Zidane's managerial nous to be tested by Allegri and more Juventus v Real Madrid battles

BATTLE IN THE DUGOUT

The doubters of 2014 have long been quietened by Massimiliano Allegri’s consummate success in Turin.

The now 50-year-old was an unpopular choice in certain quarters to replace the revitalising Antonio Conte. How could a man, who got sacked months before by AC Milan, hope to follow a club legend?

Well, the continued flood of trophies has been added to by two appearances in the Champions League final – an area Conte flopped.

Tactical brilliance has been allied with expert man management and a relaxed attitude. His instincts are without parallel.

The jury is still out about whether one of football’s greatest players in Zinedine Zidane can ever deserve similar standing in the coaching Pantheon.

This is a strange state of affairs when you consider that the France icon was named the 2017 The Best FIFA Football Coach and has won eight trophies during three years in the Los Blancos hot seat.

But the domestic travails of 2017/18 have sharpened focus about whether his supreme squad almost manages themselves. He’ll need to show something special to edge Allegri over two games, rather than last June’s one-off decider.

CAN CHIELLINI DO IT AGAIN?

Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon’s passionate roar as they celebrated the former’s vital interception to deny Harry Kane was the defining image of the Old Lady’s edging of Tottenham in the previous round.

Now that the grizzled centre-back has seen off last year’s top scorer in European football, the small matter of shutting out Ballon d’or holder Cristiano Ronaldo looms.

It’s hard to do justice to Chiellini’s redoubtable display at Wembley last month. His 13 clearances was six more than his nearest team-mate – suspended for this clash – Mehdi Benatia, while four tackles was the joint highest along with fellow war horse Andrea Barzagli.

Incredible feats. Yet these figures dramatically dropped off for June’s one-sided 4-1 defeat in the final.

A single tackle and interception was made, with only six clearances. From this, the unstoppable Ronaldo scored twice.

The Portugal icon has 12 goals already in this season’s competition, notching in every game. He’s also scored 21 times in his last 11 club outings.

It’s going to take something very special to stop him now.

BALE IS THE ODD MAN OUT

Wales superstar Gareth Bale is likely to come plunging back down to earth when he lands in Turin.

A place on the bench is assured for the injury prone forward. And he can have few complaints.

Bale was brilliant when unleashed from the start in a much-changed XI at the weekend against lowly Las Palmas. In his eight shots, he delivered three on-target efforts and two goals.

But he only managed a combined 54 minutes in December’s 3-0 El Clasico humiliation and both round-of-16 ties against Paris Saint-Germain. Either the artistry of Isco or endeavour of Marco Asensio will be favoured, again, at Allianz Stadium in Zidane’s likely 4-4-2 diamond formation.

Last Saturday in the Canary Islands, however, Bale did clock a high speed of 31.5 kilometres per hour to race the length of the opposition half, latch onto Croatia midfielder Luka Modric’s delicious pass and fire in the opener. It was a fine piece of play.

Madrid do need the control of the younger pair though, before they can hope to exploit counter-attacking opportunities against tired legs.

This should prove true even though Bale’s four 2017/18 Champions League appearances have gained four wins, evenly split between starting and substitute roles.

DYBALA’S CHANCE TO DO SOME DAMAGE

Paulo Dybala will feel the pain of June’s showpiece shellacking more than most.

After his stunning exploits against Monaco and Barcelona in the prior rounds, much was expected of the electric forward at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.

Instead, he short-circuited.

The then 23-year-old had just 45 touches, put in one off-target shot, made zero key passes and his 30 total passes was only six more than goalkeeper goalkeeper Buffon. A further indignity came when he was hooked on 78 minutes for defensive midfielder Mario Lemina – now at relegation-bound Southampton – with the score at a redeemable 3-1.

But aside from being curiously overlooked by Argentina in the international break, the last month has been kind to him.

Freed from the effects of a lingering thigh strain, he’s scored five times and set-up one goal in his last six games. This included successive winners against Lazio, Tottenham and Udinese, plus an emphatic low opener during Saturday’s 3-1 victory against AC Milan.

The centre-back partnership of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane has looked shaky throughout this season. Breaking through the cracks in Turin will help exorcise some of the pain.