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
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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