Like a final - Cuadrado expects intense Juve, Real Madrid battle

MILAN (AP):

Juventus winger Juan Cuadrado believes that his team will treat today's Champions League first leg against Real Madrid "like a final".

"They're a fantastic side, but we need to focus on our own game: we'll play as if it were a final," Cuadrado said ahead of the last-eight meeting.

Juventus were beaten in their two previous finals against Real Madrid, including a 4-1 defeat in Cardiff last year in the Champions League, but between those two clashes, they won all three of their two-legged knockout matches against the Spanish giants.

"Let's hope everything will be different (from Cardiff)," Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon told the Spanish sports daily Marca.

"We win the matches which last 180 minutes but lose those that last 90. Maybe we should play the finals over 180 minutes."

TREBLE HUNT

Juventus are again in the hunt for a treble. They beat AC Milan 3-1 on Saturday to move four points clear of Napoli at the top of Serie A and are also in the Italian Cup final.

Cuadrado scored Juve's second goal against Milan after coming on as a substitute for his first appearance, following more than three months out with a groin injury.

"He's come back well and has astounded me because often in the past, he hasn't done well coming off the bench," Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said.

Juventus will have to perform better than they have done in their past two matches.

After a 0-0 draw at lowly Spal, Allegri's men were outplayed by Milan for much of Saturday's match before Cuadrado's 80th-minute goal.

Juventus defender Mehdi Benatia and midfielder Miralem Pjanic are banned after being booked in the last-16 victory over Tottenham.

All of the Madrid squad have travelled to Turin, although defender Nacho could miss out with a thigh injury.

Gareth Bale scored twice against Las Palmas on Saturday but could be left out today, just as he was in the round of 16 against Paris Saint-Germain.

Sevilla will host Bayern Munich in today's other quarter-final. Liverpool will welcome Manchester City, while Barcelona will host Roma in tomorrow's games.