Arrigo Sacchi believes Juventus have “everything to succeed” against Barcelona who are “a far cry from Pep Guardiola’s team”.
The Bianconeri face the Catalan side in Turin tonight, in the first leg of their Champions League Quarter-Final, and the former Milan Coach believes they can progress.
“Juve have a unique opportunity,” Sacchi wrote in Gazzetta dello Sport.
“To defeat a Barcelona which is currently wavering and at the same time strengthen their status and authority on the international stage.
Arrigo Sacchi believes Juventus have “everything to succeed” against Barcelona who are “a far cry from Pep Guardiola’s team”.
The Bianconeri face the Catalan side in Turin tonight, in the first leg of their Champions League Quarter-Final, and the former Milan Coach believes they can progress.
“Juve have a unique opportunity,” Sacchi wrote in Gazzetta dello Sport.
“To defeat a Barcelona which is currently wavering and at the same time strengthen their status and authority on the international stage.
“A victory against the famous [Lionel] Messi, Neymar, [Luis] Suarez, [Andres] Iniesta, etc would increase their prestige and self-esteem, increasing their chances of success in the Champions League.
“Barcelona today can’t match [Max] Allegri’s men for enthusiasm, team spirit, strength and stamina, determination, motivation and even collective play.
“Today the Bluagrana have the history and the individual quality, but the team’s possession, high pressing and playing strategy has disappeared, now the group is tired with little enthusiasm and not much desire to impress.
“The defeatist and reticent attitude of Paris Saint-Germain was the thing that triggered the Catalan exploit [in the Last 16] which culminated in the 6-1.
“Being passive against the Spaniards in general is very dangerous, but even more so against champions like Messi and co, who are enhanced if you give them time and space to play.
“Today’s Barcelona are not only a far cry from Guardiola’s team, which won by annihilating opponents, but also from the one which defeated Juve in the final two years ago.
“Messi, Neymar and Suarez aren’t supported by extraordinary motivation, and with a style which is better than anyone else, they no longer beat even modest opponents like Deportivo and Malaga.
“It won’t be easy for Juve, because Barcelona have a special feeling on Champions League nights and a history which magnifies their experience and personality.
“Of course Enrique’s players will try to pull out everything they have, but in similar games they’ve got results in line with the rest of the year.
“Few of the Bianconeri have won the Champions League, and that will be a big boost to a group which is already very motivated, with a strong character and an iron will.
“Allegri is handling Juve really well, but he must stop his players being passive and fearful.
“Juve can get past Barça, they have everything to succeed, they’re a great team and perhaps internationally they haven’t yet realised how strong they are.”