Gianluigi Buffon believes progress beyond Monaco into the semi-finals of the Champions League would re-establish Juventus “among the best teams in Europe” as the Italian club seek to end their country’s recent toils in this competition.
No Serie A side has reached the last four of the European Cup since José Mourinho’s Internazionale hoisted the trophy five years ago, with Juve, who travelled to the principality boasting a 1-0 lead from last week’s first leg, having not forced passage into the semi-finals for 12 years. Massimiliano Allegri’s team expect a stern test against the side who eliminated Arsenal in the last round, with the need to qualify and restore the club back among the elite not lost on their experienced goalkeeper as he enters the latter stages of his career.
“This is a big game for me but above all for the players and the club as a whole,” said Buffon, a runner-up in the 2003 final against Milan when Italy had supplied three of the four semi-finalists. “Personally, I’ve never won this competition and I’d like to do that as soon as possible. But, more importantly, it’s a chance to show we’re back among the best teams in Europe, that Juventus are on the way back up in terms of European football. We can send out a significant message to the rest of Europe by reaching the semi-finals, and we would be proud to achieve that.”
Juve are well clear at the top of Serie A, which they lead by 15 points from Lazio, who they beat 2-0 on Saturday, and will compete with the Rome club in the Coppa Italia final in June. Allegri drew praise from Buffon for adjusting to life at the club swiftly since his arrival last summer and maintaining the fine domestic form established by his predecessor, Antonio Conte.
“This is an important evening for our whole season,” said the manager, who will have his goalscorer from the first leg, Arturo Vidal, available after he recovered from a bout of tonsillitis. “But we only have a slim advantage and we will need to score in Monaco to progress. We know their threat and they’re a team who are strong physically and technically, so they will test us, but we have character and confidence in our own ability. I’m optimistic.”
The hosts appear vulnerable, although their progress to this point has established an ability to upset allcomers. They have hardly proved prolific under Leonardo Jardim all season and have failed to win any of their last four games at Stade Louis II, although coaching staff and players are clinging to the memory of their dismissal of Zenit St Petersburg in their final group game last December as cause for optimism.
That match was won 2-0 and they progressed top of the section. “We’re capable of putting in the same kind of performance as that night,” said Jardim. “We have already gone from being the worst ranked team in our group to winning the section and then knocked out a team like Arsenal. But, against Juventus, we have to play the perfect game. We have to be defensively strong, maintain our concentration and be efficient offensively. Any chance that comes our way we must take. Maybe we take more risks the longer the game goes on but, if we lose our heads against a team as shrewd as Juve, we will be in trouble.”
Monaco will have Geoffrey Kondogbia back in midfield and will grant Jérémy Toulalan a late fitness test, the 31-year-old having injured his left hamstring at Caen on 10 April. The France international should be available, allowing Fabinho to revert to his favoured position at right-back. Their stingy back line, which includes Ricardo Carvalho in its number at 36, must quell the considerable threat posed by Carlos Tevez and Álvaro Morata.
“But our qualities have always been in the collective,” said the centre-half Aymen Abdennour. “Our game is about intelligence and patience. Even when people doubt us, we pull out performances. We are quite a young side but we’re full of ambition and we’ll do everything to achieve something big. We have the quality to get through.”
