Juventus just got smacked 3-0 by Lazio on Sunday in Serie A, a brutal loss that cranked up the pressure on coach Luciano Spalletti. It was a stroll for Lazio in Turin, highlighting what’s been an underwhelming start to the season for the Old Lady. But hold up, because when it comes to the Europa League, this team is a completely different beast, and they’re bringing that energy to Allianz Stadium this Thursday against Rennes.
Juventus’s European Redemption Tour
Forget the Serie A table for a second, because that thing is painful. Juventus is already trailing pacesetters Inter by eight points after just seven league rounds. Seriously, the Scudetto race feels over before it even really started. Their overall form in all competitions isn’t pretty either, with only three wins in their last seven outings (W3, D2, L2). The good news? Two of those three wins came in the Europa League.
This is where Juventus finds their solace, their chance to salvage what’s looking like another heartbreaking domestic season. They kicked off their European campaign with a thumping 5-0 victory over NEC Nijmegen, then fought back from an early deficit to beat Celta Vigo 2-1 on the road last week. That’s a perfect record, making them one of just ten teams with a 100% win rate in this season’s league-phase campaign as they head into round three. Plus, Allianz Stadium is a fortress for them in Europe, with four straight home wins in major European competitions, their longest run since December 2021. And get this: they’ve beaten Rennes before, with a 4-2 aggregate victory in the 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup final. Lifting this trophy, something they haven’t done since the early 1990s, would be a massive morale boost amidst all this domestic struggle. They will be without Francisco Conceicao, who dislocated his shoulder against Lazio, along with long-term absentees Kenan Yildiz and Khephren Thuram.
Rennes’s Defensive Wall Meets Away Day Woes
Rennes is rolling into Turin having also suffered a domestic defeat. Paris FC eked out a pulsating 4-3 win over Franck Haise’s side in Ligue 1, knocking Les Rouge et Noirs off a two-game winning streak in all competitions. Their Europa League start has been promising, with a come-from-behind 2-1 home triumph over OFI Crete in the last round, which was a perfect response to a dull 0-0 draw at Sturm Graz on day one.
Here’s the kicker: Rennes leads the entire competition this season for the lowest expected goals against (0.79) and fewest shots faced (13). That’s incredible defensive discipline, right? You’d think that means they’re unbeatable. But there’s a huge catch: consistency. Rennes has been notoriously inconsistent, with a W2, D1, L2 record in their last five. And their away form? Woeful. They’re on a three-game winless away streak (D1, L2), failing to even get on the scoresheet in two of those. Despite their stellar defensive exploits in Europe this season, they’ve conceded at least three goals in four of their last six away games in all competitions (W1, D1, L4). Historically, visiting Italian clubs spells disaster for Rennes, who have lost all four previous away clashes against Serie A opposition.
This Thursday’s clash is high stakes. Juventus needs European glory to save face, while Rennes aims to prove their impressive defensive stats can translate into an elusive away win. It’s a true test of wills at Allianz Stadium.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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