Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid will secure top spot in Group B if they are victorious against an in-form Juventus side in Turin tonight and Galatasaray do not win away at FC Copenhagen.
Juventus, meanwhile, who have not conceded in three matches since the loss to Real, have very different goals. They find themselves third in the group with just two points from three matches.
Since the previous match Los Blancos have also been boosted by the return to form of Karim Benzema, who has scored three in the last two matches, and to full fitness of Gareth Bale.
Bale, the summer world record signing from Tottenham Hotspur, had started slowly in his career at Real but in his last two matches has two goals and four assists as the team put seven past Sevilla and three against Rayo Vallecano.
This, coupled with Cristiano Ronaldo’s scintillating Champions League form this season – he has seven goals in three games – mean even Juventus’ powerful defence will struggle to keep them under control.
But Juve will know an improvement on their very solid performance in the away fixture, along with the added bonus of playing at home could most definitely see them walk away with a least a point.
Los Blancos are still searching for ‘La Décima’, the 10th Champions League title that has eluded them since their last victory in 2002. But as semi-finalists for the past three years, and with the summer additions of Bale, Isco and Asier Illaramendi there are few teams that will be able to prevent them leaving the Estádio da Luz with the trophy come the 24th of May.
Probable line ups:
Juventus: Buffon; Caceres, Barzagli, Bonucci, Ogbonna; Pirlo; Vidal, Pogba; Marchisio, Tevez; Llorente
Real Madrid: Casillas; Arbeloa, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo; Alonso, Modric, Khedira; Bale, Ronaldo, Benzema
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