Anyone for some early-morning soccer action between two European powers? That’s what we have this Sunday with an International Champions Cup matchup between Italy’s Juventus and England’s Tottenham. Juventus is favored on the latest Soccer Odds.
Juventus vs Tottenham 2019 International Champions Cup Odds & Pick
- When: Sunday, 7:30 AM ET
- Where: Singapore National Stadium
- TV: ESPN2
- Live Stream: WatchESPN
- Soccer Odds: Juventus +112 / Tottenham +221 / Draw +248 (Total 2¾ goals)
Last Meeting
These clubs last played in Champions League Round of 16 on March 7, 2018, with Juventus prevailing 2-1 at Wembley in London to knock Spurs out of the competition as they lost 4-3 on aggregate. Son Heung-Min scored in the 39th minute for Spurs, but Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala inspired a dramatic turnaround after the break. Tottenham nearly scored in the 90th-minute on a when Harry Kane’s header beat Gianlugi Buffon and hit the inside of the post before being hacked away by a defender.
The teams met in the 2016 International Champions Cup, with Juventus winning 2-1 in Australia. Paulo Dybala and Medhi Benatia scored in the first half for Juventus and substitute Erik Lamela after the break for Spurs.
Why Bet on Tottenham?
Spurs finished fourth in the Premier League last season but finished a big 27 points behind champions Manchester City, and their tally of 71 was also a drop from the 77 posted in 2017-18 and the high of 86 in 2016-17.
Still, Spurs memorably reached the Champions League final, only to lose 2-0 to EPL rival Liverpool. Mohamed Salah scored the second-quickest goal in a Champions League final by converting from the penalty spot in the second minute while Divock Origi sealed victory in the 87th. It was the first European Cup final for Spurs. A lack of clear-cut chances in the first half left Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson without a save to make as Liverpool’s defense kept Spurs at arm’s length. Stars Harry Kane and Dele Alli did little. Kane, now 26, is approaching the peak years of his career, yet the player who won the Golden Boot at last year’s World Cup does not have a winner’s medal of any description to his name.
Spurs’ big offseason signing and first in almost 1.5 years was Tanguy Ndombele, who has arrived with the promise of being the complete midfielder — boasting a combination of skill, intelligence, and physicality – badly needed. The team believes he is the perfect replacement for Mousa Dembele as Ndombele is a dynamic dribbler with a high propensity for key passes. Spurs also want to add the young, versatile winger/full-back Ryan Sessegnon to their ranks but need Fulham to come down from the prohibitive £45m price tag.
Tottenham Hotspur has accepted a bid from La Liga side Atletico Madrid for England fullback Kieran Trippier. The 28-year-old joined Spurs from Burnley in 2015 and had a contract through 2022. Mauricio Pochettino will be left with Serge Aurier and Kyle Walker-Peters as options while Juan Foyth is also able to play at right-back.
Meanwhile, defenseman Eric Dier is not included in the squad that traveled to Shanghai. Dier remained in England following surgery to “correct an issue” which was detected during medical assessments on the first day of pre-season. The England international started 18 Premier League games last season – 1510 minutes – his lowest return since arriving from Sporting CP in 2014.
Expected Line-Up
- 1-H. Lloris
- 5-J. Vertonghen
- 3-D. Rose
- 4-T. Alderweireld
- 2-K. Trippier
- 17-M. Sissoko
- 23-C. Eriksen
- 7-Son Heung-Min
- 20-D. Alli
- 8-H. Winks
- 10-H. Kane
Why Bet on Juventus?
Juventus are International Champions Cup stalwarts, having competed in this competition on four previous occasions, and were crowned champions in 2016. The Bianconeri have lifted the Italian Serie A trophy a record 34 times and have ruled the division over the last decade, winning the Scudetto every year since 2012. Juventus won the Serie A last year with 90 points, 11 clear of No. 2 Napoli.
Legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has agreed to a one-year deal to re-join Juventus after leaving Paris Saint-Germain. The former Italy goalkeeper left Juve for PSG last summer after winning seven Serie A titles in a row. He moved to the French capital in the hope of helping them win the Champions League. Buffon is expected to arrive as a backup to Wojciech Szczesny.
The Italians have also added Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt this offseason. De Ligt, 19, had attracted interest from Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and Bayern Munich among others after helping Ajax reach the Champions League semifinal and Netherlands the UEFA Nations League final. De Ligt will join with former Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri at Juve and fellow new signings Adrien Rabiot and Aaron Ramsey.
In replacing Massimiliano Allegri with Sarri, Juventus have signaled a greater focus on style, and with the likes of Napoli and Inter better positioned to challenge, Juve must quickly grasp the new manager’s rapid passing style. Ramsey is known more for his surging runs from midfield than keeping the ball moving, while Cristiano Ronaldo does not seem an obvious fit. Obviously, he will be accommodated.
Mario Mandzukic is on his way out of Juventus as he does not fit Sarri’s tactical plans. Three clubs have expressed their interest in the Croatian star striker: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Everton.
Expected Line-Up
- 21-C. Pinsoglio
- 3-G. Chiellini
- 4-M. Cáceres
- 2-M. De Sciglio
- 24-D. Rugani
- 16-J. Cuadrado
- 23-E. Can
- 30-R. Bentancur
- 35-Matheus Pereira
- 10-P. Dybala
- 18-M. Kean
Expert Pick for Juventus vs Tottenham
Juventus 2 – Tottenham 1
