Juventus vs Ajax. UEFA Champions League Quarter Final.
Juventus StadiumAttendance41,445.
Tuesday 16 April 2019 20:15, UK
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to start for Juventus against Ajax in Turin for their Champions League quarter-final second leg.
For the 2-1 defeat at SPAL in Serie A on Saturday, Juventus had just two players in their starting line-up that began the 1-1 draw in Amsterdam and Ronaldo was not in the squad.
Ahead of Tuesday's game, Ajax had nine of their starting XI from the first leg in the 6-2 victory over Excelsior.
One of them, star midfielder Frenkie de Jong, limped off with a hamstring problem in the first half and is a doubt for the game in Turin.
Ronaldo was rested before Juve's second-leg last-16 tie and he subsequently scored a hat-trick against Atletico Madrid to overturn a first-leg deficit.
Ajax boss Erik ten Hag is confident ahead of the tie. He said: "Juventus are the favourites, especially after the Amsterdam result. If we play well, we can overcome any limit.
"[Massimiliano] Allegri is very knowledgeable and has certainly thought of a different way to approach this game compared to last week. We need to improve our tactical plan.
"I'm confident because of the way we are playing and training. [Compared to the team that played in the 2017 UEFA Europa League final] We are stronger and we are showing it game by game."
Emre Can may return after missing the first leg through injury but Mario Mandzukic and Giorgio Chiellini were not named in the squad as they continue to get back to full fitness.
Douglas Costa missed the weekend clash with a hamstring problem but could return to be among the substitutes.
Along with De Jong, Ajax will be missing both Hassane Bande and Carel Eiting, who are out with long term problems.
I still think this is going to be tight. I thought Ajax should have won the first leg but Cristiano Ronaldo turned up yet again. Ajax will not be fazed by the trip to Juventus as they won at the Bernabeu, in emphatic style, against Real Madrid.
However, the know-how of Juventus alongside the firepower of Ronaldo will prove pivotal. Even if he is quiet for an hour he can pop a couple in, so I think Juventus will advance.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-1 (15/2 with Sky Bet)