Juve in town to test Real Madrid recovery
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E-mail Xinhua, October 22, 2013
Real Madrid face another stiff test of their credentials just three days ahead of their trip to play Barcelona in the Camp Nou when Italian giants Juventus visit the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday night in the Champions League.
A win for Real Madrid, who have won their two previous group matches, will just about ensure Carlo Ancelotti's side their place in the last 16 of the competition, but the game is about more than just qualifying.
Madrid go into the game on the back of a convincing win at home to Malaga at the weekend in a game they dominated from start to finish. However, it is hard to judge whether or not Madrid have improved from poor displays against Elche and Levante, given that Malaga showed so little fighting spirit.
Ancelotti's side dominated, but still lacked fluidity in midfield, where Isco looks to have run out of steam after an excellent start to the campaign and he may be replaced by Luka Modric against Juventus.
Alvaro Morata made himself popular with the Madrid fans with his tireless work in attack, but had the much criticized Karim Benzema missed the chances that Morata failed to put away, he would have been booed off the pitch and the Frenchman may get the nod on Wednesday after overcoming a slight calf injury which sidelined him at the weekend.
Meanwhile Gareth Bale looks likely to be on the bench again as he works his way to full match fitness.
Ancelotti looks certain to continue his policy of playing Iker Casillas in goal in the club's European matches and Casillas can be assured of the support of the fans, although Juventus may look to exploit his slight weakness on balls crossed into his penalty area.
Former Athletic Club Bilbao striker, Fernando Llorente will be in the Juventus squad for the game and could be the perfect player to make Madrid suffer in the air. The tall forward knows he has a chance to impress on home soil after admitting in the Spanish press on Tuesday that Madrid had tried to sign him on a couple of occasions.
Juventus have not had a good start to the competition with draws away to Copenhagen and at home to Galatasaray and defeat to Madrid would leave them with a lot of work to do in order to assure their place in the last 16.
The Italians also travel on the back of a poor result at the weekend when they saw a 2-0 lead away to Fiorentina turn into a 4-2 defeat with a woeful second half display.
"We are going to arrive there in good shape despite what happened in Florence," assured Llorente. "We have not started the Champions League well and we are obliged to take points on both of our matches against Madrid."
Madrid have traditionally had problems against Italian sides in Europe and what happens on Wednesday and then the following Saturday will have a big influence on Ancelotti's future at the club.
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