Juve ready for tough Benfica clash
P(ANSA) – Rome, April 11 – Juventus will have to get the details right if they are to overcome Benfica in the last four of the Europa League and reach the final at their home ground in Turin next month, club director Pavel Nedved said Friday.BRItalian champions Juve were pitched against the Portuguese side in Friday’s draw after they beat Lyon 2-1 at home Thursday to complete a 3-1 aggregate win.BRBenfica were runners-up to Chelsea in the continent’s secondary competition last season and they are arguably the strongest of the three other teams left in the competition.BRLike Juve, they entered the Europa League after being knocked out of the Champions League at the group stage in December.BR”They got to last year’s final and this is their third semi-final appearance in four years,” said former Czech Republic midfielder Nedved, who helped Juve win two Serie A titles during his 2001-2009 stint in Turin, not including the 2005 and 2006 crowns they were stripped of for involvement in a match-fixing scandal.BR”They’re a team with notable European experience and will have added motivation after losing last year’s final.BR”We’re very happy to have reached this stage and getting to the final in Turin is a huge motivation, but it will be tough.BR”They will be evenly poised affairs decided by small details.BR”We have the slight advantage of playing the return leg at home, but I don’t know how decisive that will be. “We feel the responsibility of being the only Italian team remaining in Europe.BR”This cup really matters to us and we want to honour it by playing to our best. “It’s not easy to be fighting on two fronts, but (coach) Antonio (Conte) and the team are handling it very well”.BRJuve, who are aiming for their third consecutive Serie A title, are eight points clear at the top of the table with six games to go.BR/P
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