Full-time: Monaco 0-2 Juventus The referee blows the final whistle! Juve prevail 2-0! 90' SO CLOSE!! Buffon tips over a dangerous header from Germain to keep a clean sheet! 89' Mario Lemina replaces Pjanic. 88' A dangerously floated free-kick was met by no-one across the six-yard box as Monaco still struggle to score! 81' Marchisio substituted by Rincon, while Silva makes way for Almamy Toure. 76' Cuadrado comes in for tonight's scorer Higuain. 73' Substitute Moutinho hits a strike from outside the box wide... 69' Chellini cautioned for an elbow against Falcao... 66' Bakayoko substituted by Moutinho, as Lemar also makes way for Germain. 60' A great cross from Alves down the right was met by Higuain in superb fashion for Juve's second of the night! 59' GOOOAAAALLLL!!!! Higuain makes it two!!! 58' Marchisio cautioned for a foul on Fabinho in midfield. 55' WHAT A CHANCE!! Marchisio goes through on goal before seeing his effort denied by the keeper when he had the chance to pass to a teammate!! 50' Monaco have repeatedly managed to penetrate Juve's midfield but Buffon eventually saves the danger! 47' Falcao sees a sliding effort from inside the area brilliantly blocked by Buffon! The second-half begins... 45' The ref blows the half-time whistle! 44' Juve have retreated during those past minutes to minimize gaps in behind their defense. 38' Dybala's free-kick saved by the keeper. 37' Fabinho yellow-carded for a foul near his side's own box. 30' The juve goal in fact featured two back-heels, one from Dybala and the other from Alves! What a goal!! 29' A great cut-back from Alves towards the onrushing Higuain sees him find the back of the net from inside the area for Juve's first of the night!! 29' GOOOOAAAALLLLL!!! HIGUAIN!!! 25' Juve wizard Dybala looks to be strongly man-marked by Fabinho.. 21' Bonucci goes into the referee's book for a rash foul on Falcao. 20' Monaco are in control now, missing a couple of headed chances from inside the area inside a single minute. 16' WHAT A CHANCE!! Mbappe denied by Buffon from close range following a great through from Dirar!! 14' Mbappe heads directly towards Buffon when he could have done much better!! 12' A great through ball from Marchisio sees Alves cross but Higuain fails to make contact!! 10' Alves hits a strike towards the keeper who easily gathers the ball. 8' Monaco have now reached Juve's penalty area for the first time after eight minutes! 4' The visitors remain in control with them pushing their wing-backs, Alves and Sandro, forward. 2' A strong start from Juve who are indeed starting with a back-three! The match gets underway! 20:30 Monaco, meanwhile, seem likely to continue with their 4-4-2 system 20:15 It seems like Juventus manager Allegri will be adopting a cautious approach away in Monaco, going for a three-man defense format. Starting lineups: Monaco: Subasic; Dirar, Glik, Jemerson, Mendy; Fabinho, Bakayoko; Silva, Lemar; Falcao, Mbappé. Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Dani Alves, Pjanic, Marchisio; Alex Sandro; Dybala, Mandzukic; Higuain. 19:00 Monaco have shone in Europe and at home this season and their domestic title hopes received a welcome boost when a nervous PSG side lost 3-1 at Nice on Sunday, leaving the club from the French Riviera three points clear at the top with a game in hand. 18:30 Juventus are closing in on a record sixth straight Serie A title and can turn to their European history for inspiration, having won the showcase club competition twice, in 1985 and 1996. 18:00 Monaco reached the Champions League final only once, in 2004, losing 3-0 to a Porto side coached by Jose Mourinho after a great run featuring wins over Real Madrid and Chelsea. 17:30 The sides have faced each other twice before on the Champions League stage with Juventus winning both ties, in the 1998 semi-finals and the 2015 quarters. 17:00 Juventus have never been eliminated by a French team in 11 previous meetings in European club competitions. 16:00 Buffon, whose contract runs out next year, is approaching 150 European games but has still not won the Champions League, losing two finals. Juventus appear as well equipped as at any point in Buffon's time at the club to lift the trophy this year, with the winner of this tie going through to a final against Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid. 15:40 They also have recent memories of beating the principality side, prevailing 1-0 on aggregate in the quarter-finals in 2015. "I think over the two matches, 180 minutes, experience will play into our hands. They have youth and the insouciance that comes with it. I remember when I was young having that feeling of being indestructible," Buffon, 39, told reporters at the Stade Louis II on Tuesday. "Monaco are a daring team, they like to attack and they do it very well. Their coach has an attacking philosophy and their players have scored an avalanche of goals this season. "We have complete respect for them, but whatever happens tomorrow (Wednesday) it will be open for the return because they are always dangerous." 15:20 Juve, in contrast, have not conceded a goal in the knockout rounds, shutting out Barcelona's front line of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar in both legs in the quarter-finals. 15:00 They have scored three goals in each of their four knockout matches so far, eliminating Pep Guardiola's Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund to make the semi-finals for the first time since 2004. 14:30 Leonardo Jardim's Monaco have won admirers for a brand of attacking football that has brought them almost 150 goals across all competitions and has them on the brink of winning the French title. 14:00 The sides meet at the Stade Louis II in the first leg on Wednesday in a fascinating clash of styles -- on the one side Europe's most thrilling attack, on the other the continent's best defence. 13:00 Veteran Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is hopeful the experience in the Italian team's ranks can give them the edge in their Champions League semi-final against a youthful Monaco. Venue: Stade Louis II, Monaco Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz (ESP) (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
