Juventus return to Champions League action knowing that a win could push them ahead of Pafos in the tight race for a place in the top 24. The stakes feel high already, and this one has the look of a night that could shape both sides’ European futures.
Luciano Spalletti suffered his first defeat as Juventus manager at the weekend when Napoli edged them 2-1, ending a three-match winning run in all competitions.
That streak had included a dramatic 3-2 victory over Bodø/Glimt in their last Champions League outing, which was also Juve’s first win of the league phase after three draws and one loss.
Softfootball also predicted them to make light work of Udinese in the prematch reports, and they did so comfortably, winning 2-0 in the Coppa Italia.
Despite that progress, the numbers show how open their games have been, with Juventus one of only four teams to have scored and conceded at least ten goals in this season’s competition.
Pafos come into this game riding a wave of confidence. Their 4-0 league win on Friday stretched their unbeaten run to seven matches across all competitions. In Europe, they have already surprised many with a shock 1-0 win over Villarreal and a hard-fought 2-2 draw with Monaco.
Bayern Munich remain the only team to have beaten them so far in this league phase, which says plenty about their discipline and belief.
Just ahead of the encounter, Juventus has uploaded a preparatory video via their official X account.
Watch the video below:
This will be the first ever competitive meeting between these two sides, although Juventus have won all six of their previous European matches against Cypriot opposition by a heavy aggregate score.
Team News
Juventus head into the game with no fresh injury worries reported. That gives Spalletti more stability after a demanding run of fixtures. Pafos could be without midfielder Domingos Quina after he picked up an injury in their most recent league win and remains a doubt.
Possible Lineups
Juventus: Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Kelly, Koopmeiners; McKennie, Locatelli, Thuram, Cambiaso; Conceicao, Yildiz; David
Pafos: Michael; Bruno, Luiz, Luckassen, Goldar; Sunjic, Pepe; Jaja, Dragomir, Orsic; Anderson
Softfootball’s Prediction
Juventus usually find a way at home in Europe, but Pafos have already shown they are tough to beat. With both sides level on points and neither keen to overcommit, this might stay tight for long spells. Still, the hosts’ experience could just tilt it their way.
Prediction: Juventus 2-1 Pafos
