The Champions League resumes on Tuesday with two of the first-leg fixtures of the quarter-final stage. Atletico Madrid welcome La Liga and city
ADVERTISEMENTThe Champions League resumes on Tuesday with two of the first-leg fixtures of the quarter-final stage.
Atletico Madrid welcome La Liga and city rivals Real Madrid to the Vicente Calderon in a repeat of last season’s final.
Atleti boss Diego Simeone’s squad is boosted by the return of striker Mario Mandzukic following an ankle problem.
The Spanish champions will also be boosted by their recent record against Real – they are undefeated in their previous six matches; four wins and two draws.
Carlo Ancelotti and his men make the trip across the capital at full strength.
World record transfer Gareth Bale has recovered from a thigh strain while James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos return to the fold following suspension.
On his side’s disappointing form against their derby rivals Real defender Marcelo said: “Atletico are a great team. They fight, they are very intense. But we are not thinking about the rest of the matches (against Atleti) that we couldn’t win. In my opinion, now it is completely different. We have two matches to prove that we can win.”
Elsewhere on the night Serie A champions Juventus entertain Monaco in Turin.
Massimiliano Allegri’s side will have to do without influential midfielder Paul Pogba, who is out with a hamstring injury.
Club veteran and fellow midfielder Andrea Pirlo could feature after recovering from a calf injury that had sidelined him for seven weeks.
Despite suffering a shock defeat to Parma at the weekend in the league Juventus head into the tie as favourites having not lost any of their last 11 European games at home.
But if their recent record is anything to go by, Monaco won’t be easy to score against as the principality club have only conceded four goals en route to the last eight.
Last season’s Ligue 1 runners-up will be without captain Jeremy Toulalan and defender Ricardo Carvalho through injury.
Monaco are hunting their first semi-final appearance since 2004 while it’s been a year longer since Juventus last featured in the semis of Europe’s top club competition.