Juventus, Real Madrid set for another showdown

Juventus and Real Madrid go into Tuesday night's encounter with very little separating them.

Published : Apr 02, 2018 17:45 IST

Real Madrid and Juventus' last meeting in this competition came less than 12 months ago, in the 2016-17 Champions League final.
Real Madrid and Juventus' last meeting in this competition came less than 12 months ago, in the 2016-17 Champions League final.
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Real Madrid and Juventus' last meeting in this competition came less than 12 months ago, in the 2016-17 Champions League final.

Juventus and Real Madrid, which face off in the first leg of the quarterfinal at Juventus Stadium on Tuesday, will lock horns for the third time in four seasons in the Champions League. These clubs met in the semifinals of the 2014-15 season and, more recently, in last year's final at the Cardiff City Stadium in Wales, where the Spanish giant won its 12th European crown.

Read: Buffon braced for Ronaldo challenge

While Juventus is on course for its seventh consecutive domestic league title, Real, under Zindine Zidane, has struggled in La Liga, trailing league-leader Barcelona by 13 points. Stacked with world-class talents, the two powerhouses of European football are expected to present the fans with an absorbing tie.

 

Team news

Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic and defender Medhi Benatia will miss the first leg due to suspensions for accumulating three yellow cards.

Bayern's Mario Mandzukic is fit again after missing the round of 16 second-leg clash against Tottenham Hotspur. Juan Cuadrado, out of action for three months, is also available for selction.

Zinedine Zidane has no fitness issues to worry about.

Possible formations line-ups

Juventus (4-4-2): Gianluigi Buffon (GK); Stephan Lichsteiner, Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini, Kwadwo Asamoah; Sami Khedira, Blaise Matuidi, Douglas Costa, Alex Sandro; Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Higuain

Juventus vs Real Madridjpg
 

Real Madrid (4-4-2): Keylor Navas (GK); Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, Marcelo; Casemiro, Luca Modric, Toni Kroos, Isco; Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema

Stats

- Real Madrid has won nine of its 19 meetings with Juventus, which has won eight and two matches have ended in draws.

- At the quarterfinal stage of Champions League, Real and Juventus share a 1-1 head-to-head record, having last met in the last-eight way back in 1996.

- The last four two-legged meetings have all ended in Juventus' favour.

- The last time Real Madrid failed to reach the semifinal of this competition was in 2009-10, when it bowed out at the round of 16 stage.

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