Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri confirmed that French star Paul Pogba will start his side’s Champions League semi-final second leg away to Real Madrid.
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Pogba, who has been linked with a summer move to Madrid, made his return to action after just under two months out injured by scoring his 10th goal of the season in the Italian champions’ 1-1 draw with Cagliari at the weekend.
“Pogba is ok and I think he will play from minute one,” Allegri said as his side head to the Bernabeu defending a 2-1 first-leg advantage.
“It could be a key because we have an extra player, he is an extraordinary player and he will be able to show his worth.”
Juventus are back in the semi-finals of Europe’s premier club competition for the first time in 12 years, when they also beat Real before losing on penalties to AC
Milan in the final.
However, the destination of this year’s final in Berlin has special memories for Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon as they won the World Cup at the Olympiastadion in 2006.
Let the best team win but I would love to see “the maestro” with the cup in his hands … @gianluigibuffon pic.twitter.com/or1Su2QTht
— Petr Cech (@PetrCech) May 13, 2015
“A lot of things have happened since. It is a lifetime in football,” said Buffon. “It is nine years, I am now a lot older, I was 28 then.
“Having said that maturity is helping us to know where we want to go.
“In my head I never had any doubts through these nine years, although at one point I had a serious injury, but I knew I wanted to get to the Champions League final.
“Right now the dream of Berlin is maybe a bit early. We need to take the last step and the most difficult one.”
However, despite Juventus’ impressive defensive record in this year’s competition – six goals conceded in 11 games – both Allegri and Buffon insisted they have to try and score at the Bernabeu.
Buffon said: “They have an attacking potential that is so great that if we just defend then in my opinion it will be trouble.”
