Marchisio: 'Juve ready for Real'

Claudio Marchisio believes Juventus have rediscovered their solidity just in time to face Real Madrid in a “red-hot atmosphere.”

The Bianconeri have won three on the bounce in Serie A with clean sheets and host the Spaniards in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

“Previously we gave very little away but conceded goals, now we’re not just keeping clean sheets; we’re also preventing our opponents from having shots on goal. It’s important,” said the midfielder in a Press conference.

Juve were beaten 2-1 at the Bernabeu two weeks ago, but did well even after Giorgio Chiellini was harshly red carded.

“Chiellini’s sending off changed the game, but even when down to ten we played an excellent game in terms of our attention and chances created.

“We must do this again on Tuesday night, whilst being cautious of their threat on the counter through the likes of Angel Di Maria, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, who all break with extreme pace.

“Real have plenty of strong players up front who sometimes help out less in defensive areas, thus putting their backline under pressure. We managed to defend well in Spain, enjoy possession and cause them problems.

“Plus, in Turin, we’ll be able to count on the support of our fans, who will provide a red-hot atmosphere at the stadium. We haven’t had a great deal of time in which to prepare for the game, but encounters like these provide plenty of motivation by themselves.”

Carlo Ancelotti is under pressure after some stuttering performances and Marchisio is not surprised.

“It was the same with Jose Mourinho and other managers they’ve had. It’s just like it is here at Juventus, if you’re off top spot, even after two back-to-back titles, people talk about problems.

“Real have great champions, can spend a great deal of money and are surrounded by huge expectations.

“Ancelotti is an excellent manager who has done well wherever he’s been. I wish him all the best in Madrid, but only domestically, not in the Champions League…”