Cautious approach could render Juve-Monaco tie boring

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri is expecting a "boring" match against AS Monaco in the Champions League on Tuesday, believing that both sides will adopt a cautious approach.

"Our target is to get through this round and reach the semi-finals, and if we qualify 1-0 or 1-1 (on aggregate), that's all the same to me," said Allegri, whose side are at home in the quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.

"It could be a boring game, the important thing is not to concede a goal at home."

Allegri warned that Monaco, who have conceded only four goals in eight games on their way to the quarter-finals, would be a completely different proposition to Borussia Dortmund, who Juventus beat 5-1 on aggregate in the last 16.

"The tie against Monaco is much more complicated than the one against Dortmund," he said.

"They are two very different teams, the French side concede few goals and it's always more complicated to play against a team that doesn't go forward very often.

"It's tempting to go forward ourselves and there is the risk of leaving spaces for them. We need patience, humility and intelligence, and to realise that we are not going to settle qualification in Turin.

"I think they (Monaco) have richly deserved to get to the quarter finals," added Allegri.

"They conceded one goal in six games during the group stage, eliminating Benfica and Zenit St Petersburg. In Ligue 1, they have the best defence with 22 goals conceded (in 32 games).

These figures do not come by chance."

Allegri said that playmaker Andrea Pirlo had been included in the squad after recovering from a calf muscle injury, and he now had to decide whether the 35-year-old could be plunged into the tie after a seven-week layoff.

"Pirlo hasn't played for more than 40 days, I'll decide after the last training session," he said.