Juve have Champions League semis in sight against goal-shy Monaco

Juventus head to Monaco on Wednesday for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final looking to clinch a place in the last four for the first time in over a decade.

An immovable force at the top of the European game in the 1990s, when they reached three consecutive finals, including beating Ajax in the 1996 showpiece, Juve were also Champions League runners-up in 2003, losing to AC Milan.

But they have not got beyond the last eight since, failing to translate their domestic dominance to the European stage.

Nevertheless, while they close in on a fourth consecutive Serie A crown, they are now primed to secure a spot in the semi-finals in Europe after Arturo Vidal's penalty gave them a 1-0 victory against the Principality club last Tuesday.

Crucially, Juventus did not concede an away goal in that game, meaning Monaco will now be obliged to come out and attack at home, something which is not their forte.

Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim has admitted his team are better suited to playing away from home, when they can hit teams on the break, as they did so devastatingly in London in the last 16 when they defeated Arsenal 3-1, that result allowing them to progress on away goals despite losing 2-0 at home.

"I was not surprised by Monaco because we didn't underestimate them, but they played really well against us," Juve's veteran French international left-back Patrice Evra told Canal Plus.

"I think the second leg will be different and Juventus will have a greater control of the match.

"I was really proud of Monaco when they beat Arsenal because I saw them playing without fear. Some of the Monaco players say that they are better away from home because the stadiums and the atmosphere are different."

- Home advantage? -

Evra knows that as well as anybody, having spent four years in the Mediterranean Principality, helping Monaco reach the Champions League final in 2004 before eventually moving on to Manchester United.

Monaco are third in Ligue 1 and have lost just one of their last 18 league games, but too many draws at the Stade Louis II, where the lack of atmosphere and crowds that rarely reach the 10,000 mark remove any sense of a home advantage, have held them back.

That was the case on Saturday, when they managed just one shot on target, and that only after a defensive error, in a disappointing 1-1 draw with Rennes.

Injuries and tiredness persuaded Jardim to rotate his squad in that game, a decision which did not pay dividends.

"I rested three or four players but the others were injured. Some of those who played in Turin were not 100 percent. But the Champions League game will be different. The stadium will be full," insisted the Portuguese coach.

The question remains as to whether they can score the goals needed to go through.

After all, Monaco have netted just three times in four Champions League home games this season.

At least they can call on one of the tightest defences in Europe, although in midfield it remains to be seen whether captain Jeremy Toulalan (hamstring) and the powerful Geoffrey Kondogbia (ankle) will recover from injury in time to feature.

Further forward, Jardim must decide whether to select the experienced Dimitar Berbatov or the exciting Anthony Martial in attack, or go with both.

Allegri, meanwhile, is expected to stick with the 3-5-2 formation that helped Juventus beat Lazio 2-0 in Serie A at the weekend.

Paul Pogba is still out injured but Andrea Pirlo will play in central midfield after returning from a five-week injury lay-off in time for the first leg, and playing 70 minutes against Lazio.

"I haven't decided which formation I will use. If the team defends well, I think it doesn't really matter if we have three or four at the back," Allegri said.

"I'm happy about the success the team is enjoying. The lads deserve praise because they've shown a lot of maturity."
Source: AFP