If anyone was going to get the better of it, it was them. Surely.

But no. Again, in its own way, with its knack for doing so, just as it had done to 25 others before them, it got the better of them.

Ninety-five agonising minutes had passed at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday when Filipe Luis shepherded the ball toward the Atletico Madrid touchline. Behind him, scrapping, fighting, Arda Turan threw his feet in and jostled for position. The end near, he had to keep going; it was this he’d specifically come here for, and he was desperate.

But it didn’t matter. 

In front of the Frente ultras who once adored him, Turan watched the ball roll out of play. His head dropped. He scratched it. He threw his arms down. 

For now, his dream would have to wait, the cruel irony striking. 

Nine months earlier, Turan had made the switch from Atletico to Barcelona with Europe’s biggest prize as his sole focus. “I’ve come to win the Champions League,” he told the media in July upon joining the club, whose latest honour at the time, claimed in Berlin against Juventus, stood as the one that had eluded him at the Calderon. 

For Turan, the move looked logical then with such a goal in mind, and still did as recently as Tuesday. In the hunt for European glory, he hadn’t joined just anyone; he joined Barcelona. This Barcelona.

The one that went 39 games unbeaten; that packs more punch in three forwards than most 20-plus-man squads do; that had vaporised most of Spain and Europe already; whose recent trip to London to face Arsenal was described by the Telegraph as “a kind of state visit”; whose aura, intimidation and superiority was undeniable; that was on course for history. 

But it didn’t matter.

Despite making the most obvious switch in the game for his particular dream, Turan watched the Champions League curse continue, his new team thwarted by his old one in a way he knew all too much about.

Ferocious, relentless, disciplined, the sophistication of their defensive scheme extraordinary, Atletico simply Atletico-ed their glamorous guests. Lionel Messi had no room to move. Ditto for Neymar. Luis Suarez couldn’t get involved. The midfield was sluggish, ponderous. Sapping the life out of them, Atleti left Barcelona with no spark, no joy. 

“CampeOFF,” ran the headline on the cover of Mundo Deportivo in a simple play on words. 

“Lost,” added Sport, depicting Barcelona players in the style of the TV programme with the same name. 

“Today it was not to be,” manager Luis Enrique told reporters. 

Not for them. Just like the 25 before them. 

Why? How? 

We’re now into the third decade of the Champions League in its current incarnation, and still no one has successfully defended the title. Not since AC Milan in 1990, when it was still the European Cup, has a team gone back-to-back on the continent. 

It’s become one of Europe’s curious quirks, not least because of the volume of powerful sides that have looked capable of pulling it off. Indeed, the Champions League era to date has witnessed two (perhaps three) waves of Barcelona dominance, a pair of great Manchester United sides, Real Madrid’s Galacticos, a treble-winning Bayern Munich, a sustained European assault by AC Milan, and the Ajax and Juventus outfits of the mid-1990s. 

Still, as title defences go: nothing. 

Why do these defences continue to crumble? How does this keep happening regardless of the who and the how good? Why hasn’t a single side in the Champions League era been able to match what Real Madrid, Benfica, Inter Milan, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and AC Milan all managed by going back-to-back prior to 1992? 

The obvious answer is that this is simply the nature of a cup competition, the randomness of the draw, and that the restructure 24 years ago for the formation of the Champions League as we know it has heightened the difficulty, stretching the demands and introducing more obstacles. 

“The Champions League is more and more competitive compared to the past,” Carlo Ancelotti recently told Goal. “When we won it in 1989 and 1990 there were not a lot of games to reach the final and to win, and not a lot of teams. In the past, there was only one team for each country, and now there are three or four.”

A five-time winner of the competition as a player and coach, Ancelotti would know. His is the prevailing view, too; going back-to-back requires the flawless navigation of six two-legged ties and two one-off finals across an 18-month period against the strongest crop there’s ever been. 

It’s some ask. 

And yet, doesn’t one major factor of the modern game suggest the task should be more achievable?

In the era of the super-club, Europe has never seen the sort of financial discrepancies among its clubs that it does now, nor the extreme concentrations of talent that exist in just a handful of locations.

In 2014-15, both Real Madrid and Barcelona posted revenue figures beyond £500 million, according to the Deloitte Football Money League. Not far behind was Bayern Munich, the sums almost double and in some cases triple those of other historically big clubs such Liverpool, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, Roma and Inter Milan. 

That financial dominance has been represented in the composition of the Champions League’s semi-finalists in recent years. Between 2010 and 2015, Barcelona, Madrid and Bayern occupied 15 of the competition’s 24 semi-final slots, which represents the least diversity at that stage in the tournament’s history.

Only Atletico‘s heroics on Wednesday prevented those clubs from taking three of another four this year. 

At the pointy end, this means competition of a dizzying standard, yes. But for the giants in the pack, it also means that the idea of a more extensive competitor list isn’t entirely true. Indeed, while from the group stage onward, the competition features 32 teams, then 16, then eight and then four, increasingly it’s trending in the direction of being a three-way fight. 

For Europe’s trio of behemoths, then—not coincidentally the last three champions—the odds should be pretty good. 

And yet, still it hasn’t mattered. 

In 2014, Bayern couldn’t defend their crown. 

In 2015, ditto for Real Madrid.

In 2016, ditto for Barcelona. 

It’s interesting to reflect on those three most recent failed title defences in particular, as a common theme exists across each of them at a time when the super-club era has intensified. 

For Bayern in 2014, by the time Madrid visited them for the second leg of their semi-final tie that April, they were on the wrong side of a peak. Already, they’d clinched the Bundesliga title with almost two months still to play, but from there, their incision and devastation faded. A draw and two defeats quickly followed in the league; in Europe, they were forced into a fight by the worst Manchester United side in recent memory.

For Pep Guardiola and his men, it had been a case of peaking too early. Headed the other way, Madrid butchered them, 4-0. “Munich burns, Lisbon awaits,” proclaimed AS. Bayern president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge labelled it a “slap in the face” and a “debacle” in his comments to the press.

Then Madrid went and experienced the same problem.

Taking the title from Bayern, Ancelotti‘s men went on a storming run, claiming the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup as well while also smashing records in a 22-game winning streak to conclude 2014. But then, like Bayern, they ran out of steam, first losing their vigour and then their clarity of purpose.

By the time Juventus arrived at the Bernabeu last May in the semi-finals, Madrid were shot. Then Barcelona took their title. 

And since, the process has repeated itself for them, too.

For the Catalans, recent weeks have felt as though all of it has finally caught up with them, “it” in this case meaning a relentless fixture list, problematic injuries, a small squad, a summer on the road and in the air, trophy after trophy to contest, the existence of the hunted rather than the hunter, and the physical and emotional toll of winning. 

In short, the modern existence of European champions. 

Against Villarreal prior to the international break, Barcelona let a two-goal lead slide. Then in the Clasico, they fell apart; against Real Sociedad, they never got going at all; and the clash with Atletico was essentially a continuation of that.

With the benefit of hindsight, there’d been evidence of a slowing-down period prior to this too: Enrique’s men laboured past Las Palmas and Sevilla in February, while Arsenal created enough chances to trouble them in the second leg of their round-of-16 tie at the Camp Nou in March. 

Amid this pattern, questions arise: Exhibited by Europe’s finest, are we currently witnessing the limits that exist in regard to performance, intensity and durability? Is prolonging a golden run across the continent beyond 12-14 months too much to ask? Does a window of a defined time exist? Do we underestimate the cost of perpetual triumph? Does the grind of a title defence present obstacles the rest of us can’t fully grasp?

Despite the discrepancies in cash and the concentrations of talent, is it becoming harder to defend Europe’s top prize because of the extent of the demands placed upon the current crop?

Maybe. 

Last October, when Barcelona were still working through the gears and defeats to Sevilla and Celta Vigo were fresh in the memory, it was telling when Sergio Busquets admitted “pre-season was not the best.” On the other side of football’s most fierce divide, Cristiano Ronaldo said the same at Real Madrid, while Luka Modric added: “We spent the entire pre-season campaign in a plane.”

It’s true that most elite teams now spend pre-seasons abroad, but for the team with the most honours to defend, each trip, each hotel, each plane, each airport, each bus, each session, each warm-up and each press and sponsorship event adds up to something more than that. It’s not just the games that never stop; it’s the demand for their time, their thoughts and their attention. 

From this, there’s a cumulative effect that seems to have been evident in recent title winners as seasons have unfolded and the demands haven’t let up. It’s blunted them, hurt them. Even though the Champions League has entered an era of super-clubs in which the number of realistic contenders is small and the odds of the giants’ better, still it hasn’t featured a back-to-back winner. 

Not one. Not even treble-winning Bayern. Not even record-breaking Madrid. 

Not even this Barcelona. 

Is defending the Champions League growing harder? 

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Looking to continue their pursuit of history, this weekend will see Juventus looking to reinforce their advantage over Napoli at the top of the Serie A table.

With their closest rivals facing a tough encounter with Inter Milan on Saturday evening, the Bianconeri will hope to take to the field against Palermo knowing they can extend the current six-point gap.

Sunday’s clash with the Sicilian outfit should be a relatively straightforward one for a Juventus side who have won 21 of their last 22 league fixtures, a run which includes a 3-0 win over the Rosanero back in November.

Since then, their opponents have suffered from a desperate loss of form and are winless in their previous 11 outings. They have conceded a total of 57 goals in 2015/16—trailing only Frosinone for the worst defensive record in Serie A—while the Bianconeri have netted 58 times, the third-highest tally on the peninsula.

Paulo Dybala moved from Palermo to Juventus last summer and remains the top scorer for Massimiliano Allegri’s men, but the coach will be aware that the Argentinian is lacking fitness as this fixture approaches.

Indeed, while the 22-year-old has weighed in with 18 goals and eight assists in all competitions, he has not featured since the March 20 win over Torino due to an ongoing calf injury. “I’m training normally, and I hope to return to the group in the next few days because I don’t feel any pain,” he told Sky Italia (h/t Football Italia) this week.

Yet with Dybala sidelined, Mario Mandzukic has stepped up for Juventus and scored in each of the last two games. Prior to those strikes, the Croatia international had not hit the back of the net since December’s victory over Carpi, a 10-game barren spell that ended with his match-winning goal against Empoli.

He followed that up with an equaliser against AC Milan last weekend, and is likely to lead the line for Juventus against Palermo. Mandzukic now has 11 goals this term, and he will surely be looking to add to that tally against Sunday’s opponents who will certainly give the 29-year-old striker the chance to do so.

According to statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com, the 16.4 shots per game allowed by the Rosanero is the second-highest total in Serie A, meaning that Stefano Sorrentino is likely to have a busy afternoon at Juventus Stadium.

The goalkeeper has managed just six clean sheets in 2015/16, but he has still played well in extremely difficult circumstances. Figures taken from the Fox Soccer website show that only Emiliano Viviano of Sampdoria (120) and Frosinone’s Nicola Leali (114) have made more saves than Sorrentino’s 107 this term.

With Walter Novellino sacked earlier this week, Palermo have now made no fewer than nine coaching changes this term, per Football Italia, and their position in the bottom three is therefore no surprise.

“I’d never been in a situation like this before,” Sorrentino told Sky Italia (h/t Goal.com) back in January, and the issues have only escalated since then. Palermo’s poor goal difference has put them in the relegation places, and the shot-stopper’s ability to prevent Juventus running up the score could be crucial in this clash.

Speaking to Croatian news outlet Sportske Novosti last month (h/t Football Italia), Mandzukic said that Allegri “has given me a lot of support” before adding that the coach had helped him overcome his earlier struggles.

“With this faith he was close to me in the difficult moments and that means a lot to me,” Mandzukic continued, and he will look to repay that faith by winning his battle with Sorrentino on Sunday to help Juventus beat Palermo.

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Sinisa Mihajlovic has been sacked by AC Milan, ending his spell at the helm of the Serie A giants.

News of the 47-year-old’s departure came on Tuesday via a statement on the Milan website:

Sinisa Mihajlovic has been relieved of his role as AC Milan coach.

The club would like to thank Mihajlovic for the dedication and hard work carried out this season.

Cristian Brocchi will now be in charge of the first team until the end of the season. AC Milan would like to welcome Mr Brocchi and wish him all the best.

The Serbian was appointed by the Rossoneri in the summer of 2015 after a successful spell at Sampdoria.

But with Milan in sixth place in Serie A after 32 games, the decisive action has been taken following a run of five games on the bounce without a victory.

It leaves the San Siro club searching for their fourth new boss since Massimiliano Allegri was relieved of his duties in 2014 and no closer to cementing themselves as a major force in Italian football again.

During Mihajlovic‘s tenure, there were some positive moves made by the former Inter Milan player. Wins over Lazio and Udinese on the road showcased the potential of this squad, although a loss to Inter in the derby and a heavy 4-0 defeat at home to Napoli pointed to a group that was still rife with some perennial frailties.

Still, despite mixed results, the sacking feels premature. Mihajlovic seemed to strike up a strong bond with the players and wasn’t shy on making big decisions.

Indeed, his integration of Gianluigi Donnarumma into the first-team as a 16-year-old was a brave move, but one that has paid off after some stellar showings from the teenager. As WF Commentaries noted earlier in the campaign, it’s refreshing to see a manager make these calls and for them to bear fruit:

Mihajlovic will not have the luxury of seeing whether his plans will yield long-term benefits, though, just like Filippo Inzaghi and Clarence Seedorf before him.

Although things could have been better during his tenure, the Serbian seemed like a steady hand for a club in desperate need of some consistency. Now Milan find themselves searching for a new figurehead and a manager who is likely to imprint more fresh ideas on a squad that has endured many different voices telling them what to do in recent years.

Whoever comes in is going to need the patience of the Rossoneri hierarchy in order to succeed, something that has hardly been afforded to any of the job’s most recent incumbents. Until Milan decide to put some renewed faith in a manager, regardless of how he begins his tenure, they’ll find it extremely difficult to ascend from the mid-table obscurity they’re in.

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Ninth time lucky? That’s the belief. 

Barely an hour had passed after the final whistle had blown at the Volkswagen Arena on Wednesday, and already the talk had shifted. Without a moment’s thought, the focus had gone from the now to the next; it was as if there was no time for deliberation, no time for digestion.

There was only time for it. 

“We have the opportunity to change this,” said Real manager Zinedine Zidane, “and being Real Madrid we know we can come back strong at the Bernabeu with our fans.” This was going to become the official line, and everyone would follow suit.

Soon, Pepe asserted that “we have to think about the comeback,” according to AS (via Football Espana). Jese mirrored the sentiment, as reported by beIN Sports (via AS), and Sergio Ramos would later add: “You have to lift yourself and believe that you can comeback,” according to Marca. 

It wasn’t hard to see where this was going. The next morning, after Real Madrid had been beaten 2-0 by Wolfsburg in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie, the front cover of Marca read: “He who doesn’t believe in the comeback should give up their place in the team.”

The loss, the performance, the previous night: Gone. 

In Spain, the word for comeback is “remontada” and it’s one heavily associated with Real Madrid. In the 1970s and ’80s, the club developed a reputation for storming back into European ties in the second leg, such nights at the Santiago Bernabeu developing an almost-mythical status. “Ninety minutes in the Bernabeu is a very long time,” goes the famous line from Juanito, who warned Inter Milan that their 1986 UEFA Cup tie wasn’t over after the Italian’s 3-1 first-leg victory. 

He was right: Madrid won the second leg 5-1 at home. 

The thing is, though, in recent years the “remontada” has become more legend than reality. Not since 2002 against Bayern Munich have Real Madrid turned around a first-leg deficit in a European tie. In that time, Madrid have lost a first leg on eight occasions; on all eight, they’ve been knocked out. 

Ninth time lucky, then?  

After last week’s 2-0 defeat in Germany, that’s what Real Madrid will be gunning for when they meet Wolfsburg again for Tuesday’s second leg in the Spanish capital. 

For the hosts, this is big. In all likelihood it’s their season on the line, and there could be consequences if it goes wrong. “It’s not my first big game as a coach,” said Zidane on Monday when asked about the pressure. “We’ve had a lot and they’re all important.” Indeed, the Clasico was important. The Madrid derby was important, too. But this is more so.

Much more. 

For Zidane, Tuesday could determine whether he continues at the Bernabeu beyond this season. The situation is perhaps similar for a selection of his players ahead of a summer that’s already looming as intriguing. 

It’s those stakes and that tension that Madrid are fighting, and that Wolfsburg will be looking to embrace. 

“The atmosphere will be fired up and every counter attack of ours will cause a stir,” said Andre Schurrle, as reported by the club website. “That will be fantastic for us. If it’s still 0-0 at half-time, or if we score, the fans will become uneasy. We have to make use of that.”

Wolfsburg manager Dieter Hecking added that his side “can achieve something historic for the club,” and he’s right. The German outfit has never been this far in Europe; beating Madrid and going further again might alter the club’s immediate course.

Do Hecking and Co. believe, then? “If you compare the clubs, it’s clear who are the favourites,” the Wolfsburg boss said. 

His opposite number added: “Everything happens in football.”

Date: Tuesday, April 12

Time: 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. EDT/8:45 p.m. local

Venue: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

TV Info: BT Sport (UK), Fox Sports (U.S.)

Live Stream: BT Sport Online Player (UK), Fox Soccer 2GO (U.S.)

Form Lines

Team News

For Real Madrid, a host of big names will come back into the side after Zidane opted to rest a number of his stars for the weekend victory over Eibar. 

In goal, Keylor Navas will reclaim the gloves from Kiko Casilla, while captain Sergio Ramos will return to join Pepe in the heart of the defence. Out wide, Dani Carvajal is expected to start ahead of Danilo at right-back. 

In midfield, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos should join Casemiro in the central trio, pushing Isco and James Rodriguez to the bench, while Karim Benzema is expected to be fit and should lineup alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in attack. 

For Wolfsburg, the same XI that defeated Madrid in the first leg in Germany is expected to take the field, after Hecking rotated for the weekend clash with Mainz. 

If that eventuates, Diego Benaglio will replace Koen Casteels in goal, while Ricardo Rodriguez and Vieirinha should return to fill the full-backs slots. 

In midfield, the same trio of Maximilian Arnold, Luiz Gustavo and Josuha Guilavogui will look to close space, while Andre Schurrle could reclaim his mobile role at the head of the attack despite Bas Dost’s return from injury on Saturday. 

Julian Draxler will also be available after being suspended for the weekend clash with Mainz. 

Predicted Lineups

In the Spotlight

Odds (via Odds Shark)

Real Madrid: 1-5

Draw: 7-1

Wolfsburg: 14-1

Follow @TimDCollins

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Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic has responded to rumours linking him with a move to Chelsea, claiming he sees his future at the San Siro club, per Premium Sport (h/t Sunday Express‘s Joe Short).

The Croatian midfielder is reportedly a top transfer target for incoming manager Antonio Conte after a consistent run of form for the Nerazzurri this season. 

Perisic—who joined the Serie A outfit only last summer from German side Wolfsburg—has scored six goals in 29 league appearances under Roberto Mancini’s guidance this term, while also contributing five assists, per WhoScored. It is the 27-year-old’s athleticism, crossing ability and direct dribbling that makes the Croat so dangerous in possession and a certain asset when utilised as part of a counter-attacking unit.

Last week, his agent, Tonci Martic, revealed that Perisic would be interested in a move to Stamford Bridge, claiming the rumours were tempting to his player, per Nizaar Kinsella of Goal: “To be linked to a club like Chelsea and a manager like Antonio Conte is very exciting for Perisic. The Premier League is the best league in the world and Chelsea is a massive club so we would happily talk about it, but a deal is far at this moment.”

However, Perisic has now denied claims he is eager to join the west Londoners and says he is concentrating on remaining in Italy.

“As far as the talk of Chelsea is concerned, I have a four-year contract with Inter,” he told Premium Sport (via Short). “Therefore, I see my future here. Although it is not the time to talk about it now but, hearing my name linked in these [Chelsea] rumours does please me.”

In other transfer news emerging from the Premier League champions, defensive mainstay Branislav Ivanovic could be heading toward the continent after stories emerged linking him with a move to Roma, per Gazzetta World (h/t Corriero dello Sport).

Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini has reportedly been in the English capital this week to talk terms with Chelsea regarding their interest in midfielder Radja Nainggolan and to enquire about Mohamed Salah’s availability.

It is during these talks Ivanovic‘s future was reportedly discussed. He endured a terrible early season under Jose Mourinho’s tutelage, as he experienced his poorest form in a Chelsea shirt as the champions dramatically fell from their perch. In recent times, however, he has produced glimpses of his regular reliable form under interim boss Guus Hiddink.

Football365’s Daniel Storey was less than impressed with Graeme Souness naming Ivanovic in his Team of the Year:

The Serbian right-back, 32, is known for his marauding runs forward, all-round game play, aerial presence and accurate ball delivery from the flanks. Italy boss Conte will take charge at the club following the completion of his duties as national team at Euro 2016, and it remains to be seen how many current first-team members will remain following his arrival.

Following such a disappointing domestic campaign, Chelsea are widely expected to back their new coach in the transfer market in order to complete a return to the top four and Champions League football. Ivanovic has made 38 appearances in all competition this term, but it could be his last campaign in the blue of Chelsea if Conte vetoes an offer from Roma.

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Jose Mourinho insisted he has not agreed a deal to take over at Manchester United in the summer but is confident he will have a new job at the start of next season. 

The former Chelsea manager has been heavily tipped to succeed Louis van Gaal as United boss at the end of the season, but he denied any agreement is in place—with any club—and said he would like to work again in England, per Sky Sports’ Matthew Treadwell:

[Van Gaal] is my friend, I worked with him for a few years. 

I am always linked with jobs and in the summer I will have a job, but in this moment I can promise you I do not have a contract with any club.

I am not in a position to turn [jobs] down, I am in a position to analyse. I am in a position to be open to any club or national team.

I have to be honest, if possible I would prefer a club but I must analyse to see what is best for my career and to be back with everything I have.

I would prefer [to be in England]. I love the country, I love the football here, my family is very stable and happy.

If possible yes, it would be my first choice.

Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea back in December after a shocking start to the season left the Blues 16th in the Premier League table, but his reputation as one of the world’s top managers remains intact.

Van Gaal, meanwhile, remains under constant pressure at Old Trafford as his side continue to struggle to secure Champions League football for next season.

Consistent top-four finishes in the Premier League was the least expected of the Dutchman when he was appointed as David Moyes’ permanent successor.

But, while he managed to engineer a fourth-place finish last season, United have gone backwards during the current campaign, per the Manchester Evening News’ Samuel Luckhurst.

Victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday will see United move back to within one point of fourth-placed Manchester City with six games remaining, and a top-four finish is still very much on the cards.

However, United’s failure in this season’s Champions League—they were knocked out in the group stages—and the dire style of play Van Gaal has introduced at Old Trafford have left many calling for the former Ajax and Barcelona manger to be sacked.

Many believe, including Bleacher Report’s Dean Jones, that Mourinho’s appointment could provide United with the boost they need to become title challengers once again:

He has experience of the Premier League having won it three times with Chelsea, and he has also had success in the last decade at Inter Milan and Real Madrid.

Of the high-profile managers currently available, Mourinho, 53, seems to be the only choice for United if they decide to sack Van Gaal.

Indeed, El Pais‘ Diego Torres previously reported that he had signed a pre-contract agreement with the Manchester club.

However, as of now, it seems the Portuguese has made no promises and it is far from guaranteed he will be sat in the Old Trafford home dugout next season.  

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AC Milan look to end their struggles as they welcome a soaring Juventus to the San Siro.

Date: Saturday, April 9

Time: 8:45 p.m. local time/7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. EDT

Venue: San Siro, Milan

TV Info: BT Sport 1 (UK), beIN Sports (US)

Live Stream: BT Sport Connect (UK), beIN Sports Connect (US)

It’s been a rough month for AC Milan.

After starting 2016 with a shock loss at home to Bologna, coach Sinisa Mihajlovic guided his team on a good run of form, going unbeaten over 12 games in all competitions. That run included a 2-0 win over Fiorentina, a 3-0 thrashing of crosstown rivals Inter Milan in the Derby della Madonnina and a skin-of-the-teeth 1-1 draw against Napoli at the Stadio San Paolo.

The similarity between all those teams? They were ranked above Milan in the table. It’s been the minnows that have given them problems. They’ve lost this year to the likes of Genoa, Atalanta and Bologna and been held to draws by the likes of Carpi and the Verona clubs, Hellas and Chievo.

It’s got some people in the club flummoxed. Team vice president Adriano Galliani told reporters (h/t Football Italia) on Thursday that they were “struggling to understand” the team’s struggles against teams they should beat.

Last week’s loss against Atalanta once again threw Mihajlovic’s job security into doubt, with La Gazzetta dello Sport reporting (h/t Football Italia) that he could be replaced by the beginning of next week if the team puts in a poor showing against Juventus.

Whether or not the team can put in that showing is yet to be seen. The Rossoneri have only scored two goals in their last four games and one of those was a penalty. You can also forgive an observer for wondering if their heads will be fully in the game.

After Atalanta, the team was called into a training retreat, a move the players did not take kindly to. Captain Riccardo Montolivo told in-house TV network Milan Channel (h/t Football Italia) that he didn’t think the ritiro was a good solution, and the families of players like Diego Lopez have voiced their displeasure over the decision as well. Given the attitude towards the decision, it’s worth wondering how effective it will actually be.

It will take a Herculean effort to take down the champions. Juve haven’t lost a league game since October, winning 20 of their last 21 games and drawing the other. That run has taken them from 12th place on Halloween to pacing the field by six points after Napoli’s shock loss to Udinese last weekend.

As if that run wasn’t already absurdly dominant, they’ve kept clean sheets in 15 of those games. They’ve totally throttled their competition and look set to cap off an epic comeback for their fifth consecutive title.

One of the early games in that run was the first meeting between these two teams. The game was decided by a late Paulo Dybala wonder strike, but Juve thoroughly dominated the game, overpowering Milan’s midfield and holding them to only two shots on target.

Form Lines

AC Milan Notes:

*Coppa Italia semifinal second leg, Milan won 6-0 on aggregate.

Juventus Notes:

*UEFA Champions League round-of-16 second leg, Bayern Munich won 6-4 on aggregate after extra time.

Probable Lineups

Unavailable

AC Milan: OUT: MF Andrea Bertolacci (suspension), GK Christian Abbiati (heel), CB Philippe Mexes (undisclosed injury), FW M’Baye Niang (ankle). QUESTIONABLE: MF Riccardo Montolivo.

Juventus: OUT: MF Sami Khedira (suspension), FW Paulo Dybala (calf), CB Giorgio Chiellini (calf), CB/RB Martin Caceres (Achilles), MF Roberto Pereyra (thigh).

Key Players

When M’Baye Niang injured his ankle in a car accident at the end of February, it threw Milan’s forward line into turmoil. Niang had turned into the ideal partner for Carlos Bacca. His ball-playing ability and pace perfectly complemented the Colombian hit man, who requires service and the ability to attack space to be effective.

With Niang gone for what eventually has become the entire season, Milan’s other forwards had a huge opportunity to make an imprint on Mihajlovic and become a regular starter.

One of those players is Mario Balotelli.

On loan from Liverpool—the team to which Milan sold him two summers ago—Balotelli started this season brightly before being shelved for almost half the year due to a sports hernia.

Since his return, Super Mario simply hasn’t been as effective as he could be. He has the quality to help set Bacca up and score for himself, but some indifferent performances against the likes of Sassuolo have not put him in pole position. Indeed, Galliani told reporters (h/t Football Italia) outside Milan’s training ground on Friday that he didn’t think he had done enough to stay permanently.

Balotelli has seven games to change that, and he’s in line to start on Saturday against Juve. He’ll need one of his best performances against the immovable object that is the Juve defense for his team to have a chance at points.

In keeping with the striker theme, keep an eye on Juve’s Alvaro Morata.

The Spaniard endured an epic dry spell earlier this year that lasted from October to January, but he’s now in scintillating form. He scored back-to-back braces at the end of January, had two impressive games against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and scored another two in the Derby della Mole during the winter break.

With Dybala on the shelf, Morata is the guy who will be looked to for fast attacks. If he can get in behind Alex in Milan’s defense, the Rossoneri could have a very long day ahead of them. Expect the 23-year-old to charge hard on the counter and help to dictate this game.

Key Matchup

The last time these two teams met, Juve completely overran the Milan midfield, allowing little possession and not letting them get any kind of rhythm.

That battle will again go a long way toward deciding the contest, which is why the battle between Juraj Kucka and Claudio Marchisio will be so important.

Kucka is mostly a destroyer, but he can show a surprising amount of skill from time to time. His job will be twofold—keep Juve’s midfield in disarray and help his own create for the strikers up front. His job will be especially important if Montolivo can’t go after picking up an injury in training a few days ago, as both a ball-winner and a potentially creative force.

His opposite number Marchisio has made the regista position his after the departure of Andrea Pirlo. He plays it differently, but he plays it well, mixing excellent passing ability with a defensive tenacity that has been a key to keeping opposing players from good attacking positions.

Truly underrated, Marchisio is the fulcrum of the team. Without him, the midfield is often badly unbalanced. If he is neutralized, Juve’s game suffers. If he’s allowed free reign, though, an opponent could be in for a long night.

Whoever wins this matchup will go a long way toward winning the midfield battle—which will almost certainly determine the winner of the game.

Odds (via Odds Shark)

AC Milan win: 11-4

Juventus win: 21-20

Draw: 11-5

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