Raphael Varane: 'Juventus will miss Paul Pogba when they face Real Madrid'

Raphael Varane has acknowledged the importance of compatriot Paul Pogba to Juventus and has insisted that they will miss the Frenchman in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

The 22-year-old midfielder has been ruled out for Real's visit to the Juventus Stadium, as he continues to recover from a hamstring problem.

Real's Varane believes that the Turin-based club still pose a threat but will sorely miss Pogba in the first leg.

"Paul's obviously a great player and Juve will miss him but personally I would have liked to play against him," the 22-year-old defender said, according to Goal.com.

"This is the highest level, a Champions League semi-final, and it will be very tough. But we'll be going all out to get to the final.

"I don't think Juve will be easier than Barca or Bayern. At this level, the little details are what make the difference."

The first-leg tie takes place this Tuesday, with the return leg scheduled for May 13 at the Bernabeu.