RB Leipzig v Juventus – Preview, Predictions and Best Bets

RB Leipzig hosts Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Red Bulls lost 2-1 to Atletico Madrid in their opening match, while Juventus beat PSV 3-1, although they have traditionally struggled in away matches in this competition.

RB Leipzig Form

RB Leipzig began their Bundesliga season with a 1-0 win over Bochum. A shocking 3-2 victory followed against Bayer Leverkusen, after trailing 2-0. They were outshot 26-8 in that comeback win. A disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Union Berlin followed, in which they missed a penalty.

In their first Champions League match, a 90th-minute goal saw the Red Bulls lose 2-1 away to Atletico Madrid. They were outshot 21-7 in a deserved defeat. Their struggles continued with a 0-0 draw at St. Pauli in the league. However, on Saturday, they returned to form with a 4-0 win over Augsburg, with 3.05 xG (expected goals).

RB Leipzig Team News

Central midfielder Xaver Schlager is out with a long-term knee injury. Young midfielder Forzan Assan Ouedraogo is doubtful with a knee complaint, while Eljif Elmas should be available after a knock.

Veteran midfielder Kevin Kampl has a groin problem and is expected to be out until after the FIFA break. Marco Rose may opt for either a 4-2-2-2 or a 3-4-3 formation. Antonio Nusa is hoping to start on the right if the former formation is selected.

RB Leipzig Motivation

The Red Bulls need a win after their late loss to Atletico Madrid. A high-energy style of play is expected.

If they use four attackers, expect an aggressive approach. If the coach opts for wingbacks and a back three, the strategy may be more reserved.

Juventus Form

Juventus has had an interesting start under Thiago Motta. In six Serie A matches, they have yet to concede a goal, though they’ve also had three goalless draws. After two 3-0 wins to start the season, they drew 0-0 at home against Roma and 0-0 away at Empoli.

Their 3-1 win over PSV was a strong start to the Champions League, as they posted 2.92 xG and created six big chances. However, their scoring issues in Serie A continued with a third-straight goalless stalemate at home to Napoli. On Saturday, their drought ended with a 3-0 win at home to Genoa.

Juventus Team News

Juventus will be without Timothy Weah due to an ankle injury. Arkadiusz Milik is also doubtful with a muscle injury.

It could be an unchanged starting XI from the weekend. Summer midfield signings Douglas Luiz and Khephren Thuram-Ulien may once again be left on the bench. Chico Conceicao will hope to start after scoring from the bench in the last match.

Juventus Motivation

Juventus is a possession-heavy side under their new coach. They will likely aim to control the tempo in Germany and slow the game down.

A draw would be a satisfactory result, and Motta may prioritize keeping a clean sheet.

Key Stats

RB Leipzig has lost just 1 of their last 18 matches in all competitions.

Both teams have scored in 10 of RB Leipzig’s last 11 home Champions League matches.

Juventus has kept 6 clean sheets in 7 matches this season.

Juventus has lost 4 of their last 5 away Champions League matches.

Verdict

This match is difficult to predict. RB Leipzig has the quality to win, and both teams are likely to score.

Best Bet: RB Leipzig win at 2.40

Alternate Bet: RB Leipzig win/draw double chance + Over 1.5 goals at 1.83

Value Bet: RB Leipzig win and both teams to score at 4.60

James O'Connor

James is a football analyst who writes about the tactics of the PSL and English Premier League. He holds the UEFA A coaching licence and has previously worked for several clubs in analysis roles.Twitter: https://twitter.com/footy_analysis