Claudio Marchisio is backing Juventus to win the Champions League this season.

The midfielder left Juve for Zenit St Petersburg earlier this term.

Marchisio said, “I hope this is Juve's year for the Champions League because it would mark the end of an unstoppable cycle for them, especially for those who have been there since the first Scudetto but also for the great work everyone's doing, from the club to the staff.

“I think they deserve it, but they know that, even if they have a better chance now than in previous seasons, it's always very difficult.

“Racism is a big problem and I understand foreign players playing in Italy very well, but I'd try to be even stronger and keep playing so the idiots aren't given any attention."