Juve Still Have Bright Future - Morata

Juventus's disappointment after losing 3-1 to Barcelona in the Champions League final was plain to see but once the dust settles on one of the great European showpiece matches there will be lots of positives to reflect on.

The scorer of their only goal, Alvaro Morata, believes the Italian club can build on their double domestic success of this season and challenge for the Champions League title again soon.

"This is a great squad, a great family and we must continue working hard. This team has no limits, it can win the Champions League, and the directors are working to build an even stronger side," said former Real Madrid striker Morata.

"I want to thank the fans who came out here, as we are honoured to wear the jersey for them," he added.

Although veterans like goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and playmaker Andrea Pirlo may not get too many more chances to win the greatest club prize in European soccer, this has still been a remarkably successful season for Juve.

Winners of a fourth successive Serie A title and the Coppa Italia and victors over outgoing Champions League holders Real Madrid in the semifinals last month, Juve are again reaching, or at least coming close, to their former heights.

"The spirit is back after everything that happened to Juve in the past. The club can hold its head high again and this defeat will not stop us moving forward," defender Andrea Barzagli told reporters.

"Yes it is a bitter pill to swallow, but we played very well against probably the best team in the world. This was no disgrace."

CALCIOPOLI SCANDAL

Almost a decade ago, the grand "Old Lady" of Italian football was demoted to Serie B in the wake of the Calciopoli betting scandal but they have rejuvenated themselves since.

Players like Carlos Tevez, Paul Pogba, Patrice Evra and Morata, who played a bit-part in Real Madrid's Champions League success last season, have restored the club's sense of pride.

Buffon is the last playing link with the past before the nightmare of the Calciopoli affair struck in 2006 and he in a way symbolised their battling spirit on Saturday.

The 37-year-old, back in the Olympic Stadium where Italy won the World Cup in 2006, made two important saves in the first 15 minutes and pulled off two blinding stops in the second half.

Buffon is one of the great keepers of this or any other era and was the first to console a tearful Pirlo at the end.

Although he was beaten by Ivan Rakitic's early opener, Buffon was the foundation for an excellent performance.

He wanted nothing more than to eradicate the memory of his previous Champions League final experience – a loss to AC Milan in 2003 – with a victory but he was philosophical afterwards.

Buffon has six Serie A titles in his locker and told Sky Italia: "This is one of the disappointments sport gives you, but before that we shared many great moments of joy with our fans.

"It was a shame not to have the final to really finish off this journey, but at one point I really did believe."

Although this was their fourth straight Champions League final defeat since the second of their two titles in 1996, the fact they got there speaks volumes for their durability.

Barcelona were the deserved winners but beaten Juve's immediate prospects look far from being down and out.

Football | Champions League

Lionel Messi © Action Images

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Big Match Feature: Juve v Barca

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06 June 2015, 12:16

Two of European football's great names meet in the 2014/15 Uefa Champions League final as Juventus and FC Barcelona face off at Berlin's Olympiastadion on Saturday.

Juventus, appearing in their first final in 12 years, are seeking a third European crown at the expense of a Barcelona side with their sights set on a fifth title – and fourth in the past decade.

For both coaches, victory in Berlin would be the icing on the cake of an already impressive debut season, Massimiliano Allegri having led his Juventus team to the Serie A title, with Luis Enrique achieving the same feat in Spain with Barça.

Indeed, having both also triumphed in their domestic cup finals, Barcelona or Juventus would complete a treble with victory in Berlin. In Barça's case, it would be a record second after their success in 2008/09. In addition to that Barcelona side, previous treble winners are Celtic FC (1967), AFC Ajax (1972), PSV Eindhoven (1988), Manchester United FC (1999), FC Internazionale Milano (2010) and FC Bayern München (2013).

Final pedigree

Juventus

• For Juventus this is their eighth European Cup final. Their record is W2 L5:

1972/73 0-1 v AFC Ajax

1982/83 0-1 v Hamburger SV

1984/85 1-0 v Liverpool FC

1995/96 1-1 v AFC Ajax (4-2 pens)

1996/97 1-3 v Borussia Dortmund*

1997/98 0-1 v Real Madrid CF

2002/03 0-0 v AC Milan (2-3 pens)

*played at Munich's Olympiastadion

Juve, SL Benfica and Bayern have all lost five European Cup finals; no side has suffered six defeats.

Juventus have also played in four Uefa Cup finals – winning three (1977, 1990, 1993) and losing one (1995) – as well as the 1984 European Cup Winners' Cup final, which they won.

The Turin club's squad features four players with Uefa Champions League final-winning experience: Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan 2003, 2007); Patrice Evra and Carlos Tévez (Manchester United FC 2008); Álvaro Morata (Real Madrid CF 2014).

A substitute in Madrid's final victory 12 months ago, Morata could become the fourth player to appear in Uefa Champions League final victories in successive seasons for different clubs, after Marcel Desailly (Olympique de Marseille 1993, Milan 1994), Paulo Sousa (Juventus 1996, Dortmund 1997) and Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona 2009, Inter 2010).

A member of AS Monaco FC's beaten finalists in 2004, Evra tasted defeat against Barcelona with United in both the 2009 and 2011 finals, with Tévez featuring in the 2009 game too.

Buffon is the sole survivor of Juventus's last final appearance in 2003, when Pirlo was on the opposing side.

Barcelona

This is also Barcelona's eighth European Cup final and their record is W4 L3:

1960/61 2-3 v SL Benfica

1985/86 0-0 v FC Steaua Bucuresti (0-2 pens)

1991/92 1-0 v UC Sampdoria (aet)

1993/94 0-4 v AC Milan

2005/06 2-1 v Arsenal FC

2008/09 2-0 v Manchester United FC

2010/11 3-1 v Manchester United FC

A scorer in Barcelona's 2009 and 2011 victories, Lionel Messi could become the first player to find the net in three Uefa Champions League finals.

As well as facing Italy's Sampdoria and Milan in European Cup finals, Barcelona also beat Samp 2-0 in the 1989 European Cup Winners' Cup final.

In total Barcelona played in six Uefa Cup Winners' Cup finals, winning in 1979, 1982, 1989 and 1997 and losing in 1969 and 1991. Luis Enrique was a member of their victorious 1997 side against Paris Saint-Germain.

Barcelona have eight survivors of their 2011 Uefa Champions League final team in their squad: Daniel Alves, Gerard Piqué, Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta, Javier Mascherano, Sergio Busquets, Pedro Rodríguez and Lionel Messi. Adriano was an unused substitute.

Ivan Rakitic was man of the match for Sevilla FC in last season's Uefa Europa League final.

Previous meetings

Juventus edged past Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate when the clubs met in the 2002/03 Uefa Champions League quarterfinals. After a 1-1 draw in Turin, Marcelo Zalayeta's 114th-minute goal secured victory for Juve at the Camp Nou after Xavi had equalised a Pavel Nedved strike.

Luis Enrique played alongside Xavi in both of those ties, captaining Barcelona in the second leg. Buffon was in goal for Juventus.

Barcelona ended Juventus's European Cup defence in the 1985/86 quarterfinals, winning 1-0 in Spain before a 1-1 draw in Turin where Michel Platini got the Bianconeri's goal.

Five years later Barcelona came out on top in the sides' 1990/91 European Cup Winners' Cup semifinal, winning 3-1 at home before a 1-0 defeat in Italy.

Match Background

Juventus

Juventus reached the final by deposing holders Real Madrid CF with a 3-2 aggregate success in the last four. They are now looking to mark the 30th anniversary of their first European Cup triumph by reclaiming the trophy at the expense of another Spanish giant.

Allegri's men are on a nine-game unbeaten run in the competition, keeping five clean sheets.

Barcelona are the third Spanish opponents for Juve in this campaign. In the group stage, they lost 1-0 at Club Atlético de Madrid before a 0-0 home draw.

The Italian side's overall record against Spanish clubs is P44 W15 D11 L18.

Juve's shoot-out record in Uefa competition is W3 L3:

2-3 v AC Milan, 2002/03 Uefa Champions League final

4-2 v AFC Ajax, 1995/96 Uefa Champions League final

1-3 v Real Madrid CF, 1986/87 European Cup second round

4-2 v Argentinos Juniors, 1985 European/South American Cup final

1-4 v Widzew Lódz, 1980/81 Uefa Cup second round

3-0 v AFC Ajax, 1977/78 European Cup quarterfinal

Barcelona

Barcelona are back in the final after a four-year absence, and booked their ticket to Berlin by beating FC Bayern München 5-3 on aggregate in the semifinals. Prior to their second-leg loss in Munich, they were on a nine-match winning streak in the competition.

Barcelona last faced Italian opponents in last term's group stage, overcoming a Milan side coached by Allegri 3-1 at home after a 1-1 away draw.

The Spanish champions' record against teams from Italy is P43 W22 D13 L8.

Messi has scored seven goals in his last five appearances against Serie A sides.

Barcelona's shoot-out record in Uefa competition is W5 L1:

5-4 v KKS Lech Poznan, 1988/89 European Cup Winners' Cup second round

0-2 v FC Steaua Bucuresti, 1985/86 European Cup final

5-4 v IFK Göteborg, 1985/86 European Cup semifinal

4-1 v RSC Anderlecht, 1978/79 European Cup Winners' Cup second round

3-1 v Ipswich Town FC, 1977/78 Uefa Cup third round

5-4 v AZ Alkmaar, 1977/78 Uefa Cup second round

Coach and player links

As coach of Milan (2010–14), Allegri suffered Uefa Champions League elimination against Barcelona in two successive seasons, losing in the 2011/12 quarterfinals (1-3 agg) and the 2012/13 round of 16 (2-4 agg). His full record in eight games against the Blaugrana is W1 D3 L4.

As a player Luis Enrique was twice eliminated in the Uefa Champions League quarterfinals by Juventus, with Barcelona in 2002/03 and Real Madrid in 1995/96.

• As AS Roma coach in 2011/12, Luis Enrique faced Juventus three times. In Serie A he oversaw a 1-1 home draw – Giorgio Chiellini scoring for the Bianconeri – and a 4-0 away loss where Arturo Vidal (2), Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio scored. Roma also lost 3-0 in a Coppa Italia quarterfinal in Turin.

Luis Enrique also lost both meetings with Allegri's Milan that season, going down 3-2 at home and 2-1 at San Siro.

Vidal helped eliminate holders Spain from the 2014 Fifa World Cup when his Chile team – also including Claudio Bravo – earned a 2-0 win over a Spanish side containing Jordi Alba, Pedro, Busquets and Iniesta.

Uruguay knocked out Italy at last year's World Cup with a 1-0 victory in Natal; Luis Suárez, Cristian Rodríguez and Martín Cáceres (Uruguay); Buffon, Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli, Pirlo and the red-carded Claudio Marchisio (Italy) all featured.

Xavi, Iniesta, Piqué and Busquets converted spot kicks past Buffon as Spain beat Italy 7-6 on penalties in the 2013 Fifa Confederations Cup semifinal. Pirlo scored for Italy, but Bonucci missed. Neymar also scored past Buffon in Brazil's 4-2 group win over Italy earlier in the tournament.

Alba scored past Buffon in Spain's 4-0 victory over Italy in the Uefa EURO 2012 final. Piqué, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta and Pedro were also in the Spain team – Fernando Llorente on the bench – while the Azzurri side included Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Pirlo and Marchisio.

Stephan Lichtsteiner scored past Marc-André ter Stegen on the goalkeeper's Germany debut in a 5-3 defeat by Switzerland in May 2012.

Piqué played with Evra and Tévez at Manchester United in 2007/08, while Tévez was a club-mate of Javier Mascherano with SC Corinthians Paulista (2005–06) and West Ham United FC (2006/07).

Cáceres played 13 Liga games for Barcelona in 2008/09. He made two Uefa Champions League appearances and was on the bench for that season's final victory over Manchester United.

Cáceres and Rakitic were teammates at Sevilla between 2011 and 2012.

• Morata started one 'Clásico' against Barcelona – Madrid's 2-1 home win in March 2013 – and also appeared as a substitute in Madrid's 4-3 home loss the following season.

Llorente won just once in 20 meetings with Barcelona as an Athletic player, scoring three times.

Venue notes

• Pirlo and Buffon won the 2006 World Cup at the Olympiastadion, the former scoring the opening penalty in Italy's 5-3 shoot-out triumph over France. Andrea Barzagli was an unused substitute for Italy.

• Berlin is the fourth German city to have hosted the European Cup final after Munich (1980, 1993, 1997, 2012), Gelsenkircken (2004) and Stuttgart (1959, 1988). A Spanish club, Real Madrid, won the first final staged in Germany, beating Stade de Reims 2-0 in Stuttgart in 1958/59.

Match facts

Juventus

Juventus clinched a fourth successive Italian title three days before their semifinal first leg against Real Madrid. Since the return match in Spain on 13 May, the Bianconeri have beaten Inter (2-1) and SSC Napoli (3-1) in Serie A and drawn with last-day opponents Hellas Verona FC (2-2).

For the second consecutive season, Juventus ended the campaign 17 points clear of runners-up Roma. Allegri's men had the most prolific attack (72 goals scored) and the meanest defence (24 conceded).

Juventus are nine games unbeaten in all competitions.

Chiellini's first club goal since 2 February 2014 drew Juventus level against SS Lazio in the Coppa Italia final on 20 May. Alessandro Matri's extra-time winner sealed a 2-1 victory as the Turin side ended a two-decade wait for domestic cup glory.

The triumph was the Old Lady's 10th in the competition, a record, and rubber-stamped the club's third double.

Stefano Sturaro scored his first goal for Juventus in the defeat of Napoli on 23 May. Simone Pepe, who has struggled with injuries for two and a half years, rounded things off from the spot – his first goal since 11 April 2012.

Rested for the Coppa Italia decider, Buffon made the 900th competitive appearance of his career during the Napoli game, stopping a penalty from Lorenzo Insigne.

Tévez, who had a late spot kick saved against Verona, finished as Juve's 20-goal top scorer in Serie A, two behind leading marksmen Luca Toni and Mauro Icardi.

On 25 May, Allegri received the Enzo Bearzot Award, the fifth edition of an accolade named in honour of Italy's 1982 World Cup-winning coach.

Cáceres (out since 5 March, ankle) is still sidelined. Barzagli suffered a thigh strain against Napoli and is a doubt for the final.

Chiellini has been ruled out of the Berlin final having suffered a calf injury in training on 3 June.

On 4 June, Juve signed 21-year-old forward Paulo Dybala from US Città di Palermo for a fee that could rise as high as €40m.

Barcelona

Xavi became the first player to make 150 Uefa Champions League appearances when he featured as a substitute in the semifinal second leg against Bayern.

Five days after that 3-2 loss in Germany, Barcelona wrapped up their 23rd Liga title by winning 1-0 at Atlético.

The Azulgrana surrendered a two-goal lead when drawing 2-2 against visitors RC Deportivo La Coruña on the last day of the Liga season. Having recovered from a hamstring injury that had sidelined him since the 2014 World Cup, Thomas Vermaelen made his Barcelona debut, playing 61 minutes.

Barça won a record-extending 27th Copa del Rey on 30 May, completing the club's sixth domestic double, by beating Athletic 3-1 at the Camp Nou. Messi opened and rounded off the scoring, while Neymar was also on target.

Messi, Neymar and Suárez have scored 120 goals between them in all competitions this term, surpassing the 118 Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuaín managed for Real Madrid in 2011/12.

Messi has scored 58 goals this season – 43 in the Liga, 10 in the Uefa Champions League and five in the Copa del Rey.

Barcelona announced on 2 June that they had reached an agreement with Alba to extend the left-back's contract until summer 2020.

Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus coach

We started the season with an important objective – to get to the quarterfinals. Now we've got to the final and we have to be winners. We need to take the last step; that's always hard, especially in a Champions League final.

Messi, Neymar, Suárez, it's the usual question since the semifinal – how do you stop them, how do you stop them? We need to be very skilled but we need to recognise we're not going to draw; we need to score. How do you stop Barcelona? We need to think how to score. We need to be strong technically because they're a technical team and attack is their best weapon so we need to be very, very aware of that.

We need to stay focused for 90 minutes, right until the end. We need to be mentally strong and turn things around because we're second favourites to Barcelona. It's a one-off match, no chance to play again, so we need to be fit. We are physically fine and the same goes for our mental strength. We need to be good against a great team but, like all teams, they do have faults and weaknesses.

One of the two teams will win a treble, either Juventus or Barcelona – hopefully us. We need to recognise this isn't easy. It's not easy to manage great teams, despite how it seems from the outside. Luis Enrique was a great manager at Roma; this is a new league and a new situation but even back then it was clear he was right in his ideas. My role as manager is trying to add value to a team who were already capable, improving them even more.

It should be a great game. As with all Champions League finals, we'll need some luck and we'll need to work for that.

We're very sorry for what happened to Chiellini but I guess it was meant to be. We lost a player who had been great for us from the start of the season. Barzagli and Ogbonna are both fit; if Barzagli feels OK he's going to play, otherwise it's Ogbonna.

It's important that we have an Italian team in the final. The last time was five years ago, in 2010 when Inter won. We can see the enthusiasm; most Italians are looking forward to seeing Juventus lift the cup. This is going to be something positive for our game.

Irrespective of the outcome, we've had an extraordinary season. Apart from the league title and the 10th Coppa Italia, which had been missing for 20 years, we have to consider the consolidation of the team in Europe, getting back among the top eight teams. That's important for building momentum.

Luis Enrique, Barcelona coach

[Getting better] is a normal process throughout a season, especially bearing in mind this is my first season in charge. The team is now where it wants to be – with two trophies and the possibility of a third. We're entering this game with great excitement and hopes of playing a great match so we can be better than our opponents.

Midfield is where the game takes shape, whether that's attack or defence. We have to dominate both the offensive and the defensive side of things. We want to play our game – have the ball, create danger and minimise any opportunities for our opponents.

There is some euphoria among the fans and we're delighted to see that – that feeling has been there for several months. As players and coaches, we're focusing on this match with a great sense of seriousness and responsibility. We have to handle the occasion properly and make sure we have a good day so we can deal with such powerful opponents.

I imagine we'll have more possession, we hope to spend more time in their half. We'll have to play at a high level, it's going to be a difficult match. Juve have a very similar style to ours, they also need the ball. They're very good in defence, they're very resourceful and that's why they're in the same position as us – they can win the treble too. We know Juve will want and they're going to pressure us. Who will win depends on who adapts better to those situations.

We've scored lots of goals in the Champions League but we know finals are very different; there's a lot of tension so we'll have to block that out. The strikers have got all the headlines and that's natural. To be here today, having already won those two trophies in Spain, the players know you need a squad – we wouldn't have got here without our defenders too.

We have a unique set of players, a unique generation given the number of trophies Barcelona have won. I hope we see a great final, an open, exciting game – that would be great for football, and the better side would win. This is going to be one of the best matches you can watch – the champions of Italy and Spain. It's going to be spectacular.

Possible line-ups

Juventus (ITA) : Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Barzagli, Evra; Marchisio, Pirlo, Pogba; Vidal; Tévez, Morata.

Doubtful: Barzagli (thigh)

Out: Chiellini (calf), Cáceres (ankle), Asamoah* (knee), Rômulo* (thigh)

*Removed from the list in January

Full 22-man squad for Berlin (named Thursday)

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon, Marco Storari, Rubinho

Defenders: Angelo Ogbonna, Andrea Barzagli, Paolo De Ceglie, Leonardo Bonucci, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Patrice Evra

Midfielders: Paul Pogba, Simone Pepe, Claudio Marchisio, Simone Padoin, Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, Stefano Sturaro, Roberto Pereyra

Forwards: Álvaro Morata, Carlos Tévez, Kingsley Coman, Fernando Llorente, Alessandro Matri

Team news

Giorgio Chiellini

The centre-back has been ruled out due to a calf injury sustained in training on Wednesday. The 30-year-old underwent a scan on Thursday which showed up a first-grade tear.

Andrea Barzagli

Barzagli has not played since suffering a thigh strain against SSC Napoli on 23 May but returned to regular training on Wednesday and was named in the squad on Thursday. He remains doubtful, though Chiellini's absence means he is very likely to start if fit and he did train on Friday at the Olympiastadion.

Paul Pogba

Injured his ankle on 18 March and only returned on 9 May. He has since played a total of 255 minutes in Serie A and 89 in the Uefa Champions League. "Hopefully he will be at his peak in Berlin," said Allegri.

Martín Cáceres

The versatile defender has been out since fracturing his ankle in March, at which point he was ruled out for the season.

Álvaro Morata

A second-half substitute in last season's final, when he helped Real Madrid CF overcome Club Atlético de Madrid, the young forward is expected to start this time around. "I feel in great form physically," he said.

Roberto Pereyra

He is not expected to start in Berlin, but attacking midfielder Pereyra is certainly among those hitting form. After scoring in Juve's last two Serie A matches of the season, he will probably be involved.

FC Barcelona (ESP): Ter Stegen; Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Suárez, Neymar.

Doubtful: none

Out: none

Team news

Andres Iniesta

The midfielder was taken off in the second half of Saturday's Copa del Rey final against Athletic Club, but although he missed training on Tuesday, he insisted: "Not playing on Saturday has never crossed my mind." Should Barcelona triumph, the 31-year-old will join Clarence Seedorf as the only player to have won the Uefa Champions League four times.

Luis Suárez

The Uruguayan missed Barcelona's final two league matches with a hamstring problem but returned to the starting line-up for the Copa del Rey final and played 78 minutes before being replaced by Pedro Rodríguez, providing the assist for Neymar's goal. He is in line to play in his first European final.

Xavi Hernández

After 17 years, the midfield metronome is hoping his final outing for Barcelona before he joins al-Sadd SC in Qatar will bring him a 25th piece of silverware with the club. "This one is special because it's my last game for Barcelona," he said. "I want to lift that trophy and dedicate it to all of Barcelona."

Ivan Rakitic

Man of the match as Sevilla FC won the 2014 Uefa Europa League final, this is the Croatian's first Uefa Champions League decider. "I played in a European final last year, but this is different," he said. "I will try to not think too much about it and try to prepare as well as possible."

Lionel Messi

The Argentinian has played all but 23 minutes of Barcelona's Uefa Champions League campaign and if he scores in Berlin he will become the first player to find the net in three Uefa Champions League finals, having registered in the 2009 and 2011 wins against Manchester United FC.

Barcelona Have Faced Nothing Like Juventus - Lippi

Juventus' 1996 Champions League-winning coach Marcello Lippi believes the Bianconeri will present Barcelona with their toughest tactical proposition in some time when the two sides meet in the 2015 final in Berlin on Saturday.

Lippi, who also led Italy to World Cup glory in 2006, has told Goal that the Serie A champions have qualities that Barca have yet to face under Luis Enrique, making them something of an unknown quantity to the Catalans.

"These are the best two teams in Europe this season, but when a team gets to this point in a continental competition there are no certainties," explained Lippi. "In my opinion, Luis Enrique and his side have not faced a team so compact, sturdy and so willing to defend as Juventus.

"But the Bianconeri also know how to counter-attack with speed when they regain possession, and this could be a factor in how the game turns out. Barcelona are favourites, of course, but I don't think it will be as easy for them as many seem to think.

"The Catalans have Martians in their attack in Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, and that will make life very complicated for Allegri. But Juve are organised and tough, and we mustn't forget that Buffon is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. I expect a more balanced game than most seem to think it will be."

The 67-year-old added that he sees something in this Juve side that he has seen somewhere before.

"This Juve is growing similarly to my side back in the 1990s, first in Italy and then in Europe. Perhaps before long they will find themselves winning the Club World Cup just as we won the Intercontinental Cup in 1996. I would be delighted if Allegri were to win the trophy. I am not envious as they are all feelings I experienced and they are intoxicating."

And Lippi agrees that Juve have shown a flexibility in their Champions League campaign which bodes well ahead of the final.

"I have no doubt about it, just look at the things we've seen from this side. In Dortmund, for example, Juventus really took the initiative, showing superiority and a real awareness of their potential. Then against Madrid they got on top in the home leg, and while they were forced to suffer a little in the return that is normal for any side at the Bernabeu. They could even have won that game when you consider some of the chances they created.

"After three league titles, Allegri has come in and really added something. He has removed any anxieties from the squad and they have grown tactically. They now play in two different shapes without any transitional issues. This I how huge teams function.

"Luis Enrique has had a similar impact at Barcelona, and has got the best out of Suarez, Neymar and Messi while at the same time they recognise that he is the leader. We all know how the Blaugrana play, the way they use the ball so well and are hard to break down, but they have never faced a team like Juventus, who are so willing to defend so Messi and company will find it difficult

"Juve, though, must believe in themselves and take advantage of Barca's weaknesses. They must not be in awe of the opposition, and remember that all of the pressure is on Barcelona. I expect Juve to be tactically astute, and in 90 minutes anything can happen."

The former Napoli and Inter boss, who had two separate spells in charge of both Juve and the Italian national side, insists there is no set way to prepare for a final.

"Everyone has their own way to prepare for such an event. The important thing is to be focused on the goal, on the field. In a final you have to expect that there will be slight deviations to the general rules, but the only important thing is the result."

Five Key Questions In The UCL Final

Five key questions in the Champions League final at Berlin's Olympic Stadium on Saturday between Juventus and Barcelona:

Can the Juventus defence contain Barcelona's MSN strike-force?

Barcelona's South American strike-force of Argentina superstar Lionel Messi, Brazil's Neymar and Uruguay's Luis Suarez have scored 120 goals between them already this season as Suarez has slotted seamlessly into Barca's attack and Messi has been in the form of his career.

But the Juventus back four managed to subdue Real Madrid's star-studded attack and soaked up all that Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema threw at them in the second leg of their semi-final tie. Now, without the injured Giorgio Chiellini, they must repeat that performance.

Can Juventus get a grip on Barcelona in midfield?

Led by the class of veteran Andrea Pirlo, and with Arturo Vidal, Claudio Marchisio and Paul Pogba in there too, there is enough quality in the Juventus midfield for them to take on the Barcelona trio of Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic and Andres Iniesta.

Barcelona can also call on the veteran Xavi Hernandez, who will at some point during the game make his final appearance for the Catalans before joining Qatari side Al Sadd next season.

Can the old master Gianluigi Buffon outshine Barcelona 'keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen?

As the only survivor from Juventus' last Champions League final appearance in 2003, the 37-year-old Buffon is showing no signs of ageing and is determined to win his first European Cup.

Buffon, who was outstanding in Juve's 3-2 semi-final win on aggregate over Real Madrid, is relishing a return to the Olympic Stadium where he won the World Cup with Italy in 2006.

In the opposite goal, Ter Stegen, who is 14 years Buffon's junior, has got the nod in Europe this season despite coach Luis Enrique selecting the Chilean Claudio Bravo in La Liga.

Now, in his first season playing in Europe's elite club competition, he is looking forward to facing one of his childhood heroes.

"Buffon is a legend. He really has played a remarkable season. It was great to see him perform the way he did against Real Madrid," said Ter Stegen. "It's a good opportunity for him, but I hope I can win the final, not him."

Can Morata and Tevez break their Barcelona duck?

With 14 and 29 goals respectively, Alvaro Morata and Carlos Tevez have forged an impressive partnership up front for Juventus, but both have an extra point to prove against Barcelona.

Morata never scored against Barca when he was on the books at Real Madrid, while Tevez was on the losing side for Manchester United against Barcelona in his last Champions League final appearance.

Having lifted the trophy with United in Moscow in May 2008 by beating Chelsea on penalties in the final, Tevez played the second half of the 2009 final in Rome when Messi orchestrated Barca's 2-0 victory.

While Messi threatens to again steal the limelight in Berlin, Barcelona's Javier Mascherano warns their Argentinian compatriot Tevez is just as deadly in front of goal.

"He is one of the best players I have ever shared a pitch with and he has an incredible winning mentality," said Mascherano.

"He is a player that likes to play these type of games and clearly is one of the most important players in the Juventus team."

Can Juventus break Barcelona's resolve at set-pieces?

Only once this season has Barcelona's defence been breached from a set-piece, when Bayern Munich defender Medhi Benatia headed past Ter Stegen from a corner early in the Champions League semi-final second leg.

But with their height and strength, Juventus will test the Catalans' defence in the air from dead-ball situations.

Morata's crucial equaliser following a Pirlo free-kick in the semi-final second leg against Madrid ultimately booked Juve's ticket to Berlin. Barcelona's centre-backs Mascherano and Gerard Pique will therefore need to be at the top of their game in the final, especially whenever Pirlo gets the chance to send in a free-kick.

Messi Back On Top Of The World

By Lionel Messi's exceptional standards 2014 was a year to forget. For the first time in six years he went trophyless at club level with Barcelona, while arguably his best ever chance to win a World Cup with Argentina came and went.

His listless performances particularly in the latter stages of the World Cup, despite being controversially named player of the tournament, led many to believe he could never return to the level that dazzled as he became the first man to win four consecutive World Player of the Year awards between 2008 and 2012.

Fast-forward a year and Messi's displays in the past six months may even have eclipsed anything that came before.

After a brief stand off with coach Luis Enrique when Messi was left out of the opening game of the year after returning later than his teammates from their winter break, Messi has dragged Barcelona from the verge of institutional crisis to within one game of a treble when they face Juventus in the Champions League final on Saturday.

"Last year I had an inconsistent season. I was out for a long time due to injuries and I missed a lot of matches. When I returned to the field I never felt right," Messi admitted recently.

"It was a year I tried to forget quickly and recover my best form thanks to the joy, hard work and effort that I have always had and thankfully now I feel very good."

Messi's change in physical state has come about thanks to a radical change in diet. The 27-year-old has lost a reported 3.5 kilograms (7.7 pounds) since starting to work with Italian dietician Giuliano Poser at the start of the season.

A noticeably more slimline Messi has not only got to the end of the season in prime physical condition despite playing all but 70 minutes of Barca's full La Liga and Champions League campaigns, he has recovered the pace in short bursts that makes him practically impossible to stop.

In last weekend's Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao he scored one of the most memorable of his 412 Barcelona goals by showing a combination of strength, speed and incredible skill to burst past four Athletic defenders before firing in at the near post.

Even the coach that arguably knows Messi best of all was powerless to stop him. On the eve of Pep Guardiola's return to the Camp Nou as Bayern Munich boss, he declared that Messi's current form meant that "there is not a system or coach to stop talent of his magnitude."

A day later and Guardiola learned how it felt to be on the other side od Messi's genius as a two-goal salvo in three minutes took the tie away from Bayern.

"He is back, he is there where I had the privilege to train him," Guardiola said after the tie.

"He is definitely back at his best."

Juventus have defied the odds to get back to the top of the European game, but the task of not just stopping Messi but also Neymar and Luis Suarez may prove one too far.

The star South American triumvirate have combined for 120 goals this season, while the whole Juventus squad has managed 103.

Moreover, after a dry spell, Barca are in no mood to let the chance of becoming the first team to ever win the treble slip away.

"We came from a time when we won everything, every year we would win a title and maybe the fans like us didn't give it the value it deserved," Messi added.

"We went through a year where we didn't win anything and now when the success arrives we give it the importance it deserves and enjoy it more because we know how hard it is to achieve."

Messi may have dropped his weight, but his hunger for titles remains undiminished.

Mascherano Wary Of Old Friend Tevez

Barcelona defender Javier Mascherano will line up against a friend turned rival in the Champions League final on Saturday as compatriot Carlos Tevez attempts to fire Juventus to their first European Cup in 19 years.

Mascherano and Tevez moved to Europe together to join English side West Ham United from Corinthians in 2006.

After an inauspicious start at Upton Park, both went onto enjoy successful careers in England as Mascherano joined Liverpool before moving to Barcelona in 2010, while Tevez won Premier League titles with Manchester United and Manchester City.

However, it is at Juventus where Tevez has shown his best form in European football.

The 31-year-old has scored 29 goals this season to guide Juventus to the brink of their first ever treble of Serie A, Italian Cup and Champions League.

"Carlos's career is there for everyone to see. It is formidable," said Mascherano.

"He is one of the best players I have ever shared a pitch with and has an incredible winning mentality.

"He has left a mark at all the teams he has played with. Obviously, if you are faced with playing him you have to be very careful.

"He is a player that likes to play these type of games and clearly is one of the most important players in the Juventus team."

At the other end of the field the clash between the Spanish and Italian champions brings Luis Suarez face-to-face with old foes Patrice Evra and Giorgio Chiellini.

Suarez was banned for eight matches after being found guilty of racially abusing Evra in 2011 during their time at Liverpool and Manchester United respectively.

The fiery Uruguayan then received a four-month ban for biting Chiellini at last summer's World Cup.

However, Mascherano believes Suarez has shown this season he has the right temperament to concentrate solely on winning the Champions League for the first time.

"For Luis that is already in the past," added Mascherano.

"It is a special game for him because it is his first Champions League final and these games are special, but not because of the players he will face.

"Luis is of an age now and has shown that we don't need to say anything. He is responsible for his actions."

Mascherano has already tasted victory in a Champions League final during his first season at Barca, but also lost one while at Liverpool in 2007.

However, he insisted that even winning the treble would not wipe away the pain of losing the World Cup final to Germany in extra time last July despite his heroics throughout the tournament.

"The worst feeling is to lose a World Cup final.

"Apart from that the feeling of winning any title is very gratifying because it is the reward of all the work done during the year.

"The Champions League has that feeling but also an added prestige. As a footballer that prestige is also something that we play for."

Juve Need To Be Better Than Perfect To Beat Barca - Tevez

Carlos Tevez fears Juventus will need to be "better than perfect" to beat Barcelona, whom he thinks they have the best strikeforce in football.

The Scudetto winners face a Barca side boasting Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez as a front three in the Champions League final on June 6.

The trio have scored over 100 goals between them in all competitions this season and Tevez acknowledged the devastating threat they will pose to Massimiliano Allegri's backline.

The forward told SportMediaset: "I think they are the best team in the world. They have the three best strikers, so we’ll have to work hard to give a performance which is more than perfect."

Tevez also dismissed the significance of him facing Argentina team-mate Messi, who he thinks has bigger fish to fry than worrying about tackling the ex-Manchester United man.

"I think Messi will be focused on the game, not on playing against me," he added. "We’re team-mates for the national team, but I want to win the Champions League too, playing against him isn’t the priority."

Tevez has enjoyed one of the most prolific seasons of his career, scoring 29 goals in all competitions to help fire the club to the European final and seal Serie A and Coppa Italia glory.

Buffon labels Madrid fans 'ingrates' over 'outrageous' Casillas boos

Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon has labelled Real Madrid fans "ingrates" for their "outrageous" booing of goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

The Spain skipper has spent his entire professional career at the Santiago Bernabeu, winning three Champions Leagues trophies and La Liga five times amongst a host of other honours.

However, a slump in form over the last couple of years has seen him become the target of jeers from the stands but Buffon has leapt to his defence.

"There are certain iconic figures who don't deserve this attitude," he said at a press conference.

"It is an unpleasant and outrageous thing for a professional like him, who has always given his all. The protest against him is an unprecedented gesture from ingrates.

"For 20 years he has given so much for the Real Madrid shirt. Regardless of whether things are going well or not, there are icons who don't deserve this kind of treatment."

Juventus travel to Madrid on Wednesday with a 2-1 lead from the first leg of their Champions League semi-final  in Turin last week but Buffon says their job is only half done.

"We have gone beyond our expectations. We are 90 minutes from the final," he continued.

"I'm more mature now than when I was playing in the 2006 World Cup final in Berlin but it's still too early to dream about going through to Berlin."

Bring on Real Madrid - Pique

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique is hoping his side face arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Champions League final for the first time in history.

The Catalans reached the Berlin showpiece on Tuesday with a 5-3 aggregate win over Bayern Munich, while Carlo Ancelotti's side trail Juventus 2-1 ahead on Wednesday's second leg at the Bernabeu.

Barca remain in the hunt for a second treble triumph but the former Manchester United man is taking nothing for granted as they hope to seal La Liga on Sunday, should their game against Atletico Madrid not be postponed due to the upcoming strike.

"It would be very exciting to be the first to play a Champions League final against your closest rivals," he is quoted as saying by AS.

"It would be something historic. The treble would be the most beautiful. But we know that everything can change in a moment.

"We'll see if we have to play this weekend against Atletico Madrid due to the strike. Everything looks very good but we need to finish well.

"We've done everything right but we must close out the titles."

Should the Liga strike be called off, Barcelona will face Atletico at 19:00CET at the Vicente Calderon.

Messi: Barcelona must win the Champions League

Barcelona star Lionel Messi says the club must now go on and win the Champions League after reaching the final on Tuesday.

Luis Enrique's side lost 3-2 to Bayern Munich but progressed thanks to their 3-0 first-leg win at Camp Nou last week, in which the Argentine scored twice.

The 27-year-old has won the competition three times in his career but is determined to add a fourth medal to his collection.

"We're happy as we wanted to reach the Champions League final," he wrote on his Facebook page.

"But our objective is still the same: to win it."

Barcelona are more than just Messi - Rafinha

Bayern Munich defender Rafinha has warned his team-mates not to become preoccupied with the thought of stopping Lionel Messi on Tuesday.

The Argentine scored twice in a devastating final 13 minutes in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final as Barca raced into a 3-0 first-leg lead.

Rafina, however, says it would be dangerous to forget about the strength across the Blaugrana team sheet when they attempt to overturn the deficit at the Allianz Arena this week.

"Everyone knows how good Messi is. Of course we wanted to stop him, a player like him can decide games on his own," the 29-year-old told a press conference. "But Barcelona are not just Messi. They have a great team, just think about Luis Suarez.

"For 77 minutes last week we played very well, defended very well. After that we made some mistakes and we paid for that. Now we are going to try to score three or four goals – perhaps we will even have to take it to extra-time.

"Against players like this you take a risk by playing with just three at the back, but we will do what the coach says. It's the details which will decide games like these."

Rafinha is adamant Bayern can consider their season a success regardless of the result on Tuesday but feels their stunning comeback against Porto should give them hope of keeping their European dreams alive.

"If we are German champions, that means this has been a great season for us. We are still in semi-finals of the Champions League. We had had bad luck with injuries, and of course we wanted to go to the DFB-Pokal final, too.

"We did not expect to be 3-0 down at this stage, but we have another game, and when we are at out stadium we will have shown that we can score a lot of goals."

Carvajal: Madrid can't go mad against Juventus

Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal has warned his team-mates that a gung-ho approach against Juventus will get them nowhere.

The Bianconeri lead the European champions 2-1 from the first leg of their Champions League semi-final thanks to strikes from Alvaro Morata and Carlos Tevez, but Cristiano Ronaldo's away goal could prove crucial.

The former Bayer Leverkusen right-back feels his side should adopt a patient approach and look to slowly break down Massimiliano Allegri's men rather than attack en masse.

"We must keep a cool head, be patient and not go crazy," he is quoted as saying by Marca.

"We know what a game of football lasts 90 minutes. We have to make them pay a high price for suffering without possession.

"We have to learn from the game in Turin. They created danger for us. If we stay calm, have patience and move them, the game will fall to us.

"We cannot make mistakes on easy passes in simple situations. That gives them life."

Morata began his career at Real Madrid before moving to Juventus last summer and, though Carvajal is happy to see him playing well, he is not looking forward to facing his old colleague.

"To find a friend in the semi-finals of the Champions League is great but playing against him is a disadvantage because he's a great player and a big danger."

Madrid are expected to be boosted by the return of star forward Karim Benzema and Carvajal feels his comeback could shift the tie in his side's favour.

"Karim brings us a lot of things. I hope he can get to the game on Wednesday and do his bit, which is always important."

Carvajal also called upon the Santiago Bernabeu faithful to get behind the team to give them extra motivation to reach the Berlin showpiece.

"We will feel the breath of the fans; they'll be our 12th man."

Barcelona not too confident ahead of Bayern clash - Mascherano

Javier Mascherano has admitted that Barcelona are not too confident heading into Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg with Bayern Munich, despite holding a 3-0 lead from the first game against the German side.

A Lionel Messi double followed by a strike from Neymar gave Barca the advantage in the tie as the sides battle for a place in the final.

Mascherano, though, feels his side must forget about their lead when the game starts and look to prevent Bayern from getting anything from the game in Munich.

"I think we need to forget that we are leading 3-0, we have to try to win this match. We know that we are doing well in the league. If we try something different in this competition, we would be making a mistake.

"We are not excessively confident about what could happen in the game - they are going to try everything to progress.

"Tomorrow's game is really exciting for us. Playing in the Champions League final is a dream."

The Argentine midfielder has urged his side to put in the perfect performance against Pep Guardiola's men as they look to become one of Europe's greatest sides.

"We will attack because we do not know how to play any other way - it's the club philosophy. To reach the final in Berlin, we will have to play the perfect game, because Bayern will demand it of us.

"This Barca team is aiming to become a great side. We are on the way and let's hope we can get there. We are very competitive, we want to win titles - we are 90 minutes away from the final. We will do everything to fulfill our dream. If you get to this stage, every mistake can be punished - we have to take it step by step tomorrow.

"I don't know how Bayern will line up. But I expect a hungry Bayern team, right from the start. They will try to score, we know how they play at home. But we are prepared for everything, nothing will surprise us. If we just defend they will come to us - now we are in the semi-final, it would be a mistake just to defend."

Mascherano was then asked about his thoughts on his team-mate Lionel Messi, who he hailed as a unique player.

"I am a huge fan of Messi - I enjoy watching him. You can’t compare him to anyone. For me he is the best player of all time."

Benatia: Bayern can beat Barcelona 4-0!

Mehdi Benatia is adamant that Bayern Munich can overturn a three-goal deficit in next week's Champions League second-leg showdown with Barcelona but conceded that Pep Guardiola's men will have produce "the perfect game" to progress to the final.

The German titleholders suffered a shock 3-0 loss at Camp Nou on Wednesday, with Lionel Messi netting a sensational double before Neymar struck in the dying seconds to seemingly end the last-four tie as a contest.

However, Benatia insists that all is not lost and is taking heart from the fact that Bayern hammered Porto 6-1 at the Allianz Arena in the quarter-finals, having lost the first leg 3-1.

"It is not easy, but if we do not believe, we can all stay at home," the defender is quoted as saying by L'Equipe.

"We also have great players and the ability to play better.

"If we get our shots away quicker, we will score. We can win 4-0.

"But we need the perfect game and to go in there and get ahead early.

"We have shown that we can score goals at home, even though we have not played against Barca yet."

Bayern are hoping to avoid bowing out at the same stage of the Champions League for the second successive season, with the Bavarians having been routed 5-0 on aggregate by Real Madrid in last year's semis.

Beating Barcelona would be the greatest achievement of Guardiola's career

There has always been a degree of scepticism about Pep Guardiola's work at Barcelona and now at Bayern; as if he has simply been handed two squads of world-class players and all he has to do is stand on the sidelines and watch them score goals.

He has indeed inherited two great teams but nothing in his career so far will have prepared him for what is about to transpire in this upcoming series of games. Guardiola is facing the most intense challenge of his coaching life. Against Barcelona on Wednesday at Camp Nou he will have to demonstrate that his side can legitimately be described as the best in Europe. That is not easy. It is even more difficult when he has only half a team.

Not once this season has Guardiola had a full squad available to him. Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger, two World Cup and treble winners, have missed huge chunks of the campaign. Last summer's marquee signing Medhi Benatia has also broken down too often. Franck Ribery remains touch and go for this week but his season, like so many others at Bayern, has been injury-ravaged. Pep has had to do without his two Spanish maestros, Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez, for most of the season although their return at this part of the campaign could now prove crucial.

While those players have finally regained fitness, other important ones have been struck down. Arjen Robben and David Alaba, the best attacker and best all-round player in the squad respectively, are marked absent until next season. Robert Lewandowski, who has toiled diligently all season while those around him were dropping like flies, is recovering from concussion, a broken nose and a broken jaw. Holger Badstuber was again emerging as a key defender but another muscle injury has stricken him lame.

Pep's season has been more about managing resources than implementing the next stage of his grand plan. He has turned up on matchdays with only 14 fit players. No coach can conduct significant work on the training field with those numbers. Bayern play 34 Bundesliga matches a season. Their squad is 25 players strong. Multiply one number by the other and you get 850 individual matchdays. Guardiola's squad between them have missed nearly 200; around a quarter of all games. Think of Bayern's strongest XI; now think how many times Guardiola has been able to use it. Never has a coach had to achieve so much with so few fit players at his disposal.



He should be thankful that Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Dante, Juan Bernat, Xabi Alonso, Mario Gotze, Thomas Muller and Lewandowski have stayed fit for most of the season between them because they form the core of what has become Guardiola's first choice XI. And now he has to prepare them for mighty Barca.

Guardiola has worked out a blueprint for success in the Bundesliga. He has also been aided by his rivals' inability to collect three points in places Bayern do every week. His record against the top teams in Germany is not the best around and it is proving difficult to implement his high-wire football in Europe too. He can dominate the league scene through Bayern's inherent superiority but cannot always bring his style to bear in the most demanding matches. That is not down to any tactical inferiority though - it is because he can never pick his preferred team.

By Pep's exceedingly high standards Bayern have played well only twice in Europe this season, such have been the impediments; away at Roma and at home against Porto in the last round. Julen Lopetegui exploited weaknesses in the ranks and ponderousness in possession when Porto beat Bayern 3-1 at the Estadio do Dragao, but Guardiola rectified those errors in the second leg.

Bayern were forthright in their attacks. They went wide for crosses and found success which proved that Guardiola is not above compromising or at least varying his football in the name of victory. He will likely have to do that against Barcelona too. Pep is asking the walking wounded to beat the team who, on form, are the best in the world.

Contrast the fitness picture at the Allianz, where the long-serving club doctor Hans Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfhart has departed due to the pervasiveness of infirmity, with the serenity at Camp Nou. Luis Enrique, the Barca coach, was criticised for his rotation policy earlier in the season and even fell foul of the moods of Lionel Messi, but the decision to rest players and slowly ease Luis Suarez into the picture is now paying dividends at a key time in the season. While the likes of Robben and Alaba are breaking down, Messi, Suarez and Neymar are just getting going.

Guardiola has to find the antidote to world football's most electrifying front three while Messi will relish the prospect at getting one-on-one with Dante and Boateng. Guardiola made Messi into the best player in the world once upon a time. He now must work out how to prevent him from having a major impact on this tie.

However, whatever knowledge Guardiola had of the inner workings at Barcelona now counts for little. It is a different club to the one he left. Key figures like Carles Puyol, Victor Valdes and Eric Abidal, the very heart and soul of Guardiola's dream team, have departed. Xavi is marginalised. Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Ivan Rakitic, Neymar and Luis Suarez represent a bold new Barcelona that is a distortion from what was Guardiola's long-term plans.

Ludicrously, Guardiola still needs to prove his credentials at Bayern. It is reckoned to be an easy job; the fact that he cannot win a treble is a bete noire. That demonstrates the level of expectation around both Bayern as a club and the man himself. Pep has to accept that the true indicator of his legacy in Bavaria will come in the Champions League. It is where he will be judged.

The defeats to Real Madrid last season were the worst of Guardiola's career. This Barcelona side are similar in terms of the star quality of their forwards and their relentlessness in attack. The total failure against Madrid might yet have a bright side; Guardiola can show he has learned the lessons from last season. He can do that against Barcelona and prove he is now a better coach for that chastening experience.

The 7-0 aggregate trouncing of Barca by Bayern in the 2013 semis was widely seen as the end of the Catalans' golden age. Jupp Heynckes and his side destroyed Pep's model over those two legs. After a sticky start Luis Enrique has Barca hitting Guardiola-esque highs this season and certain members of the squad will be hungry for vengeance. Bayern are wounded. Barca are remorseless.

If Guardiola and Bayern emerge from this tie victorious then it will be the greatest achievement of his coaching career; greater than the treble, greater than the Club World Cup, greater than all those records broken with Barca.

Madrid must learn lessons from Juventus defeat - Hernandez

Javier Hernandez has called upon his Real Madrid team-mates to learn from Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first-leg loss to Juventus.

Alvaro Morata gave Massimiliano Allegri's side an early lead in Turin, only for Cristiano Ronaldo to level for the visitors going into the break, with Carlos Tevez's penalty sealing victory.

The Mexico international has no bitterness about starting the game on the bench and is hoping to do his bit to secure a place in the final.

"The feeling is negative because we lost the game, but we fought until the end and with a 1-0 in the return leg, we'll get there," he is quoted as saying by AS.

"We have to be calm and use this as a lesson because there are no small teams in this competition.

"The coach asked us for attitude and what we do in La Liga. They had a great game. We have to try to get back on track.

"I've always said you must accept the coach's selection decisions but no one is happy on the bench.

"We have to swallow this and think about Valencia, who are also fighting in La Liga."

Real Madrid entertain Valencia at the Santiago Bernabeu at 19:00CET on Saturday.

Llorente: Juve must attack Real Madrid

Juventus striker Fernando Llorente says his side cannot afford to sit back and defend their way past Real Madrid if they are to reach the Champions League final.

The Old Lady, who can claim their fourth consecutive Scudetto with a point at fifth-placed Sampdoria on Saturday, are on the hunt for their first European title since 1996.

And Spain international Llorente has called on his team-mates to take a proactive approach when they host the reigning European champions in Turin on Tuesday.

"We can't defend forever. We have to attack and we know how to do that," he told AS.

"People are used to winning the league but it's not easy. But the Champions League semi-final gives the season greater importance. 

"It's a unique chance for us. Hopefully we can play two great games. We know that Madrid have spectacular players up front. There isn't room for the smallest of errors. You can't give them any space either, because Madrid are lethal."

Joint-top scorers in Serie A with 63 goals in 33 outings this season, Carlos Tevez has once again spearheaded the Juve attack, hitting 20 goals to leave him top of Italy’s scoring charts.

And Llorente says the Argentine's form has been an inspiration to everybody at the club.

"He's in a great run of form. He also has a character that is contagious in the dressing room. He has so much confidence that it rubs off on the rest of the team. He gives us a lot."

Juve and Madrid also met in the semi-finals in 2002-03 edition, when the Italians emerged victorious, while Madrid beat the Italian champions in the final in 1997-98 thanks to a single goal from Predrag Mijatovic.

I think Di Maria will stay, says Van Gaal... but it's up to him

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has suggested that Argentine winger Angel Di Maria could leave Old Trafford this summer.

Di Maria has endured a difficult first season in England after joining from Real Madrid for €75 million last year and has recently lost his place in the side to Ashley Young.

Van Gaal admits that he would consider a transfer request should the 27-year-old submit one.

"The manager and the club is always dependable on the opinion of the player himself," the Dutchman told reporters when asked about Di Maria's future. "The player decides; we shall see what he decides.

"He cannot say that he has had a marvellous season here. The decision is not only to him because now we have a contract so we shall speak always with every player, evaluation, as I always do. Then we speak with each other about the future and that is with every player."

Di Maria reached the Champions League final with Real Madrid last term and also played in the last game of the World Cup, as Argentina lost 1-0 to Germany after extra time in Brazil. It has been suggested that such a long season in 2013-14 may have had an impact on his form this time around.

"I hope [that is the case]," said Van Gaal when the suggestion was put to him. "You cannot always say that is the main factor. Of course, it plays a role and I hope it is that, because then we can have a fantastic season next season. You have to adapt to our philosophy and that is also difficult for him, probably. Normally he shall have a fantastic season, I believe in that.

"I am pleased with his attitude, so that is not a problem," he added. "I think Di Maria shall stay and he is working very hard."

The former Benfica man has started 19 Premier League games for the Red Devils, scoring three goals. 

Asked if he expected more from his No.7, Van Gaal replied: "A player has to contribute. What we expected, as a team and as a staff, from each other. Normally Di Maria should have played but the last weeks he doesn't play any more and the team is winning. Now we are losing so the chance of him coming back is higher; it is always like that. The issue that he is not always in the line-up is also for him a disappointment, but for me a disappointment.

"I like every player who wants to perform how we want him to perform. He can convince me of the way of playing or I have to convince him and that is in every club – that is what I have done. I am not a dictator that says: 'You have to play like that.' No, you can play but we have team functions and that is obligated to perform. You can play as you want to play but then I have to judge with other players in that position."