoff round tie. The Thursday night fixture will be difficult to call despite the match taking place at Juventus Stadium. In an ideal scenario, Juventus would be the favourite to win a match of this magnitude in their own backyard. However, this is not an ideal situation and the Old Lady has problems both on and off the pitch. Hence, they would hope for some respite when they resume their European campaign on Thursday night.
The Italian giants did not play this competition from the start. Max Allegri’s side dropped down from the Champions League following an abysmal group phase. Juventus lost five Group H matches and could only manage three points from six games to finish third in the table. Besides, they have their own domestic woes to deal with after being deducted 15 points because of financial irregularities. With the team placed so far away from the top four positions in the Serie A table, Europa League presents them with a good opportunity to book a Champions League ticket.
Read More – Juventus vs Nantes: Europa League Live Stream, Form Guide, Head to Head, Schedule, Fixture and Probable Lineups
It is because the winners of this competition will get a direct entry into the Europe’s elite competition. Juventus are currently placed in the ninth spot in Serie A, having managed 29 points from 22 matches. On the other hand, Nantes have been doing quite well in recent weeks. They are capable of putting up a good fight against any opposition, hence the Italian side have to be at the top of their game on Thursday night. Overall, Nantes have 28 points from 23 games to be sitting 13th in Ligue 1.
There have not been too many official matches that have taken place between these two sides over the years. However, there is one interesting Champions League tie which they were part of in 1996. The intriguing two-legged semi-final tie had its moments to make it a memorable one for both supporters. Juventus had comfortably won the first leg at home 2-0. However, Nantes put up a terrific fightback in the second leg to win it 3-2 in their own backyard. Despite the setback, the Italians still held their nerve to win the tie 4-3 before going all the way to win the Champions League crown that year.
| Key Details | Stats |
|---|---|
| Total matches | 2 |
| Juventus won | 1 |
| Nantes won | 1 |
| Draws | – |
| Total Juventus goals | 4 |
| Total Nantes goals | 3 |
| Biggest Juventus win | 2-0 (1996) |
| Biggest Nantes win | 3-2 (1996) |
| Last 5 match-results | Score |
| Nantes beat Juventus | 3-2 |
| Juventus beat Nantes | 2-0 |
