James prepares Madrid for momentous night

James Rodríguez is willing Real Madrid CF to rise to a "brilliant challenge", with Carlo Ancelotti's side needing to overturn a 2-1 defcit at home against Juventus to book a place in the UEFA Champions League final.

Speaking in the pre-match press conference, the 23-year-old was looking to bring the campaign to a brilliant conclusion. "Juventus played well [in the first leg] but we have a brilliant challenge to reach the final," noted the Colombian, who has made eight UEFA Champions League appearances this season.

James knows that the Italian champions will not give up their advantage without a fight at the Santiago Bernabéu. "We have to play an intense game," he explained. "We know they will come here to defend and we must be focused and try to score when we have a chance. We have to be patient. We have the players who can score goals."

The attacking midfielder refused to speculate on Gareth Bale's future, with the Welshman reportedly unsettled. "We want Gareth and all the players in the squad to be involved," he said. "This is a team and we have to be united. We have to be fully focused on this epic match."

James was at AS Monaco FC when Madrid became champions of Europe for a tenth time last season, meaning he has an extra motivation to make it to what would be his first UEFA Champions League final. "Everything has gone so fast for me [this season]," he said. "The final is a dream. We have to do our best to win."