Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has said he is confident his side can get past Juventus to reach the final of the Champions League, but warned the games against the Italians will be tough.
The teams have met on numerous times in the competition, with Los Blancos beating the Seria A side in the 1998 final. The Old Lady got their revenge in the semi-finals five years later. Real and Juventus also met at the group stage two seasons ago, with Madrid winning 2-1 at home and drawing 2-2 in Italy.
Juve have a huge lead in the Italian league and can almost entirely concentrate on the Champions League at this stage, but reacting to the draw on Friday, Ancelotti said he believed his players would be up to the task of making a second consecutive final appearance.
“Juventus are a club with a legendary history who are returning to the semi-finals after 12 years. They are having a very good season and have practically won the Italian championship. That means they can focus more on the Champions League,” Ancelotti stated.
He continued: “We are confident that we can follow our dream, which is to reach another final after last year. We need Madrid to be at their best to win, we need the same side that played against Atletico with the same enthusiasm and desire.
“The fans helped us a lot last year in the semi-final against Bayern, [creating] a fantastic atmosphere. They also helped in the quarter-final [this term], the atmosphere was amazing at the Santiago Bernabeu and they had the same enthusiasm as us. Everything went well and I hope things continue that way in the semi-finals.”
