Juventus looking forward for last 16

Juventus looking forward for last 16

Juventus are hoping to maintain their formidable home record in Europe when they host Bayern Munich on Tuesday night.

Ciro Ferrara's men are undefeated in their last 16 encounters in European competition in Turin and need only a point to join Bordeaux to the knockout phase of the Champions League.

The Bianconeri are second in Group A, one point clear of Bayern, who need a win to have any chance of reaching the last 16.

Juve, who held Bayern to a goalless draw in Munich on September 30, go into the match at the Stadio Olimpico in buoyant mood having beaten Serie A leaders Inter Milan 2-1 on Saturday.

The outcome allowed the Bianconeri to cut the deficit with Inter to five points.

"With respect to our previous two games, we have shown an improvement in character and determination," said Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio, who struck the winner against the Nerazzurri.

"We have to continue where we left off against Inter and give continuity to our results.

"We complicated our lives in our defeat to Bordeaux 10 days ago and now we must play a great game against Bayern.

"We not only want to qualify to the knockout stages but give continuity to our performances.

"We are on the right path after our win against Inter."

The hosts will be without injured striker Vincenzo Iaquinta but French forward David Trezeguet has recovered from a thigh injury that saw him miss his team's last two encounters.

Only a win over Juventus would be good enough for Bayern to join the already-qualified Bordeaux in the last 16, but despite winning their last three matches, chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge knows it is not going to be easy.

"You don't have to be a prophet to know that it is going to be very tough," he told the club's website ahead of the flight over the Alps.

"But I am convinced that we will throw everything into the melting pot to make possible what only a few weeks ago was absolutely impossible."

The pressure on Bayern coach Louis van Gaal has lifted a little after a win over Maccabi Haifa a fortnight ago preserved their chances of making the knockout stages of the competition and set up this decider.

Two wins in the Bundesliga have followed to lift Bayern up to fourth in the table and their honorary president Franz Becekenbauer believes Van Gaal still has a future at the club, no matter what happens at the Stadio Olimpico.

"He will stay," said the Kaiser in the La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

"He is getting the team on the straight and narrow with three wins in a row and his work is starting to pay off.

"I would not send him away now."

Bayern set foot on their charter flight to Turin on Monday without Italian striker Luca Toni, who no longer figures in the plans of Van Gaal, and Franck Ribery, who has failed to prove his fitness in time for this match.

Alexander Baumjohann, Andreas Gorlitz, Michael Rensing and Christian Lell have also been left behind, but Arjen Robben insists he is ready to play a full 90 minutes after two consecutive substitute appearances.

"I am fit again and ready for Tuesday," he said. "It is an important game and I would love to play from the beginning.

"I haven't spoken to him (Van Gaal), but I think the coach knows that I want to play."

Should Bayern fail to beat the Italian giants they would drop into the Europa League, which Beckenbauer insists is "a prestigious competition".

Bayern reached the semi-final of the UEFA Cup two years ago before going out to eventual winners Zenit St Petersburg.
Juventus are hoping to maintain their formidable home record in Europe when they host Bayern Munich on Tuesday night.

Ciro Ferrara's men are undefeated in their last 16 encounters in European competition in Turin and need only a point to join Bordeaux to the knockout phase of the Champions League.

The Bianconeri are second in Group A, one point clear of Bayern, who need a win to have any chance of reaching the last 16.

Juve, who held Bayern to a goalless draw in Munich on September 30, go into the match at the Stadio Olimpico in buoyant mood having beaten Serie A leaders Inter Milan 2-1 on Saturday.

The outcome allowed the Bianconeri to cut the deficit with Inter to five points.

"With respect to our previous two games, we have shown an improvement in character and determination," said Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio, who struck the winner against the Nerazzurri.

"We have to continue where we left off against Inter and give continuity to our results.

"We complicated our lives in our defeat to Bordeaux 10 days ago and now we must play a great game against Bayern.

"We not only want to qualify to the knockout stages but give continuity to our performances.

"We are on the right path after our win against Inter."

The hosts will be without injured striker Vincenzo Iaquinta but French forward David Trezeguet has recovered from a thigh injury that saw him miss his team's last two encounters.

Only a win over Juventus would be good enough for Bayern to join the already-qualified Bordeaux in the last 16, but despite winning their last three matches, chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge knows it is not going to be easy.

"You don't have to be a prophet to know that it is going to be very tough," he told the club's website ahead of the flight over the Alps.

"But I am convinced that we will throw everything into the melting pot to make possible what only a few weeks ago was absolutely impossible."

The pressure on Bayern coach Louis van Gaal has lifted a little after a win over Maccabi Haifa a fortnight ago preserved their chances of making the knockout stages of the competition and set up this decider.

Two wins in the Bundesliga have followed to lift Bayern up to fourth in the table and their honorary president Franz Becekenbauer believes Van Gaal still has a future at the club, no matter what happens at the Stadio Olimpico.

"He will stay," said the Kaiser in the La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

"He is getting the team on the straight and narrow with three wins in a row and his work is starting to pay off.

"I would not send him away now."

Bayern set foot on their charter flight to Turin on Monday without Italian striker Luca Toni, who no longer figures in the plans of Van Gaal, and Franck Ribery, who has failed to prove his fitness in time for this match.

Alexander Baumjohann, Andreas Gorlitz, Michael Rensing and Christian Lell have also been left behind, but Arjen Robben insists he is ready to play a full 90 minutes after two consecutive substitute appearances.

"I am fit again and ready for Tuesday," he said. "It is an important game and I would love to play from the beginning.

"I haven't spoken to him (Van Gaal), but I think the coach knows that I want to play."

Should Bayern fail to beat the Italian giants they would drop into the Europa League, which Beckenbauer insists is "a prestigious competition".

Bayern reached the semi-final of the UEFA Cup two years ago before going out to eventual winners Zenit St Petersburg.