FC
Bayern München and Juventus have fairly impeccable credentials going
into Tuesday's quarter-final first leg so it is little wonder Jupp
Heynckes expects a top-quality encounter.
Jupp Heynckes, coach
I have been to bed these last few nights with the Old Lady and I have woken up with her too – I did a lot of research on her, I studied her most recent games and I was impressed by what I saw. But we are having an outstanding season ourselves. My team are playing a really committed style of football regardless of who is on the pitch.
Juventus are very, very strong opponents. They are physically extremely powerful and can do a lot of running. [Andrea] Pirlo is the brains of the operation, but there are plenty more good players in the squad – I think at least seven who play for Italy.
It is like a myth. Juventus have come back like a phoenix. [Coach Antonio] Conte has done many great things in the last few years. His signature is all over this side. They do not play the typical catenaccio any more – they play a very good, defensive style of play with a lot of creativity. It will be a top-quality match between two equal teams. It will be a high-class game – a typical Champions League quarter-final.
• Bayern's historic fourth-highest Bundesliga victory means they are 20 points clear at the top of the German table with seven games to go. They have won their first ten Bundesliga games of 2013, matching the record for the best opening to a calendar year set by Borussia Dortmund in 2012. Claudio Pizarro, starting for only the third time this season, scored his first four league goals of the campaign.
Team news
While David Alaba was rested and therefore absent from the squad against Hamburg, Mario Gomez was missing with a muscle strain. The versatile Luiz Gustavo replaced Alaba and played at left-back for the first time this term.
Juventus
Antonio Conte, coach
We have studied them, as they have us, and we're looking forward to what will be a great game in a great competition. It is the first time in a long while that we play in a Champions League quarter-final. Of course we are underdogs against one of the big favourites, but we have not come here to lose.
We will see who is going to start up front – it may be another midfielder. We have to stay disciplined tactically and play with lots of commitment. Italian teams normally play a very disciplined type of football. I also want my team to take the game to them. It's possible because I have players capable of a more offensive style, who bring an element of fantasy and creativity. Of course this is not always possible, especially not against teams like Bayern.
Bayern have many top players. Their midfield is especially good. They are a good reference for us, not just on the pitch but also as a club. How things work here is great. We have many young players and they want to see how strong they are, how far they can go. If someone had told me 16 months ago that we'd win the Scudetto and reach these quarter-finals, I wouldn't have believed them, but we have really great players with good personalities and that is why we are here today. If we lose, at least we will learn a lot and enjoy the games against Bayern.
• A third successive Serie A win maintained Juventus's nine-point advantage at the top of the Italian standings. Since beginning 2013 with a 2-1 home defeat by UC Sampdoria, Juve have not conceded more than one goal in a league game. Fabio Quagliarella's strike against Inter means he is now the Turin team's leading marksman in both Serie A (eight goals) and the UEFA Champions League (four).
Team news
Mirko Vučinić (flu) sat out the Inter match but trained on the eve of the match. Sebastian Giovinco, who received a bad knock to the ankle in the final minutes against the Nerazzurri, is also in the squad. Conte said he "would not know until tomorrow" on Vučinić. Giorgio Chiellini recovered from his own ankle problem to play from the start on Saturday.
Match fact
Juventus have won all five European quarter-finals against German opposition. They are unbeaten on their European travels since 18 March 2010 when they went down 4-1 at Fulham FC in a UEFA Europa League round of 16 second leg, losing 5-4 on aggregate. Their subsequent nine away fixtures have produced four wins and five draws.
Expert Edge: I will be going for a draw.
I have been to bed these last few nights with the Old Lady and I have woken up with her too – I did a lot of research on her, I studied her most recent games and I was impressed by what I saw. But we are having an outstanding season ourselves. My team are playing a really committed style of football regardless of who is on the pitch.
Juventus are very, very strong opponents. They are physically extremely powerful and can do a lot of running. [Andrea] Pirlo is the brains of the operation, but there are plenty more good players in the squad – I think at least seven who play for Italy.
It is like a myth. Juventus have come back like a phoenix. [Coach Antonio] Conte has done many great things in the last few years. His signature is all over this side. They do not play the typical catenaccio any more – they play a very good, defensive style of play with a lot of creativity. It will be a top-quality match between two equal teams. It will be a high-class game – a typical Champions League quarter-final.
• Bayern's historic fourth-highest Bundesliga victory means they are 20 points clear at the top of the German table with seven games to go. They have won their first ten Bundesliga games of 2013, matching the record for the best opening to a calendar year set by Borussia Dortmund in 2012. Claudio Pizarro, starting for only the third time this season, scored his first four league goals of the campaign.
Team news
While David Alaba was rested and therefore absent from the squad against Hamburg, Mario Gomez was missing with a muscle strain. The versatile Luiz Gustavo replaced Alaba and played at left-back for the first time this term.
Juventus
Antonio Conte, coach
We have studied them, as they have us, and we're looking forward to what will be a great game in a great competition. It is the first time in a long while that we play in a Champions League quarter-final. Of course we are underdogs against one of the big favourites, but we have not come here to lose.
We will see who is going to start up front – it may be another midfielder. We have to stay disciplined tactically and play with lots of commitment. Italian teams normally play a very disciplined type of football. I also want my team to take the game to them. It's possible because I have players capable of a more offensive style, who bring an element of fantasy and creativity. Of course this is not always possible, especially not against teams like Bayern.
Bayern have many top players. Their midfield is especially good. They are a good reference for us, not just on the pitch but also as a club. How things work here is great. We have many young players and they want to see how strong they are, how far they can go. If someone had told me 16 months ago that we'd win the Scudetto and reach these quarter-finals, I wouldn't have believed them, but we have really great players with good personalities and that is why we are here today. If we lose, at least we will learn a lot and enjoy the games against Bayern.
• A third successive Serie A win maintained Juventus's nine-point advantage at the top of the Italian standings. Since beginning 2013 with a 2-1 home defeat by UC Sampdoria, Juve have not conceded more than one goal in a league game. Fabio Quagliarella's strike against Inter means he is now the Turin team's leading marksman in both Serie A (eight goals) and the UEFA Champions League (four).
Team news
Mirko Vučinić (flu) sat out the Inter match but trained on the eve of the match. Sebastian Giovinco, who received a bad knock to the ankle in the final minutes against the Nerazzurri, is also in the squad. Conte said he "would not know until tomorrow" on Vučinić. Giorgio Chiellini recovered from his own ankle problem to play from the start on Saturday.
Match fact
Juventus have won all five European quarter-finals against German opposition. They are unbeaten on their European travels since 18 March 2010 when they went down 4-1 at Fulham FC in a UEFA Europa League round of 16 second leg, losing 5-4 on aggregate. Their subsequent nine away fixtures have produced four wins and five draws.
Expert Edge: I will be going for a draw.
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