UEFA Champions League Preview: Real Madrid host Atletico Madrid,Monaco play Juventus

Champions League holders Real Madrid play host to arch rivals Atletico Madrid in their eight Madrid derby this season with each side vying for a place in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

With the first leg of their tie ending in a goalless draw   at the Vicente Calderon last week, Real Madrid will have to win at the Santiago Bernabue to eliminate Atletico from this competition.

Carlo Ancelloti’s side has got a lot of injury concerns heading into the second leg of this tie with the likes of Luka Modric, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale all out with injuries.James Rodriqguez and Isco are expected to fill in for the injured players and will play alongside Germany International Toni Kroos.

Assier Illaremendi and new signing Lucas Silva can also be called upon to ease the injury worries for Real Madrid. Marcelo remains suspended with the Portuguese international left back Fabio Coentrao expected to start in his place. Christiano Ronaldo will lead the attack with Chicharito and James Rodriquez giving him support.

• Real Madrid Predicted starting XI(4-3-3)
• Casillas(GK),Carvajal,Ramos,Pepe,Coentrao,Kroos,Illarramendi,Isco,Rodriquez,Ronaldo,Chicharito.
• Atletico Madrid Predicted startingXI:(4-5-1)
• Oblak(GK),Juanfran.Miranda,Godin,Siqueira,Gabi,Koke,Tiago,Turan,Griezman,Mandzukic.

Atletico Madrid comes into this tie with renewed hope of qualifying into the semi-finals with Real Madrid missing so many of their star players through injuries. Having finished the first leg in a goalless draw, Atletico hold a slim advantage against Real Madrid with any score draw taking them through to the semi-finals of the competition.

Diego Simeone’s Team is not expected to change much from the team that played in the first leg with their inform French striker Antione Griezman leading the attack tonight.

Mario Mandzukic will also play in attack after he left the previous tie bloody and will look to put pressure again to the Real Madrid defence. Gabi,koke and Arda Turan will play alongside Tiago with Mario Suarez missing out through suspension.

Meanwhile Italian Champions Juventus travel to France to take on AS Monaco with an advantage having won the first leg 1-0 in Turin thanks to Arturo Vidal penalty.Juventus is set to qualify for the Semi-finals of the Champions League for the first since 2003 if they are able to overcome French side Monaco at the Stade Louis II in tonight’s tie.Juventus is oncourse to win the Seria A after they beat second-placed Lazio 2-0 on Saturday moving 15 points clear on the table.

The Turin side has got a good record against French Teams in Europe having won all 10 of their previous knock out ties whereas Monaco have won only one of the six  ties against Italian Clubs.Juventus will miss the services of Paul Pogba,Romulo,Kwadwo Asamoah and Martin Caceres all through injuries.Alvaro Morata,Roberto Pereyra,Stephan Lichtsteiner will all be welcome back into the starting eleven after they were rested on Saturday against Lazio.

Juventus manager Massimo Allegri  will look upon inform Argentine Striker Carlos Tevez who has scored 26 goals this season to lead their attack.

Monaco Predicted starting XI ( 4-2-3-1)

Subasic(GK);Fabinho,Abnennour,Carvalho,Kurzawa,Kondogbia,Toulalan,Ferreira,Moutinho,Silva,Berbatov

Juventus Predicted strating XI (3-5-2)

Buffon(GK),Barzagli,Bonucci,Chiellini,Lichsteiner,Vidal,Pirlo,Marchisio,Evra, Tevez,Morata.

Monaco on other hand has seen their form dip of recent  having drawn three games in their last four Ligue 1 games.Tiemoue Bakayoko is adoubt for tonights game while Layvin Kurzawa and Aymen Abdennour are expected to be back in the starting eleven.Jeremy Toulalan and Geoffrey Kondogbia are also expected to start the game with Lacino Traore out injured.

Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim will set out his Team to win tonight’s game if they are to overturn the 1-0 deficit and qualify for the semi-finals of the Champions League.

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