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Recommended bets
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Match preview
Juventus certainly didn’t plan to be in the Europa League, but this competition could be their best hope of salvaging this season.
On 20 January, Juve were hit with a 15-point deduction in Serie A, which is subject to appeal but, for now, they’re down in ninth place.
La Vecchia Signora have won ten of their last 13 league matches, most-recently beating Fiorentina on Sunday, but are 12 points adrift the Champions League places, if the point penalty remains.
So, the club who won this competition in 1977, 1990 and 1993 could be looking at the Europa League as their best route into next season’s Champions League.
In the autumn, Massimiliano Allegri’s were shambolic in the group stages, losing five of six matches, only finishing above Maccabi Haifa on goal difference.
So, this’ll be Juventus’ first Europa League match since 2014, when they missed out on a place in a final at their own stadium, eliminated 2-1 by Benfica.
Nantes meantime are competing in UEFA competition for the first time since 2001, having won last season’s Coupe de France.
La Maison Jaune finished second in their group, beating Olympiacos twice and Qarabağ at home, the latter ultimately seeing them advance at the Azerbaijani club’s expense.
In Ligue 1, Antoine Kombouaré’s side are all the way down in 13th, despite winning their last two, beating Ajaccio and Lorient.
In this tie, Nantes are massive underdogs, just hoping to still be in with a shout ahead of the return leg at Stade de la Beaujoire.
Will Juventus establish an unassailable advantage at Allianz Stadium?
Juventus team news
Juan Cuadrado and Arkadiusz Milik are out injured, while Paul Pogba is still awaiting his second Juventus debut due to an ongoing knee injury.
Pogba and Leonardo Bonucci are the only players at the club who featured in Juve’s last Europa League match nine years ago.
Ángel Di María, fit again Federico Chiesa and Dušan Vlahović are a front three that can rival any other in this tournament.
Nantes team news
Moussa Sissoko, who’s started a Euros and Champions League Final, could return to Nantes’ midfield for this tough tie.
Egyptian Mostafa Mohamed is their top-scorer this season with eight, netting home and away against Olympiacos in the group phase.
Juventus vs Nantes: Head to head statistics
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