Real Madrid go into their Champions League quarter final second leg with Juventus off the back of a 3-0 win in Turin, and Los Blancos defender Raphael Varane has insisted they won’t just sit back in order to kill off the tie.
A double from Cristiano Ronaldo plus a late strike from Marcelo ensured Zinedine Zidane’s men took a commanding lead back to Madrid, while Juventus are also missing Paulo Dybala who was sent off at the Allianz Stadium.
“It will be a difficult game against a great team,” Varane told the press. “They know that in football anything is possible, they will come out attacking to win.
“We aren’t going to play for a 0-0, we will try to win the game, we know it will be demanding.”
With Sergio Ramos suspended, Varane is expected to take on the mantle of defensive leader for Real Madrid against Juventus.
“I have to play very well, perform to a high level,” he said. “I have a clear personality, I know how to help the team. I don’t think it changes much for our preparation, we have to be competitive.
“I have to be like Ramos, shouting and being alert to everything. I don’t know who will play tomorrow, you can ask the coach, but I don’t know if he will tell you.
“[Casemiro] normally plays in midfield but in training he has played further back many times. We know how he defends, how he plays.
“In a game as demanding as this one communication will be important, but in this team there is quality to play.”
If Real Madrid do progress from this round, they will be just one step away from another final which could lead to a third consecutive Champions League title, which Varane admitted motivates his teammates.
“Yes, we think about it and believe in it,” he confessed. “We have a lot of experience in this competition, but you have to think about the game tomorrow and then we’ll see.
“We know how difficult it is to win a third consecutive Champions League, but we will go step by step.”
