Giorgio Chiellini is under no illusions of the magnitude of Wednesday’s semi-final return leg against Real Madrid: “It’s our most important game in 12 years”

Giorgio Chiellini says the Bianconeri are eager to run out at the Santiago Bernabeu and play the club’s “most prestigious and important” game for the last 12 years, Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final return leg against Real Madrid.

A steady run to the competition’s final four and last week’s 2-1 first-leg victory over Los Blancos mean Juventus travel to Spain with high hopes of reaching June’s final act in Berlin, but the defender says there’s a long way to go until supporters can start booking their flights to the German capital.

Speaking to Sky, Chiellini began: “We can’t wait for Wednesday evening to come. This is the most prestigious and important game I’ll be playing in since I joined the club. I’ve been here for ten years and 12 have gone past since we last reached a semi-final.

“We’ve got better and matured as the competition’s worn on and getting past the last 16 and then the quarter-finals gave us added awareness in our own abilities.

“We’ve never been as close as we are now, but we’ve still got 95 really tough minutes to get through. The final’s still a long way away and we’ll need a super performance to get there.”

One of the Bianconeri’s aims will be to silence a feisty 80,000 capacity crowd in Madrid, with Chiellini looking to draw inspiration from his previous victorious experience at the famous footballing venue.

“The entire stadium will be right behind them and we’ll have to try and put them under pressure. They are, however, experienced internationals who certainly won’t be intimidated by the odd whistle by their own fans.

“We know that we can’t park the bus and try to keep it goalless, but we need to do well when covering and breaking out from the back.

“I’ve played at the Bernabeu twice and we hope it doesn’t end like last year, when we lost and I was sent off, but instead like the first game, when we won thanks to Del Piero’s double.”

Massimiliano Allegri welcomes his men back to the training ground as preparations intensify for Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final return leg in Madrid

With just over 48 hours until the Bianconeri emerge from the Santiago Bernabeu tunnel for Wednesday’s crucial Champions League semi-final second leg with Real Madrid, Massimiliano Allegri welcomed his men back to Vinovo for a morning workout.

In today’s sitting, the players, including those who featured during Saturday’s Serie A draw with Cagliari, upped their technical and tactical focus, as the boss led them through the moves that are to be replicated in Spain once the first whistle sounds.

Tomorrow will see Juventus run through their final preparations during morning training, scheduled for 11.30 CET, with the first quarter of an hour open to the media.

After completing their workout, they will depart for Madrid and take their first look at the Santiago Bernabeu surface during an official walk around at 18.10.

Then it’s over to Allegri and Gianluigi Buffon, who are to preview the upcoming clash with journalists at the stadium’s press suite from 18.45.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid will undergo their last training session at 11.00 before fulfilling their media duties in tomorrow’s pre-match press conference at 13.00.

The 41-year-old will lead a Swedish refereeing delegation for Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final return leg with Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu

Jonas Eriksson is to lead a Swedish refereeing delegation for Wednesday evening’s Champions League semi-final return leg with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The 41-year-old has previously overseen the Bianconeri twice in Europe’s elite competition, with the club’s record under his tutelage currently standing at two victories.

Eriksson, who hails from Lulea, ran the rule over Juventus’ 1-0 triumph away at Shakhtar Donetsk in December 2012 and last season’s 3-1 success on home soil against Copenhagen.

He will be supported in Madrid by assistant referees Mathias Klasenius and Daniel Warnmark, goal-line officials Martin Strombergsson and Markus Strombergsson and fourth official Daniel Gustavsson.