Douglas Costa insists Juventus’ prospects of lifting the Champions League this season are as good as any team in Europe.

Juve suffered final heartache at the hands of LaLiga giants for the second time in three years in June, when Real Madrid ran out 4-1 winners in Cardiff.

Barcelona saw off Massimiliano Allegri’s all-conquering Serie A powerhouse in Berlin in 2015 but it is precisely this pedigree that convinced Costa to swap Bayern Munich for Turin in 2017-18.

‘In Europe, no team has more desire and chance to win the Champions League,’ said the Brazil winger, who sealed a season-long loan switch from the Allianz Arena last month, in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.

‘I’ve noticed a lot of quality in the squad, I’ll add my creativity.

‘[I chose Juventus] because in three years they have played in two finals in Europe. This is a team that wants more and more chances to win the Champions League.

‘I want to get into the history of this club. One year from the World Cup, I could not have chosen better company.

‘I’m here to win everything, including the Champions League.’

Having initially impressed at Bayern under Pep Guardiola, Costa found first-team opportunities harder to come by with Carlo Ancelotti in charge last season.

The 26-year-old maintains there was no problem in his relationship with Ancelotti and says he did not want to create the impression of taking an easy route out by seeking a reunion with Guardiola at Manchester City.

‘After so many years, I wanted to avoid people thinking that I was playing just because he [Guardiola] was on the bench,’ Costa said.

‘I also wanted Juve to make new experiences, to grow and learn another kind of football.

‘Allegri is a coach who speaks a lot. He knows my potential and I feel I have confidence. I have positive feelings, I think I can do a lot with this team and with this coach.”

On Ancelotti, he added: ‘I think he had little time to see me, between summoning to the national team and injuries. I did not prepare with him as I did with Guardiola but I also had good relations with Ancelotti.

‘We were friends,’ he concluded.

– This story originally appeared on FourFourTwo.co.za