The second act of the intriguing Champions League tie between Juventus and Villarreal was held in Italy, with a quarterfinal place very much up for grabs as the first leg ended 1-1. Villarreal had the upper hand in a way as they clearly won the tactical battle in the first leg, but Juventus initially looked […]
In their first UEFA Champions League knockout round appearance for well over a decade, Villarreal hosted Juventus, who have repeatedly disappointed in the competition of late. Both sides would have given themselves a decent chance to progress to the quarterfinals, but after the 1-1 draw in the first leg, Villarreal must feel that they have […]
What ensued here in Rome can only be described as chaos. Seven goals, some spectacular and some scruffy, punctuated by a stunning seven-minute comeback to thrill onlookers. Structural aspects came into play given matching tactical shapes but the rapid-fire scoring and late penalty drama stole the show, much to the dismay of José Mourinho. Tactical […]
If there was ever an environment to test Juventus’ possessional issues, it was the chaos created by Atalanta’s man-marking approach. Despite second-half improvements off the back of fleeting first-half quality, Juventus faltered in a performance littered with individual errors. One such error was ruthlessly punished by Atalanta, as the rollercoaster that has been Allegri’s second […]
While known more for their extravagant spending, Chelsea are in fact built on a youth academy that is simply one of the best in Europe. While these products did not get to turn out for the first team till a fortuitous transfer window ban, two seasons were enough to demonstrate the kind of talent that […]
Hosting their massive rivals, Internazionale caused structural issues for the Juventus’ 4-4-2 defensive shape as they troubled their visitors on the flanks. Juve’s struggles going forward continued as the attacking players barely connected or disrupted the five-man Inter backline for most of the game. Their search for an equalizer looked likely to end without success […]
The momentum-building Juventus hosted a lively Roma side, with the teams’ structures giving Juventus an attacking advantage out wide. Although they did not frequently capitalize on this, their wide play led to the game’s only goal. Roma were spearheaded by the involved Abraham but only manufactured few high-quality open-play chances while looking the brighter side. […]
Expectations were not high for Juventus heading into this group stage encounter with defending champions Chelsea, but there was always the possibility of an upset given the talent level of the Italians. Sure enough, sluggish play from Chelsea gave Juventus a glimmer of hope in the first half, before the Old Lady took the lead […]
Juventus fans hoping for a honeymoon period following Massimiliano Allegri’s appointment have received a rude awakening, as the 54-year-old’s return has been winless so far. Stefano Pioli’s youthful AC Milan side continued their upward trajectory, on the other hand, with a hard-fought draw to show for their effort. Tactical analysis and match report by Harshal […]
Potential title challengers battled, as Napoli monopolized possession and outshot their visitors. However, they toiled in the wide areas and sent speculative shots from distance until a half-time change saw them able to play between the lines to turn the tide. Juventus for their worth were able to create notable chances, be penetrative, even with […]