After 90 minutes of being made into mincemeat by Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena last Tuesday evening, Juventus have much to do in the return leg of their Champions League quarterfinal match-up with the German giants if they hope to progress to the next round.

The Old Lady has not reached the semifinals of Europe’s elite competition since the 2002-03 campaign, ultimately falling to fellow Italians AC Milan in the title match on penalties at Old Trafford whilst current boss Antonio Conte still plied his trade in midfield for the famed Turin outfit.

The 42-year-old coach will now be charged with preparing his players both mentally and tactically for the task of turning over an honestly flattering 2-0 deficit at the Juventus Stadium next Wednesday against Jupp Heynckes’ Bavarian machine on the back of a thoroughly humbling experience in Munich.

Harried in possession, a step behind on the break, inaccurate in distribution and timid in the tackle, the Bianconeri were thoroughly beaten in the tie’s opening overture in a manner ironically similar to that which they have made their trademark under Conte in the past 16 months.

Good news arrives only in the form of the Italians’ two goal arrears entering the final 90 minutes considering the massive amount of chances Die Roten created, and contrived to miss, on Tuesday night.

And so with it all to do whilst down, but not out, the following are the five things Juventus must do to beat Bayern Munich.

Keep a clean sheet

There is simply no genius to behold in the statement that Conte’s men must hold their potent adversary at bay to have a chance at qualifying for the semifinals, but it is nonetheless true. Down a pair of scores and having failed to nick a goal on the road, conceding in the return leg at any time would almost certainly spell the end of the Old Lady’s Champions League run in 2012-13.

Last week Juventus’ revered back three of Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, and Giorgio Chiellini looked a shell of the defensive unit that kept five straight clean sheets on the bounce in continental play prior to stepping out onto the pitch at the Allianz Arena. The Azzurri trio must somehow regain their confidence for the deciding hour-and-a-half to shut down Bayern’s dangerous offence, having been made into victims of pace, pressing, and their own poor tackling in Munich rather than assuming their usual roles as rearguard protagonists.

Legendary keeper Gianluigi Buffon, who has incurred his own share of criticism for failing to keep out David Alaba’s strike in the opening minute of the first leg, will also need to be at his best in goal to keep the Bavarians off the scoresheet. Even if Juventus’ defence can turn in a top-class display on Wednesday, Italy’s longtime number one will undoubtedly be called into service at some point given the immense skill of Bayern’s attackers.

Pull one back early

Few things in football can give a team a heavy dose of assurance like an early goal. This truism goes double for a disheartened side playing at a two goal disadvantage in the second leg of a titanic Champions League encounter.

With every second that ticks off the clock in Turin, more pressure will mount on the Bianconeri as they face a race against time to make up lost ground against a ruthless opponent. Frustration can be as much an obstacle as anything, so it is imperative that Juventus rediscover the clinical edge they displayed against Celtic in the round of 16 to reduce the deficit to one as soon as possible.

Bayern were duly shocked in the previous stage of the competition when Olivier Giroud smashed home from close range inside five minutes at the Allianz Arena in the return edition of their tie with Arsenal. Though Heynckes’ men were able to largely control the territory of the match from that moment forward, the anxiety of having been hit so soon after kickoff was clearly visible in their demeanour and they ultimately required the away goals rule for passage after Laurent Koscielny struck once again late on for the Gunners. Conte’s men would do well to emulate the performance of the Londoners who, if anything, retrospectively showed that the Bianconeri’s task is not impossible under the right circumstances.

Control Bastian Schweinsteiger

Amidst a wonderful team performance from the Bavarians in the first leg, the star that shone brightest of all for Die Roten was Bastian Schweinsteiger.

The Germany international was simply a force of nature in the centre of the park, spraying incisive passes all over the pitch from in front of the back four, whilst immediately laying waste to any forward movements from the Old Lady with controlled malice in the air and on the ground. Juventus can plainly not afford to allow such a display once again by the Bayern vice-captain, or risk facing a fate mirroring that of the last Tuesday.

The Bianconeri will need to limit the space the 28-year-old is allowed on the ball on the defensive front, an undertaking in which they previously proved inadequate, forcing him into errant deliveries and impeding his ability to take advantage of his excellent vision up field. Man-marking the midfield dynamo is an option sure to be considered by Conte in his preparations, and could prove the only method able to sufficiently stifle Schweinsteiger’s attacking talents.

Key to circumventing the Bayern youth product on the offensive front will be quick and intelligent movement from Juventus with a sharpness that was starkly absent in the maiden 90 minutes. Nullifying German’s indomitable will to press is a task near impossible for any side in world football, but his effectiveness could be considerably lowered with the proper energy and positioning going forward.

Release the Kraken

The phrase itself conjures up images of a certain John Arne Riise, but the reference is this case refers rather to the man endearingly likened to a different Cephalopod by the Bianconeri faithful – Il Polpo.

More specifically, Il Polpo Paul. Paul Pogba, that is.

The impressive 20-year-old appears set to start in the return leg given the suspension of Arturo Vidal, and very well could be the decisive answer for Juventus in the battle for midfield supremacy. Pogba’s versatility and fearless style of play offer the type of spark so sorely missed as Conte’s men were battered at the Allianz Arena, whilst his inclusion in the side from the off could serve to inspire his more experienced teammates given his remarkable ability to shrug off the weight of expectations and penchant for the fantastic.

Key in Pogba’s mission will be his capability in protecting Andrea Pirlo – winning the ball back from Bayern’s attackers and playing the bearded regista into space so that he may orchestrate matters on the front foot for the Old Lady.

And of course, one of the young Frenchman’s trademark searing rockets from distance hitting the back of Manuel Neuer’s net wouldn’t hurt, either.

Man the fortress

It seems only fitting that Juventus will face their biggest test yet in Conte’s tenure at the helm at their eponymous arena – a citadel in which they have lost just twice since its inception at the outset of the 2011-12 campaign.

With tickets to the Bayern clash having sold out by March 27 before reaching general sale, the stadium will be filled to capacity and the atmosphere is sure to be one to behold, even despite the two goal shortfall the Bianconeri will be up against. The importance of home support cannot be overstated in football, and the Old Lady’s soldiers will need to take full advantage in feeding off of the energy coursing through the building if they are to make April 10, 2013 a day for the club’s illustrious history books.

Because for Juventus to be successful, they must see the positive opportunity in a situation that looks quite bleak. The return leg must not be a match in which to save face, a game in which to go down fighting – but rather the stage on which to accomplish something extraordinary with the club’s fans in vociferous participation.

You can follow Ian Capasso on Twitter: @capasso10