Juventus head to Monaco on Wednesday for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final looking to clinch a place in the last four for the first time in over a decade.
An immovable force at the top of the European game in the 1990s, when they reached three consecutive finals, including beating Ajax in the 1996 showpiece, Juve were also Champions League runners-up in 2003, losing to AC Milan.
But they have not got beyond the last eight since, failing to translate their domestic dominance to the European stage.
Nevertheless, while they close in on a fourth consecutive Serie A crown, they are now primed to secure a spot in the semi-finals in Europe after Arturo Vidal's penalty gave them a 1-0 victory against AS Monaco last Tuesday.
Crucially, Juventus did not concede an away goal in that game, meaning the Principality club will now be obliged to come out and attack at home, something which is not their forte.
Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim has admitted his team are better suited to playing away from home, when they can hit teams on the break, as they did so devastatingly in London in the last 16 when they defeated Arsenal 3-1, that result allowing them to progress on away goals despite losing 2-0 at home.
“I was not surprised by Monaco because we didn’t underestimate them, but they played really well against us,” Juve’s veteran French international left-back Patrice Evra told Canal Plus.
“I think the second leg will be different and Juventus will have a greater control of the match.
“I was really proud of Monaco when they beat Arsenal because I saw them playing without fear. Some of the Monaco players say that they are better away from home because the stadiums and the atmosphere are different.”
Evra knows that as well as anybody, having spent four years in the Mediterranean Principality, helping Monaco reach the Champions League final in 2004 before eventually moving on to Manchester United.
Monaco are third in Ligue 1 and have lost just one of their last 18 league games, but too many draws at the Stade Louis II, where the lack of atmosphere and crowds that rarely reach the 10,000 mark remove any sense of a home advantage, have held them back.
That was the case on Saturday, when they managed just one shot on target, and that only after a defensive error, in a disappointing 1-1 draw with Rennes.
Injuries and tiredness persuaded Jardim to rotate his squad in that game, a decision which did not pay dividends.
“I rested three or four players but the others were injured. Some of those who played in Turin were not 100 per cent. But the Champions League game will be different. The stadium will be full,” insisted the Portuguese coach.
The question remains as to whether they can score the goals needed to go through.
After all, Monaco have netted just three times in four Champions League home games this season.
At least they can call on one of the tightest defences in Europe, although in midfield it remains to be seen whether captain Jeremy Toulalan (hamstring) and the powerful Geoffrey Kondogbia (ankle) will recover from injury in time to feature.
Further forward, Jardim must decide whether to select the experienced Dimitar Berbatov or the exciting Anthony Martial in attack, or go with both.
Massimiliano Allegri, meanwhile, is expected to stick with the 3-5-2 formation that helped Juventus beat Lazio 2-0 in Serie A at the weekend.
Paul Pogba is still out injured but Andrea Pirlo will play in central midfield after returning from a five-week injury lay-off in time for the first leg, and playing 70 minutes against Lazio.
“I haven’t decided which formation I will use. If the team defends well, I think it doesn’t really matter if we have three or four at the back,” Allegri said.
“I’m happy about the success the team is enjoying. The lads deserve praise because they’ve shown a lot of maturity.”
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The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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How tumultuous protests grew
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
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Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
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Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
