Juventus Season 2014-2015

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

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Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Juventus vs. Monaco: UEFA Champions League
Quarterfinal, Leg 1, Preview

Apr 14, 2015
 
These sense of belief has been there all along, but it's more public than ever before. Juventus players has always shown it because that's the kind of people they are, but now they're not shying away from talking about the confidence currently surrounding this group. That's just what happens when you storm into the Champions League quarterfinals and hit the month of April playing some of your best football all season.

Juventus' season still has two months left to play, but with the Scudetto seemingly wrapped up, European glory is where the most damage can still be made. That's something easy to figure out. Just like the fact that Juventus can take a massive step forward with another one of their big-time performances in big-time games like they're done the past few weeks.

Less than one single day remains before the latest and greatest game that can be dubbed the biggest game of the season kicks off at Juventus Stadium in Turin. Less than 24 hours before the Champions League anthem is blaring on the Juventus Stadium sound system once more and hopefully not for the last time this season.

Juventus have made it to the quarterfinals of the Champions League since moving into Juventus Stadium. But that time, they were playing an immovable force that was stomping on opponents right and left and then tossing them onto the side of the road afterward. This time around, Juve's draw is much more favorable one, although no gimme by any stretch of the imagination. Those don't happen at this point of the Champions League.

But as we've seen from this Juventus squad lately is the ability to rise to the occasion when it truly matters. Needing a big-time performance against Borussia Dortmund? Check. Need a win in Florence against Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia? Check that, too. When they've needed to come through in the clutch, they have done exactly that. Max Allegri has guided this team to success both domestically and in Europe.

But we're not done yet. At least I hope that's the case.

Another one of those games and the loss at Parma over the weekend will be forgotten with the snap of the fingers. This is the latest biggest game of the year for every single reason that makes sense (and probably a few that don't, too). Now we're just a short snooze away from seeing it happen live.


GOOD NEWS

Well this is something I didn't know before seeing it on the Twitter machine today...

Let's just go ahead and advance Juve right now, then! Who needs a stressful 180 minutes, right?


BAD NEWS

I'M NOT NERVOUS ARE YOU NERVOUS BECAUSE I'M NOT NERVOUS.

Just checking.


WHAT TO WATCH FOR

1. Which Andrea plays, Pirlo or Barzagli?

I bring this up simply because of what Allegri said at his pre-match press conference on Monday.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "It's unlikely we'll see @Pirlo_official and @andreabarzagli2 in the same side tomorrow. Either one or the other."

You can try to read between the lines all you want, and that's exactly what I'm going to do here. Which Andrea that is chosen by Allegri almost certainly dictates which formation is used in the first leg against Monaco. If it's Barzagli, then it's going to be a 3-5-2. If it's Pirlo, then it's s 4-3-1-2 or some variation of that. I would say, at least as a gut feeling, that Allegri is going to roll with Pirlo and the 4-3-1-2 over Barzagli. That's not exactly what I would prefer (as you can see by scrolling down), but if Allegri feels like Pirlo is ready to go in such a huge match after so many weeks out, then who am I to judge from thousands of miles away? But this is the decision Allegri has to make — and I'd say it's a pretty massive one at that.

2. The effectiveness of a rested Carlos Tévez.

The last time we saw Tévez on the field, he was celebrating his 17th Serie A goal of the season in Juve's 2-0 win over Empoli two weekends ago. But now there's no doubt Tévez will be on the field when Monaco visits Juventus Stadium, and that feels pretty good to type mainly because of how great Apache has been this season. The Tévez-Morata partnership is now established as a productive pair that continues to develop. But there's no denying that Tévez is going to be the No. 1 priority of Monaco's defense Tuesday night. With so much rest, partly with Monaco in mind, this is probably the most rest Tévez has gotten in between appearances since he returned to the Argentina national team roster and international breaks became not much of a break at all.

So I'll just throw this out there: Can you imagine how good Tévez's legs are going to feel with a week and a half worth of rest when he steps onto the field for pre-game warmups? If he has a little pep in his step, we'll know why.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "@carlitos3210 is having an extraordinary year. He must maintain his rich vein of form right until the last game."

3. Monaco's wingers vs. Juventus' fullbacks/wingbacks.

With some kind of decision to be as to which Andrea plays, we don't have to do the same in pretty much every area of the starting lineup. We know who will be starting on the wings for Juventus come Tuesday night — Patrice Evra on the left and Stephan Lichtsteiner on the right. As we looked at in the tactical breakdown of Monaco, the French side uses both a 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2 depending on the in-game situation. Monaco's wingers are genuine wingers. They have speed, creativity and have rightfully played a big role in Monaco's European success this season. As we know, Lichtsteiner and Evra aren't blessed with a ton of speed, but they're playing well — and have been for a good amount of time this season. That's fairly important because...

4. Keeping Monaco off the scoreboard.

...when you keep the wingers (somewhat) quiet, the chances of not allowing a goal becomes that much greater. It ended up being a moot point considering how the second leg finished, but we all remember how things were knowing Dortmund needed one measly goal on its home turf to advance to the quarterfinals. Juventus basically ended all that chatter in a couple of swift kicks to the gut in Germany last month, ending what was a close encounter not too long into the second leg. But heading to Germany with a 2-1 aggregate lead was far from an easy situation to enter the second leg with. And no matter what people think about the odds of Juve advancing are, giving up an away goal in the first leg is far from ideal. Unless the Juve players score, like, four of five goals, then things would be okay with me.


My starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Pereyra, Evra; Tévez, Morata

OFFICIAL KICKOFF TIME: 8:45 P.M. IN ITALY; 2:45 P.M. ON THE EAST COAST; 11:45 A.M. ON THE WEST COAST

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

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Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Juventus-Monaco Betting: Defences
to come out on top in Turin

Leonardo Jardim's men have proved almost impregnable in this season's Champions League
and Al Hain-Cole expects them to ensure a tight match against the equally solid Bianconeri.

Apr 14, 2015
 
Juventus and Monaco will both be aiming to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in over a decade when they come face-to-face in Tuesday’s quarter-final first leg in Turin.

The Bianconeri have lost just once in 16 European games since the new Juventus Stadium was opened in 2011 and are Sportingbet’s favourites to come out on top this time out.

The visitors have never won in six previous trips to Italy in European competition but are available at make it three away victories in a row in the Champions League.

Having drawn two of their last three matches coming into this clash, Leonardo Jardim’s men are available at to grind out a stalemate in this one.

While Massimiliano Allegri will have been grateful to avoid heavyweights such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the quarter-final draw, Arsenal’s experience in the previous round underlined that the Ligue 1 club are not to be underestimated.

However, while Arsene Wenger’s men had some suspect defending to blame for their 3-1 home defeat, tonight’s hosts are unlikely to prove quite so hospitable considering they have only conceded once in the last seven fixtures.

In fact, the Italian champions are most likely to struggle at the other end of the pitch, where Les Rouges et Blancs have kept five clean sheets in their eight European games this season – letting in just four goals in total.

Sure to travel to Turin in a defensive mindset in order to grind out a result, Jardim’s side should prove a particularly tough nut to crack for a team that has hit a rather unimpressive 13 goals in the last nine matches.

In addition, Monaco’s own record of seven goals in eight Champions League games so far this season means that defences should definitely emerge on top in this clash, where odds of seem safe on under 1.5 goals being scored.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

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Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Monaco Defender Confident Ahead Of Juventus Clash

Apr 14, 2015
 
Monaco defender Andrea Raggi says his side’s current good form will help them face a strong Juventus team in tonight’s Champions League quarter final first leg clash.

The former Palermo player has found success in France, having won Ligue 2 under Claudio Ranieri and then finishing runners-up last season in Ligue 1. He now faces his former compatriots in the Champions League and is under no illusions surrounding the magnitude of the task.

“Their team is superb,” he told the Corriere dello Sport. “Carlos Tevez is the main danger but it’s a bonus not having to face Paul Pogba.

“But they should worry too about Anthony Martial who is real threat as well as Dimitar Berbatov and Yannick Carrasco.

“Even if our squad is perhaps not as deep as theirs, we need to make the most of our great run of form. We can do it.”

Raggi joined Monaco in 2012 and has already amassed over 80 league appearances for the club from the Principality.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

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Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Madrid, Barca and Bayern will all fear Juventus - Zoff

The former Juve player and coach insists that the Old Lady will be
a worry for the top teams in Europe if they overcome Monaco on Tuesday.

Apr 14, 2015
 
Juventus legend Dino Zoff has told Goal that the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich will all fear his old club as they prepare to face Monaco in the last eight of the Champions League.

The Old Lady go into Tuesday’s quarter-final first leg as favourites to progress, despite suffering a surprise defeat at Parma on Saturday with a weakened line-up.

And Zoff, who kept goal for the Bianconeri for 11 years before later returning as coach, believes they are not only “70 per cent” likely to go through against Leonardo Jardim’s side but they also carry a threat that will worry Europe’s big guns.

“Juventus are ruling in Italy and doing well in Europe, but Monaco will be tough opponents given how great they are in defence. They concede very few goals and know how to counter with speed and efficiency. Juventus will have to be careful,” Zoff explained.

“But Juve will be a tough opponent for anyone and I think top teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich will really fear Juventus.

“I think the lack of success over the years in the Champions League is just a matter of cycles, with things just not falling their way. This year, though, they have an excellent chance to go deep in Europe and dispel the myth.”

Zoff won the Uefa Cup with the club as both a player and a coach as well as lifting the World Cup as Italy captain in 1982, and he believes the Bianconeri’s come-from-behind Coppa Italia semi-final win over Fiorentina was proof of their quality this season.

“Juventus are going into the game against Monaco with the wind in their sails, with the win at Fiorentina last week being emblematic. This team play the same way even when their star players are missing, and that is the mark of a very good side,” he added.

“They have a 70 per cent chance of reaching the semi-finals, but the first game in Turin must be approached with humility as, if you take to the field thinking you have already won, that can be a big mistake.”

Unsurprisingly, the 73-year-old expects Carlos Tevez to have a big say in the clash with Monaco. The Argentine has netted 25 goals so far this season and will be fit to return to action after a thigh injury.

“I think Carlos Tevez is in exceptional form right now, and he can give this Juventus team a major boost just as he did against Dortmund. But Juve have so many prominent players despite the absences, and there’s also the positive of Andrea Pirlo returning.”

The first leg between the Bianconeri and Monaco at Juventus Stadium kicks off at 20:45 CET on Tuesday, with the return leg scheduled for April 21 at the Stade Louis II.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

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Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Juventus prepare for Monaco

Apr 14, 2015
 
Juventus have undertaken their final training session ahead of Monaco, with Andrea Pirlo set to start.

The Bianconeri trained at Juventus Stadium early this afternoon ahead of the Champions League Quarter final clash, with Coach Massimiliano Allegri deploying a 4-3-1-2.

Andrea Pirlo looks set to start after being involved in the preparations, with Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata leading the line.

Roberto Pereyra will play just in behind the front two, with Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal alongside Pirlo.

Gianluigi Buffon will take his customary place in goal, with Stephan Lichtsteiner, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and Patrice Evra trying to keep Monaco out.

The players have since gone to a hotel in Turin where they will go over tonight’s tactical plans.

Players from both sides will be greeted by a spectacular display at the stadium, with a tricolore love heart adorning the stands, with “Juve” written in yellow across it.


Probable Juventus team to face Monaco: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Marchisio, Pirlo, Vidal; Pereyra; Morata, Tevez

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

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Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Zanetti: Juventus can win the Champions League

The former Argentina international says the Bianconeri can go all the way
in Europe but adds that they must not underestimate quarter-final opponents Monaco.

Apr 14, 2015
 
Inter vice-president Javier Zanetti believes that Juventus can win this season's Champions League.

The Bianconeri failed were eliminated at the group stage of Europe's premier cup competition last year but announced themselves are serious contenders for the 2014-15 crown by routing Borussia Dortmund 5-1 on aggregate in the last 16.

There has never been any love lost between Inter and Juve, two of Italy's traditional superpowers, but Zanetti has no problem admitting that the runaway Serie A leaders are capable of winning the Champions League.

However, the former Argentina international says Massimiliano Allegri's men must not make the mistake of looking past quarter-final opponents Monaco, who shocked Arsenal in the previous round.

"Juve can win the Champions League," the Nerazzurri icon told Mediaset. "But they must beware of underestimating Monaco.

"All of the teams who have gotten to this point are strong and they can all fight to reach the final."

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

-

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Line-ups: Juventus-Monaco

Apr 14, 2015
 
Juventus host Monaco in the Champions League quarter-finals, as Andrea Pirlo, Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata start.

It kicks off at 20.45 CET.

This is the first leg and the Bianconeri will have learned not to underestimate Monaco, who famously knocked Arsenal out in the last round thanks to a 3-1 victory in London.

That showed how important it will be to get this game right and make the most of home advantage without gifting away goals.

Coach Max Allegri also slammed his squad for complacency after Saturday’s shock 1-0 defeat to Serie A’s bottom club Parma.

Pirlo is back in the squad and straight into the starting XI, his first appearance since limping off with a calf strain against Borussia Dortmund on February 24.

Tevez was rested for the last couple of games after suffering from muscular problems and now raring to go alongside Alvaro Morata.

Barzagli also returns from injury, but is only on the bench, as he won’t be risked against Monaco’s pacey strikers, while Paul Pogba, Martin Caceres, Kwadwo Asamoah and Romulo miss out.

Jeremy Toulalan is out after limping off clutching his thigh against Caen on Friday evening, so Fabinho takes his place.

Ricardo Carvalho is preferred to Wallace, while Anthony Martial gets the nod instead of Dimitar Berbatov.


Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio; Pereyra; Tevez, Morata

Juventus bench: Storari, Barzagli, Padoin, Sturaro, Pepe, Llorente, Matri


Monaco: Subasic; Raggi, Ricardo Carvalho, Abdennour, Kurzawa; Fabinho, Kondogbia, Moutinho; Carrasco, Martial, Dirar

Monaco bench: Stekelenburg, Wallace, Elderson, Bernardo Silva, Matheus Carvalho, Berbatov, Germain

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

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Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Pirlo 'makes the ball sing'

Apr 14, 2015
 
Juventus director Beppe Marotta said Andrea Pirlo “can make the ball sing even when standing still” against Monaco.

The first leg of the Champions League quarter-final kicks off at 20.45 CET.

“We have the same motivation, regardless of opponents or tactics. These games are won via motivation as well as quality,” Marotta told Sky Sport Italia.

“We are playing at home, we know the second leg will be more difficult, so we have to get the best result this evening.”

Pirlo is thrown straight into the starting XI, his first appearance since picking up a calf strain on February 24.

“This is his first game back, so he doesn’t have 90 minutes in his legs, but Pirlo is one of the few players who can make the ball sing even when standing still.

“Massimiliano Allegri saw this and will try to make the most of his characteristics.”

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

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Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

HT 0-0: Juve survive Monaco scares

Apr 14, 2015
 
Juventus and Monaco are goalless at the break, but Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal wasted great chances while risking at the back.

The Bianconeri were the favourites on paper in this first leg quarter-final, but fresh from a shock defeat to Serie A bottom club Parma and facing a Monaco side that eliminated Arsenal with a 3-1 win in London. They’d scored only seven goals in their eight games so far, but conceded fewer than any other club in the Champions League this season.

Andrea Pirlo made his first appearance in three weeks, but Paul Pogba was still sidelined and Andrea Barzagli only fit for the bench. The visitors missed Jeremy Toulalan and opted for Ricardo Carvalho and Anthony Martial rather than Wallace and Dimitar Berbatov.

Carlos Tevez’s snapshot bounced right in front of the goalkeeper, but Danijel Subasic did well to calculate the rebound, while Layvin Kurzawa blasted not far over the bar.

Gigi Buffon performed a crucial save on nine minutes when Martial burst past Leonardo Bonucci and rolled across for the unmarked Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco. Moments later Buffon palmed a deflected Carrasco effort round the base of the far post and Kurzawa’s free header was wide from a corner.

Tevez wasted a golden opportunity when Claudio Marchisio’s cross found him totally unmarked from seven yards, but he only aimed a weak volley into Subasic’s arms.

Aymen Abdennour was decisive to stop Alvaro Morata tapping in from close range, but Juve had 73 per cent possession in the first half-hour and did precious little with it. Giorgio Chiellini went shoulder-to-shoulder with Martial as they sprinted on to a long Moutinho pass, risking both a penalty and red card, then Patrice Evra ballooned a smart Pereyra assist over.

On the stroke of half-time Arturo Vidal sprung the offside trap and controlled well, only to curl his finish over the bar one-on-one.


Juventus 0-0 Monaco (Half-Time)

Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio; Pereyra; Tevez, Morata

Monaco: Subasic; Raggi, Ricardo Carvalho, Abdennour, Kurzawa; Fabinho, Kondogbia, Moutinho; Ferreira-Carrasco, Martial, Dirar

Ref: Kralovec (CZE)

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Juventus 1-0 Monaco: Vidal on the spot
to hand Italian champions advantage

The Chilean's second-half penalty was all that separated
the sides in Turin in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.

Apr 14, 2015

Juventus will take a narrow advantage back to Monaco after Arturo Vidal's penalty sealed a 1-0 first-leg in the Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday.

The Chile international clinically dispatched his seventh goal of the season in all competitions in the 57th minute, although Monaco claimed that Ricardo Carvalho's foul on Alvaro Morata had occurred outside the area.

Andrea Pirlo made his first Juve appearance since suffering a calf problem against Borussia Dortmund in the previous round back in February, and the playmaker had a hand in the victory.

It was his lofted pass from deep which Morata looked likely to latch onto until he stumbled under contact from Carvalho, with replays suggesting the initial foul had taken place outside the box.

Vidal's successful penalty was a welcome relief, after the midfielder had earlier wasted a gilt-edged possibility to break the deadlock at the end of the first half.

Carlos Tevez was also guilty of profligacy prior to Vidal's winner, while Monaco - although still well in the tie - may rue Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco's inability to convert from close range in the opening stages.

As it is, Leonardo Jardim's men will go into next week's return leg at Stade Louis II needing to overturn a one-goal deficit to reach the last four of this competition for the first time since 2004, when they were runners-up.

Juve begon the brighter, but survived a real scare in the 10th minute when Ferreira-Carrasco fired straight at Gianluigi Buffon from 10 yards after being picked out by Anthony Martial.

Claudio Marchisio's cross from the left picked out Tevez unmarked at the far post, but the Argentinian striker's volley six yards out was weak so Danijel Subasic was able to make a comfortable save shortly before the half-hour.

Monaco felt they should have had a penalty when Martial went down under a challenge from Giorgio Chiellini six minutes before the interval, but referee Pavel Kralovec was uninterested in their appeals.

Juve wasted another golden opportunity on the stroke of half-time, when Vidal blazed over after getting on the end of Tevez's superb ball with the outside of his right foot.

Monaco suffered a blow at the beginning of the second half when Nabil Dirar was forced off injured, and his replacement Bernardo Silva had an effort beaten away at his near post by Buffon.

Soon afterwards Juve took a deserved lead, Vidal sending a superb spot-kick into the top left-hand corner after Morata had been clipped by Carvalho.

Monaco responded and Buffon had to tip over Geoffrey Kondogbia's effort from range in the 63rd minute.

The remainder of the match proved largely uneventful with Juve seemingly content to protect their lead, leaving the tie firmly in the balance heading into the return leg in eight days' time.

[Socrates 8516]

7

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.

Juventus Stadium, Turin

Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

CL: Juve squeeze past Monaco

Apr 14, 2015

A contentious Arturo Vidal penalty gave Juventus the 1-0 Champions League quarter-final victory over Monaco.

The decider will be in the Principality on April 22, where ASM have won only twice in the competition this season.

The Bianconeri were the favourites on paper in this first leg quarter-final, but fresh from a shock defeat to Serie A bottom club Parma and facing a Monaco side that eliminated Arsenal with a 3-1 win in London. They’d scored only seven goals in their eight games so far, but conceded fewer than any other club in the Champions League this season.

Andrea Pirlo made his first appearance in three weeks, but Paul Pogba was still sidelined and Andrea Barzagli only fit for the bench. The visitors missed Jeremy Toulalan and opted for Ricardo Carvalho and Anthony Martial rather than Wallace and Dimitar Berbatov.

Carlos Tevez’s snapshot bounced right in front of the goalkeeper, but Danijel Subasic did well to calculate the rebound, while Layvin Kurzawa blasted not far over the bar.

Gigi Buffon performed a crucial save on nine minutes when Martial burst past Leonardo Bonucci and rolled across for the unmarked Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco. Moments later Buffon palmed a deflected Carrasco effort round the base of the far post and Kurzawa’s free header was wide from a corner.

Tevez wasted a golden opportunity when Claudio Marchisio’s cross found him totally unmarked from seven yards, but he only aimed a weak volley into Subasic’s arms.

Aymen Abdennour was decisive to stop Alvaro Morata tapping in from close range, but Juve had 73 per cent possession in the first half-hour and did precious little with it. Giorgio Chiellini went shoulder-to-shoulder with Martial as they sprinted on to a long Moutinho pass, risking both a penalty and red card, then Patrice Evra ballooned a smart Pereyra assist over.

On the stroke of half-time Arturo Vidal sprung the offside trap and controlled well, only to curl his finish over the bar one-on-one.

Nabil Dirar went off with a knee injury and Tevez was unable to tap in a corner, then Monaco threatened on the counter with Buffon palming a Bernardo Silva shot round the near post.

However, Ricardo Carvalho clumsily ran into the back of Morata as they went for a long Pirlo ball, giving away the penalty. However, replays suggest the contact was slightly outside the box.

Vidal took on the responsibility despite some errors from the spot and converted into the near top corner, giving Juve the lead with his first Champions League goal of the campaign. The Chilean hadn’t found the net in this tournament since a hat-trick against FC Copenhagen in November 2013.

Buffon palmed a Geoffrey Kondogbia long-range strike over the bar and Morata hit the side-netting. Dimitar Berbatov came off the bench and his first touch was a free header over the bar from a corner.

Juve moved to a 3-5-2 in the final 15 minutes and Fabinho stopped Morata tapping in a Vidal cross from five yards. In stoppages Stephan Lichtsteiner passed a great opportunity straight into the arms of Subasic.

Juventus 1-0 Monaco

Scorers: Vidal pen 57 (J)

Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Vidal, Pirlo (Barzagli 74), Marchisio; Pereyra (Sturaro 87); Tevez, Morata (Matri 83)

Monaco: Subasic; Raggi (Berbatov 71), Ricardo Carvalho, Abdennour, Kurzawa; Fabinho, Kondogbia, Moutinho; Ferreira-Carrasco, Martial (Matheus 87), Dirar (Bernardo Silva 51)

Ref: Kralovec (CZE)

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Juventus 1-0 Monaco: Bianconeri Take
Narrow Lead To The Principality

Apr 14, 2015

Juventus defeated Monaco 1-0 to secure a slender first-leg advantage in their Champions League quarter-final clash on Tuesday.

A penalty just short of the hour mark from Arturo Vidal was all that separated the two sides, despite the Bianconeri having dominated possession for long spells of the contest.

Juventus began on the front foot, with the returning Andrea Pirlo sweeping a delicious pass to the left edge of the penalty box into Alvaro Morata’s path, only for the Spaniard to squander the opportunity.

The balance of power then briefly shifted in Monaco’s favour, as highly-rated forward Anthony Martial found Yannick Ferreira Carrasco free in the area, but his fellow attacker could only shoot straight at Gianluigi Buffon.

Carrasco tried to atone for his miss when sending in a deflected effort, which was touched wide by the experienced 37-year-old to deny the Monegasque outfit an opening goal.

It was time for Juve to step up a gear, which they duly did thanks to a period of possession leading to a wonderful chance for Carlos Tevez. Claudio Marchisio sent in a pinpoint delivery from the left, only for the Argentine to scuff his volley into the deck.

Further attempts from Marchisio and the ever-industrious Arturo Vidal flew over the bar as Juventus continued to dominate, but they were almost caught out on the break again when Martial went shoulder-to-shoulder with Giorgio Chiellini. He beat the Italy international for pace, but Chiellini stuck with the promising 19-year-old and utilised his significant physical presence to see off the danger.

On the stroke of half-time, a sublime through-ball with the outside of Tevez’s foot found Vidal in space, but he somehow managed to balloon his shot.

Massimiliano Allegri’s men came out with all guns blazing at the start of the second period, and despite a scare when away substitute Bernardo Silva failed to beat Buffon at his near post following a swift counter-attack, it was the Serie A leaders who broke the deadlock.

A fantastic floating long ball from Pirlo set Morata away on the chase and he was felled by Champions League-winning defender Ricardo Carvalho during the pursuit.

The Portuguese centre-back clipped Morata’s heels just inside the box, thus handing the home team a golden chance to take the lead from the spot. Chilean midfielder Vidal stepped up confidently and smashed the ball into the top left-hand corner to put Juventus in front.

Morata fired a whisker wide of the upright as Juve attempted to extend their lead, but it was yet another Monaco replacement who came closer still when Dimitar Berbatov directed his clever header just over the crossbar.

It seemed the Bianconeri were happy to hold on to their one-goal advantage as they brought defender Andrea Barzagli on for the influential Pirlo, and so it proved when a scrappy climax to the game failed to bring about any further goals ahead of an intriguing second leg.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Juve Win First Leg vs. Monaco, 1-0

Apr 14, 2015

Juventus took a crucial advantage in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Monaco on Tuesday evening, booking a 1-0 in the first leg of their encounter.

ESPN FC confirmed the result for the Italian giants, which puts them in good stead for next week's return fixture on the French Riviera.

As one of the competition's biggest remaining underdogs, Monaco may have been expected to bring a defensive and withdrawn approach to Turin, which is precisely how they lined up to begin with.

However, that isn't to suggest the Ligue 1 giants wouldn't pose any sort of threat, with Goal.com's Robin Bairner confirming their method of putting bodies behind the ball:

Robin Bairner @RBairner
Only a minute into #Juventus - #Monaco and it's already clear that the visitors will get everyone behind the ball at every chance

Leonardo Jardim appeared to have gotten his tactics spot on, as the Italian hosts proved susceptible to the quick break on numerous occasions.

Kris Voakes of Goal.com agreed that the Bianconeri looked like the second-best outfit for much of Tuesday's first half, with Monaco carrying on their fine form in continental competition:

Kris Voakes @krisvoakes
#Juventus second best at the moment. Approach is flat, atmosphere is flat, #Monaco causing problems on every attack.

While the Ligue 1 side may have struggled to maintain great passages of possession, it didn't dilute the quality of what unfolded when they did manage to find space on the ball.

Bairner again highlighted just how strong Monaco looked in absorbing pressure before dishing it back in equal measure, just as they did at the Emirates Stadium earlier in this campaign:

Robin Bairner @RBairner
#Monaco proving every bit as good on the break as they did away to Arsenal. YFC misses great possibility after fine play from #Martial.

The Juve support will undoubtedly feel it was long overdue, but as the clock ticked nearer to the half-time whistle, that's when the hosts finally begon to gain an edge through increased tempo.

Just prior to the end of the opening 45 minutes, Arturo Vidal had the half's best possibility to score only to waste a fine opportunity carved open by Carlos Tevez.

Fortunately for manager Massimiliano Allegri, that sway in momentum appeared to carry through half-time and into the second period, where Juve competed with a little more initiative.

And it paid off in the 56th minute, as Ricardo Carvalho showed his age by committing a clumsy challenge on Alvaro Morata. Vidal was on hand to convert the resulting spot-kick from 12 yards out.

Conceding first against top-tier Italian opposition is never an easy thing to come back from, and Allegri's men did their part to shield the advantage from there.

As pointed out by The Sun on Twitter, stopping the Juventus metronome in midfield was a challenge the visiting side struggled to overcome as possession flowed in favour of the home outfit:

The Sun - Football ✔ @TheSunFootball
67 mins: Juventus' three midfielders (Pirlo, Vidal and Marchisio) have completed more passes (163) than the entire Monaco team (158)

In the end, Vidal's finish from 12 yards out proved to be the decider in what was a far more tender encounter than some might have envisioned, with Monaco far from out of semi-final contention.

The two teams will meet again next Wednesday for the return fixture, but the French representatives will no longer have the convenience of being able to sit back and await their foes.

An away goal may have made a great difference this evening and Jardim may rue his team's missed opportunities, although scoring against the Serie A titleholders would never be an easy feat.

For now, the advantage sits firmly in favour of Juventus. But with only a single goal separating the two teams, this clash is only just begun.


Player Grades

Arturo Vidal: A-

The Chile international may not yet be back to his best, but Vidal sprung back from a disappointing start Tuesday to finish as one of the match's most impressive performers.

Once Juve's midfield tandem is in full swing, there aren't many evident ways to stop it. Vidal once again proved to be a versatile utility man capable of sitting or being the one to thrust forward and dish out the damage.


Geoffrey Kondogbia: B+

Competing against a midfield like the one reigning supreme in Turin right now is an intimidating task, but French youngster Geoffrey Kondogbia showed glimpses of why he's so highly valued as a Ligue 1 prospect.

Per WhoScored.com, Kondogbia won all four of his attempted tackles and managed to emerge as one of Monaco's main threats on goal.


Gianluigi Buffon: A-

The 37-year-old veteran is deserving of his praise in fending off Monaco's challenge all evening, having had to reject his fair SHARE of enemy advances.

The Italian stalwart showed there's spring in his legs yet by making four saves and proving to be Juve's hero more times than Allegri may have been comfortable with.


Post-Match Reaction

Jardim and Allegri were at loggerheads over how they felt Tuesday's result should have looked, with each coach defending his team's efforts.

Unsurprisingly, Juve boss Allegri enforced that his side deserved to claim the first-leg advantage, speaking to Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia), and picked out the talismanic Andrea Pirlo as his key man:

The result is good, as we didn’t concede on home turf and that is a small advantage. It will be different in Monaco, but they proved how organised they are in defence today with pace and technique in attack. They above all caused us problems in the first 15 minutes, as we waited for the pass between the lines rather than have the patience to wait for the right trajectory to open up.

Pirlo had a good 70 minutes, which is excellent considering he hadn’t played for 50 days. Set plays can be decisive in these matches and I needed great quality on the passes to break through those tiny spaces, and in fact his pass was decisive for the penalty. Carlos Tevez had also been out for six days, so he too wasn’t quite as sharp as usual.

The visiting manager wasn't in agreement with his Italian counterpart, however, and insisted Monaco should not have come away from Turin with a one-goal deficit.

Jardim also looked ahead to the second leg, via Get French Football:

Get French Football @GFN_France
Leonardo Jardim, Monaco manager: "We came here to get a better result than this. We will have to show another side to ourselves next leg."

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Juventus Set New Stadium Box
Office Record In Monaco Tie

Apr 14, 2015

Juventus have set a new record for matchday earnings at the box office from their Champions League quarter-final against Monaco.

This is the second time that the Bianconeri have reached this stage of the competition since moving into their Juventus Stadium home.

In 2013, they contested a Champions League quarter-final when they welcomed Bayern Munich in the second leg of their meeting but were beaten 4-0 on aggregate by the eventual winners.

Against Monaco, every seat in the ground was filled with an official attendance of 40,801 with the club taking in €3,017,692 on a successful night all round for the club after Arturo Vidal’s penalty kick put them in the driving seat for qualification.

The previous record for the club was held from the last round when they beat Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their last 16 tie.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Chiellini: Juventus deserved to beat Monaco

The defender conceded that the Serie A leaders were repeatedly caught on the break
in the opening 20 minutes but he argued that they merited Arturo Vidal's spot-kick winner.

Apr 14, 2015

Giorgio Chiellini admitted that Juventus started poorly in their Champions League quarter-final, first-leg clash with Monaco but felt that the Italian titleholders were ultimately good value for their 1-0 win.

The Bianconeri initially struggled to break down their Ligue 1 opponents in Turin, while also looking vulnerable on the counterattack during the opening quarter.

However, Massimiliano Allegri's men gradually took control and earned a crucial first-leg lead courtesy of Arturo Vidal, who slammed home a 57th-minute penalty after striker Alvaro Morata had been felled by Ricardo Carvalho.

Having triumphed 3-0 at Signal Iduna Park in the away leg of their last-16 meeting with Borussia Dortmund, Juventus will be supremely confident of reaching the last four, but Chiellini is warning his team-mates that Monaco at the Stade Louis II will be a far trickier proposition.

"We knew that we would have to face a difficult opponent," he told Sky Sport Italia.

"We got our approach wrong in the first 20 minutes, when we had to suffer their quick counterattacks.

"Then, we improved and the result was deserved. But Monaco are a tough team to play because, unlike Borussia, they don't make the play and just counterattack quickly.

"But it will be the same game as in Dortmund. A 2-1 or 1-0 lead, it doesn't change anything. We're going up against an even tougher team."

Midfield ace Vidal has struggled for both form and fitness this season but Chiellini is hopeful that the Chilean's match-winning goal will serve as a catalyst for a strong finish to the remainder of his campaign.

"Arturo has been doing okay for a while now," the Italy international added. "We're happy that he's scored and we hope that he can be an added value for us the final stage of the season."

Juventus travel to Monte Carlo for the second leg of their last-eight tie with Monaco on April 22.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Max Allegri says Juventus deserved
slim victory against Monaco

Apr 14, 2015

Max Allegri said he was pleased that Juventus will take a slim advantage to Monaco after a "deserved" 1-0 win in the opening leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday.

Arturo Vidal converted a 57th-minute penalty for the only goal of the match, though Allegri said he was not concerned by the slim margin of victory against a strong Monaco defence.

"Overall I think the result is deserved," the Juventus manager told Sky Sport Italia. "Obviously, it's a quarterfinal, so anyone who thought we won 3-0 was kidding themselves. They have the strongest defence in the Champions League and Ligue 1."

Allegri said that Juventus can't be content with their single-goal advantage as they prepare for the second leg, set for next Wednesday in the principality.

"I am always optimistic, but we know that we need to score in Monaco to go forward," Allegri said. "This is a tough side to play against and paradoxically it was easier against Borussia Dortmund because of their style of football.

"Monaco know their limitations and therefore play to stop the opposition playing. It means waiting a little longer and making an extra five or six passes to find the right breakthrough.

"It's only normal there was pressure around this match, especially as we were the favourites, but we were too hasty and therefore made simple mistakes with our passing. In these situations, you must always have the patience and calm to play your game."

Although Juventus controlled 64 percent of possession, Gianluigi Buffon did have to make four saves and Allegri said he was content with the clean sheet.

"The result is good, as we didn't concede on home turf and that is a small advantage," Allegri said. "It will be different in Monaco, but they proved how organised they are in defence today with pace and technique in attack.

"They above all caused us problems in the first 15 minutes, as we waited for the pass between the lines rather than have the patience to wait for the right trajectory to open up."

Allegri handed a surprise start to Andrea Pirlo, who has been sidelined by a calf injury since February.

"Pirlo had a good 70 minutes, which is excellent considering he hadn't played for 50 days," Allegri said. "Set plays can be decisive in these GAMES and I needed great quality on the passes to break through those tiny spaces, and in fact his pass was decisive for the penalty.

"Carlos Tevez had also been out for six days, so he too wasn't quite as sharp as usual."

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Player Ratings: Juventus 1-0 Monaco

Apr 14, 2015
 

Juventus

1 G. Buffon - Used all of his experience to position himself excellently to save three dangerous Monaco attempts on his goal. His recent sterling form continues.

26 S. Lichtsteiner - The chief supplier for one or two Juventus attacks, and wasn't caught out of position too often.

19 L. Bonucci - Went about his business with quiet authority, and made sure that Monaco's shooting chances were limited in the second period.

3 G. Chiellini - Not shy to step outside of the defensive line, and he usually did so to great effect. A rock at the back.

33 P. Evra - The full-back, like Lichtsteiner on the opposite side, was measured in his approach and wary of the Monaco threat down the flanks, especially in the second half.

23 Arturo Vidal - A typically tireless display from the Chilean, who broke up attacks with regularity. It was his emphatic penalty that separated the sides.

21 A. Pirlo - It was his defence-splitting pass that caught Carvalho out, causing him to foul Morata for the game-deciding penalty kick.

8 C. Marchisio - A little slow to get back on a few occasions, but his effort could not be faulted.

37 R. Pereyra - The Argentinian was a busy man, quick to assist the full-backs while helping his side to dominate possession.

10 C. Tévez - Sprayed some great passes forward to set up his team-mates, but his own shooting was well below his usual standards.

9 Álvaro Morata - Though his end product was lacking, he got himself into some great positions, with one such move leading to the spot-kick after he was fouled by Carvalho.


Substitutes

15 A. Barzagli - Shored up the defence even further late on.

27 S. Sturaro - A decent cameo appearance where he got a few touches.

32 A. Matri - Didn't really contribute a whole lot in attack

 

Monaco

1 D. Subašić - Didn't do a whole lot wrong and could hardly be blamed for the penalty. Saved everything else that came his way.

24 A. Raggi - A solid job defensively, even though his attacking contributions were non-existent.

6 Ricardo Carvalho - An otherwise solid display was ruined by a late clip on the heels of Morata, which led to the penalty.

5 A. Abdennour - A typically accomplished showing from the Tunisian, who met the combative Juve attackers stride for stride.

3 L. Kurzawa - Got forward more often than Raggi on the opposite side, getting in position for a few shooting opportunities.

2 Fabinho - Mopped up loose ends effectively in the middle, and dropped into the back four when needed to similar effect.

22 G. Kondogbia - The midfielder wasn't shy to have a pop from long range, but he couldn't repeat his feat against Arsenal.

8 João Moutinho - Often starved for the ball but made up for it with intelligent positioning to help out the defence.

17 Y. Ferreira Carrasco - Thwarted by Buffon twice, and sent two other good chances over the bar, but he was by far the most prominent threat to the Juventus defence.

23 A. Martial - His pace was a useful outlet but he provided little with the ball at his feet.

7 N. Dirar - Some quick passing in the final third was key in a few attacks, but he couldn't sustain his threat.


Substitutes

15 Bernardo Silva - Saw a low effort at the end of a break saved by Buffon.

9 D. Berbatov - The striker glanced a free header off the mark shortly after his introduction.

12 Matheus Carvalho - A late cameo.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Evra: 'Juve can become great'

Apr 14, 2015

Patrice Evra warned Juventus suffered by being favourites against Monaco. “We felt that tension and anxiety.”

The former Manchester United left-back spoke to Sky Sport Italia after the 1-0 Champions League quarter-final victory. The second leg is on April 22.

“It’s still open. We must respect Monaco and we didn’t underestimate them the way Arsenal did. Alright, 1-0 is not a great result, but it puts us in a good position to qualify.

“We still have a lot to do and above all must maintain respect for Monaco. Every time I play with this jersey, I try to respect those who came before me and that’s a huge responsibility for me.”

Evra is one of the most experienced players in the Bianconeri squad and pointed out reaching the semi-finals would be a milestone.

“Juve are a good team, but going through would make us into a great team. I remember at Juve the Coach and President said the task was to qualify and everyone was so happy when we went through, they were celebrating in the locker room. To me it had always seemed normal to reach the quarter-finals.”

At the same time, the lack of experience at this level almost proved costly, as Juventus started in shaky fashion.

“Against Borussia Dortmund people said it was 50-50, even after the first leg, whereas as soon as we drew Monaco everyone assumed we would win comfortably.

“Being favourites put pressure on us and we did feel that tension in the first 20 minutes. I felt the anxiety and we had to shake that off.”

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Player Ratings: Juventus 1-0 Monaco

Apr 14, 2015

Juventus secured a crucial 1-0 win over Monaco in their Champions League Quarter Final first leg clash at the Juventus Stadium on Tuesday.

A powerful Arturo Vidal penalty in the second half was enough to settle the tie, with neither side able to break through their opponent’s defence with any regularity. The spot-kick came after Ricardo Carvalho clumsily brought down Alvaro Morata as he was clean through on goal, with Vidal making no mistake from the spot to send Danijel Subasic the wrong way.

 

Juventus

Gianluigi Buffon – 6.5 – Confident - Looked at ease on the ball and pulled off a good save from Silva early in the second half. Was not called upon often, but his distribution was solid and the veteran keeper is still a commanding figure between the posts.

Stephan Lichtsteiner – 6 – Unreliable - The Swiss full-back looked dangerous on the attack, able to beat his man and provide some decent crosses. He lacked the same confidence in defence, often put on the back foot and failed to cope with the pace and directness of Martial and Carrasco.

Leonardo Bonucci – 6 – Laboured - He was caught out of position in the first half and seemed to struggle to keep up with the pace of the game. Improved considerably after the break and looked more assured.

Giorgio Chiellini – 6 – Uncomfortable - Another to struggle with the sheer pace of Monaco’s attack, Chiellini was often found chasing back towards his own goal. Used his physical presence to assert himself as the match wore on, but never looked completely at ease.

Patrice Evra – 7 – Relentless - Never stopped running, finding space afforded to him by Juventus’ formation. His crossing was dangerous and his running was powerful, allowing the Frenchman to link up well with those in front of him.

Arturo Vidal – 7 – Composed - Began poorly, with wayward shooting and some sloppy passes, but regained his composure to take the game by the scruff of the neck to dominate the midfield. His penalty was cool, powerful and emphatic.

Andrea Pirlo – 6.5 – Rusty - Started the match poorly, with his passing unusually inaccurate. Having just returned from a long injury lay off, Pirlo looked off the pace but did provide a moment of magic, a wonderfully weighted ball over the top putting Morata through to win the penalty.

Claudio Marchisio – 5 – Disappointing - His passing was wayward and he struggled to find his man with through balls. Although he managed to work space for shots, they tended to be off target. He seemed to lack urgency in the heart of the midfield.

Roberto Pereyra – 6 – Reliable - Drifted out of the game somewhat early on but found his rhythm with some forceful dribbles and neat touches.

Carlos Tevez – 6.5 – Unfortunate - Was involved in most of Juventus’ attacks but the Argentine struggled to fashion space for himself to shoot. Aside from a first half volley, he saw little action in front of goal but was a key component of many Juve attacks.

Alvaro Morata – 6.5 – Energetic - Aside from an early close range effort which was smashed over, the Spanish striker had few chances. He never stopped running however, including a mazy dribble through the entire Monaco defence. It was his intelligent run which drew the penalty.


Substitutes

Andrea Barzagli – 5.5 – Quiet - Came on midway through the second half but had little to do. Looked calm on the ball on the few occasions he saw it.

Alessandro Matri – N/A

Stefano Sturaro – N/A


 

Monaco

Danijel Subisic – 6.5 – Unlucky - Untested in the first half, he was solid when called upon after the break and could do nothing about Vidal’s wonderful penalty. His distribution was excellent.

Andrea Raggi – 6 – Solid - Solid if unspectacular, the full-back rarely stepped out of position and provided some well-timed blocks, standing firm against Pereyra.

Ricardo Carvalho – 5 – Clumsy - The veteran Portuguese centre-back was at fault for the goal, hauling down Morata as he was clean through and could consider himself lucky not to have seen red. He looked slow and lethargic on the few occasions Juve ran directly at him and was fortunate that the Bianconeri did not challenge him more often.

Aymen Abdennour – 6 – Strong - Dealt with everything Juventus threw at him in the first half, with some powerful headers preventing Tevez and Morata getting clean through on goal. Struggled with the pace and trickery of Tevez in the second half.

Layvin Kurzawa – 5.5 – Quiet - Provided some dangerous crosses but generally had a quiet game. He struggled to make an impact going forward and Pereyra and Evra caused him some problems.

Fabinho – 5 – Peripheral - Failed to make his mark on the game and seemed to drift in and out. Started in midfield but was moved to right-back when Berbatov came on. Was equally ineffective in both positions.

Geoffrey Kondogbia – 7 – Rugged - Made his presence felt early on with some tough tackles and powerful runs. Took the game to Juventus, never letting Vidal settle. Showed some neat footwork and ambition to get forward and press the home side.

Joao Moutinho – 5 – Anonymous - A disappointing performance from the Portuguese midfielder. Never got a foothold in the game and had little influence on proceedings, as the match seemed to pass him by.

Yannick Ferreira Carrasco – 6.5 – Threatening - Despite missing a glorious chance early on, Carrasco was a constant thorn in the side of the Juventus defence. Pacy and direct, he also provided some excellent crosses and was a bright spark for the French side.

Anthony Martial – 6.5 – Mixed - Was a constant danger in the first half as he linked up to devastating effect with Carrasco. The Juventus back line struggled with his pace and he left Lichtsteiner for dead on numerous occasions. Seemed to disappear in the second half and will be disappointed that he couldn’t continue his bright start.

Nabil Dirar – 7 – Dangerous - His quick feet and intelligent movement saw him threaten down the right flank throughout the first half, keeping Evra on his toes. An injury straight after half time ended what promised to be an excellent display.


Substitutes

Bernardo Silva – 6.5 – Hard-working - Made a crucial tackle in his own box before almost scoring at the other end, only being denied by a fine stop by Buffon. A mazy dribble was the highlight of an impressive performance.

Dimitar Berbatov – 5 – Ineffective - Should have scored with his first touch, a glancing header from a corner which went narrowly wide. Did little else to suggest he should have started though, in a quiet 25 minutes on the pitch.

Matheus Carvalho – N/A

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Juventus Match-Winner Vidal:
I Needed That Goal For My Confidence

Apr 14, 2015

Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal confessed that he was desperate to take and score his side’s penalty against Monaco to boost his low confidence.

The Chilean has been frustrated personally with his recent performances while he has also missed from the spot in this competition previously this season – most notably a last minute group stage penalty kick against Olympiakos which did not prove costly for his team.

On this occasion, he was coolness personified and said afterwards: “I was low and missing a bit of confidence so I took the ball to take the penalty and thankfully, I scored.

“I am happy with that goal and from here on out, I hope to play with more confidence.”

He added: “We heard a little fear and anxiety during the game [from the crowd] but I think that this is normal because we are playing a very good Champions League team. In the end though, it was important to win the game and we did.”

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Juventus 1 - Monaco 0: Initial
reaction and random observations

Apr 14, 2015

Piece of cake, right? Well, not really. Not anything close to it.

Juventus had wonderful scoring chances, but didn't take advantage of them as we continuously pounded our heads against the table. Monaco had quality scoring chances in their own right, but got stonewalled by rather legendary Juventus goalkeeper Gigi Buffon. The difference, as it turned out to be, was a second-half goal from the penalty spot courtesy of Arturo Vidal (which may or may not have been an actual penalty because of where the foul on Álvaro Morata took place).

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@chiellini: "Monaco defend deep and break on the counter. After a tough first 20 minutes, we then got into our stride and deserved to win."

Juventus needed all of the patience Max Allegri talked about in the pre-match press conference simply because of how they started out the game. It was a struggle without a doubt, and Juve could have easily fell behind Monaco because of how dangerous the French side's counterattack was in the first half. Monaco was defending like madmen despite Juventus having a couple of very good scoring chances that Vidal and Carlos Tévez didn't take advantage of.

Monaco showed they belonged at this stage. They really did. They truly put Juve's defense under pressure on the counter, something they clearly set out to do from the onset.

That patience proved vital — and because of it Juventus are heading to France with a slim 1-0 lead on aggregate. Allegri's squad was able to recover after the shaky start that saw Monaco pepper Buffon's goal.

But Juve got Allegri's favorite result. Yep, a 1-0 win. There's just something about it that sits okay with me. Maybe it's the fact that Juventus have won most of those 1-0 games lately. (Don't say Parma over the weekend, that game never happened, remember?)


Random thoughts and observations

That was a truly classic Arturo Vidal penalty conversion. It reminded me of his PK against Real Madrid a few seasons ago. When he strikes them well, the opposing goalkeeper has absolutely no chance. None.

And, for that matter, it was a classic Arturo Vidal kind of game (outside of the scoring chances being skied into the stands, of course). I point to two instances in the second half with the ball in Juventus' defensive third as a prime example of that. Monaco is looking to get a cross off in the right corner as Stephan Lichtsteiner defends the ball. In comes Vidal, applies the pressure on defense, then picks the pocket of the Monaco player and starts a Juventus attack. It was essentially Vidal in a nutshell, the player we've come to love because of how hard he works during a game.

Vidal is the Man of the Match for many, I'm sure, but it's hard not to give it to Buffon for the simple of the legendary keeper keeping Monaco off the scoreboard. His first save of the night came on what ended up being one of Monaco's best scoring chances.

I also like the little grin he got on his face after collecting an easy cross late in stoppage time. Almost like you could see the thought bubble and "You think you can beat me?" rising up above him at that moment.

I laughed after the first half when the guy doing the halftime show here in the U.S. said Juventus were "dominating" Monaco because they had the vast majority of the possession. Sometimes misleading stats can be misleading. Just remember that.

Vidal successfully converting the penalty kick eases the frustration a little bit, but Juventus sure did miss some wonderful chances, didn't they? It could have been much, much better than just a 1-0 win.

This is where we talk about Andrea Pirlo and the up and down night he had.

My predicted lineup in the match preview was a 3-5-2 with the other Andrea, Andrea Barzagli, getting the start ahead of Pirlo. That's mainly because I have quite liked what the Vidal-Marchisio-Pereyra central midfield has been doing as of late. The pace and speed of that trio has been really, really good together, and the results in truly big games as of late back it up. Plus, it's a whole lot to put on Pirlo — regardless of his résumé — coming off a lengthy injury absence just to expect him to come in and be his usual self once again. And at times it showed. Pirlo's passing was off and the overall speed of Juve's game was different than those games during his absence.

But the pass he sent over the top to Morata right before the decisive penalty was called is why Pirlo is on the field. He's able to make a moment of magic with one of his slick passes and change the game a few seconds later.

Patrice Evra had some huge tackles Tuesday night. He's quietly been a steady performer and far from the complete liability I worried he might be when Kwadwo Asamoah was ruled out for an extended amount of time earlier this season.

Remember all of those Juventus players who were in danger of missing the second leg if they picked up a yellow card Tuesday night in Turin? Well, we're all good. Not one Juve player was shown a yellow.

Alessandro Matri and Stefano Sturaro were two of Juventus' three subs used in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. Just like we all thought when this season began, right? Yuuuuuup.

Dimitar Berbatov's substitute appearance reminded us all about how he kinda-almost-but-not-really-sort-of-then-didn't join Juventus a couple of summers ago. That was fun.

Is a 1-0 lead the perfect thing to have happen in the first leg? No, but it definitely could have been worse because of all those nerve-wracking as Monaco came storming forward on the counterattack.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@gianluigibuffon: "We head into the second leg with two positive factors: a win and a clean sheet from tonight's game."

Amen to that, Gigi. Amen to that.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Buffon Dedicates Juventus’ Win
Against Monaco To Morosini

Apr 15, 2015

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon dedicated his side’s 1-0 away win in the Champions League quarter-final over Monaco to former Livorno midfielder Piermario Morosini on the third anniversary of his death.

The 37-year-old acknowledged that Juve were put under pressure early on but was delighted with the result and the clean sheet that the Old Lady will take with them into the return leg in Monaco on April 22.

“There are two very positive points to be taken from this result: that we won and that we didn’t concede a goal at home,” said Buffon to Sky Sport Italia after the game.

“That clean sheet is something that we can benefit from in the return leg.”

“There we some difficulties early on as they had some chances after we made some mistakes and they played some good football.

“When you play at this level, it is impossible not to play against teams who have a lot of quality, they played well and proved this.”

Buffon was also asked if he hopes to carry on playing until he is 40-years-old.

“One should stop playing when you take to the pitch and realise that you are no longer yourself, but I don’t think that’s the case for me yet,” said Buffon.

“Therefore, it seems that it would be a mistake for me to quit too early, why should I stop if I still feel good?”

Buffon finished by dedicating Juve’s win to Morosini and Fabrizio Quattrocchi who was an Italian security officer killed in Iraq in 2004; as it fell on April 14, the day when both Italians died.

“I want to dedicate this victory to Morosini and Quattrocchi,” said Buffon.

“Morosini made me proud to be a footballer and Quattrocchi made me proud to be an Italian.”

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Allegri: Juventus must score in Monaco

The Bianconeri will take a one-goal lead with them to Monte Carlo thanks to Arturo Vidal's
penalty but their boss does not believe it will be enough to seal a semi-final spot.

Apr 15, 2015
 
Massimiliano Allegri was satisfied with Tuesday's 1-0 Champions League win over Monaco in Turin but the Juventus coach is in no doubt that his side will have to score in next week's quarter-final second-leg clash at the Stade Louis II.

The Bianconeri were made to work hard for their victory, with the Serie A side only managing to break the deadlock from the penalty spot when Arturo Vidal hammered home from 12 yards after Ricardo Carvalho had tripped Alvaro Morata.

Allegri was happy with the final scoreline at Juventus Stadium but he does not feel the Old Lady's one-goal advantage will be sufficient to progress to the last four.

"The result is good," the Bianconeri coach told Sky Sport Italia. "Now we have a little advantage, but the return leg will not be easy.

"We know our opponent better now. They were well organised in defence and they have technical and physical attackers who are not supported a lot up front yet still create problems.

"We tried to play too quickly at times. We lacked patience. We had other chances to close out the game but we messed up the final ball too often.

"It was a good game, though, and a well deserved result. Monaco have the best defence in the Champions League and the French championship, so it is difficult to score against them.

"I'm always optimistic but we'll have to score there."

However, Allegri believes that Juve will be even better equipped to break Monaco down next week given fit-again duo Andrea Pirlo and Carlos Tevez will both have more game time under their belts.

"Andrea played 70 good minutes, considering he'd not played for 50 days," the former AC Milan boss added.

"In games like these, his set-pieces are fundamental and he can always give you a hand. We needed his quality and it was his long ball that led to the penalty.

"His condition, like that of Tevez, is not great. But next Wednesday they will both be better."

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

JUVENTUS 1-0 MONACO CHAMPIONS
LEAGUE PLAYER RATINGS

Arturo Vidal’s penalty was enough to give Juventus a 1-0
Champions League quarter-final victory over Monaco.

Apr 15, 2015

 
Gianluigi Buffon 7.5 - A contender for man of the match. Made a great opening save very early in the game, his first of many. A superb one-handed save from Martial kept Juve in the game. SuperGigi.

Stephan Lichtsteiner 6.5 - Tracked back when needed but also provided a great outlet for Juve down the right.

Leonardo Bonucci 6.5 - An early mistake aside, his performance next to Chiellini was vital to Juve’s clean sheet. Made some timely interceptions and great clearances.

Giorgio Chiellini 7.0 - Utterly rock solid at the back, keeping Martial and Carrasco relatively quiet. Even managed to stride out of the defence on occasion to get Juve moving forward.

Patrice Evra 7.5 - Arguably his best performance in a Juve shirt. Kept Dirar quiet all night and made two perfectly timed tackles to deny Monaco

Arturo Vidal 7.5 - An average first half was replaced by a stellar second. Broke up numerous Monaco attacks and took his penalty with a clinical finish.

Andrea Pirlo 6.5 - Didn’t make a great start to the game and misplaced a few passes but he grew as the game went on. Provided the defence splitting pass that led to Juve’s penalty.

Claudio Marchisio 6.5 - Not as effective in the first half but improved for playing in Pirlo’s position in the second half.

Roberto Pereyra 7.0 - Another stellar performance, making intelligent runs out wide to create space for the front men. Marked Raggi well when the defended tried to push forward and created a series of chances for his teammates.

Carlos Tevez 6.5 - Had some decent shots from distance but failed to make them count. Worked tirelessly though throughout the entire 90 mins.

Alvaro Morata 6.5 - Lacked the final touch but his positioning was brilliant and he earned Juventus the penalty that ultimately secured the win.


Substitutes

Andrea Barzagli N/A

Stefano Sturaro N/A

Alessandro Matri N/A

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - MONACO

1 - 0

Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic)

Juventus rode their luck vs. Monaco in the
club's UCL quarterfinal first-leg win

Apr 15, 2015
 
It was far from easy at the Juventus Stadium despite the home side edging AS Monaco in a 1-0 win. Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri expected nothing less.

The Serie A champions vowed not to make the mistake of underestimating their opponents, a trap that Arsenal fell into. "Monaco were a surprise but they aren't anymore," Allegri explained on the eve of the game. Saturday's defeat to Parma served as a timely warning of what can happen if you take even a team 57 points worse off than you too lightly, let alone Monaco.

Monaco have the best away record in Ligue 1 (10-2-4) and by some distance. It's seven points better than their nearest rivals PSG's. And in addition to scoring 12 goals in their past four excursions from the Principality, they boast the meanest defence in France and the Champions League.

Still, a cautious optimism filled the air in Turin on Tuesday night. Juventus captain Gigi Buffon had admitted to French media outlet L'Equipe that when the draw for the Champions League quarterfinals was made, "there were two or three teams it would be better to paired with and Monaco were among them."

Monaco were considered the "least hard" of those remaining in the competition, and as France Football reflected French clubs have a "Juventus Syndrome." Stade Français, Marseille, Nantes, Rennes, Bordeaux and Monaco have all tried and failed to knock them out of Europe over the last 60 years.

Even though Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim dismissed the notion that his team was an outsider, it travelled the short distance across the Alps to Turin with everything to gain and nothing to lose.

Getting the psychological and tactical approach to this game would be a delicate balance for Allegri. In his opinion, Monaco represented a trickier proposition than the team they knocked out in the last round, Borussia Dortmund.

"When you play against a team that concedes few goals, the games are more complicated," he said, "because you risk throwing yourself forward in a daredevil way and leaving space in behind."

This analysis had a clear bearing on his game plan and the attitude of his players. It was obvious from the outset that Juventus were wary of the threat Monaco posed on the counter with Yannick Ferreira Carrasco and Anthony Martial.

In the first quarter of an hour, Juventus got it wrong. They were a little too deep and, as a consequence, couldn't get their press going. That had the effect of allowing the visitors to play out all too comfortably and still break. They looked nervy.

Left-back Patrice Evra spoke afterward about anxiety setting in and feeling the pressure. Monaco should really have gone ahead too when, after nine minutes, Martial burst up the left-hand side and squared it to Ferreira Carrasco in space who, little more than six yards out, aimed a shot straight at Buffon. Had he gone either side of the Juventus captain, Monaco would have packed an away goal with them on the flight home.

Juventus meanwhile were initially imprecise and lacked patience in their passing. Making his first appearance in almost six weeks, Andrea Pirlo mishit a few chances. So did Leonardo Bonucci and Arturo Vidal. The strikers Carlos Tevez, who like Pirlo looked rusty after a shorter injury layoff, and his partner Alvaro Morata too often came short. They didn't run in behind and stretch or move Monaco around enough and so, to begin with, Juventus were limited to long-distance efforts, a forte of theirs: no team has scored more goals (17) from outside the area in Europe's top five leagues.

Tevez opened the scoring with one in Dortmund and tested the Monaco goalkeeper Daniel Subasic early, but neither he nor Vidal sniped with lethal accuracy. Aymen Abdennour was a rock in front of Subasic and Joao Moutinho policed Pirlo well.

Only by stepping up and playing with a higher line did Juventus make life difficult for them. Claudio Marchisio found Tevez alone at the far post for a rushed shot that he had more time to control and place. The Argentine then turned provider in releasing Vidal with a delightful pass with the outside of his foot, but, in seeking to find the top corner, Vidal lifted his effort agonisingly over the bar. They were glorious opportunities that, even though Juventus hadn't shone, merited a half-time lead.

In between them, Martial had a penalty claim correctly turned down with Giorgio Chiellini's challenge ruled nothing more than a coming together. Juventus were more fortunate with the decisions. Before the hour mark, Pirlo went long, Morata and Ricardo Carvalho chased it and, while looking at the ball, clashed. It was a foul but it started outside the box, and while a separate less significant contact continued inside it didn't justify a spot kick in and of itself. Vidal, who missed one against Olympiakos in November and Cesena in February, made no mistake this time. It was a big moment for him.

He acknowledged in an interview with Italian outlet La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport on Tuesday that putting off a knee operation and then rushing back from it for the World Cup had detrimentally affected his performances this season. With Pirlo and Tevez not fully fit and Paul Pogba out injured, Juventus needed him to be decisive. Along with the veteran Buffon, who made another important intervention by palming a Bernardo Silva shot wide in the second half, he was Juventus' best performer even if it still wasn't vintage Vidal.

True, Juventus didn't look their best. Former Juventus player Gianluca Vialli, for instance, said on Sky Sports Italia that he believed a draw would have been fairer on Monaco. But no one could deny that it's a great result for the Serie A club. They got a win, a clean sheet, and a little bit of Lady Luck too. Juventus recognise they need it if they are to end an almost two-decade wait for this trophy.

Juventus are realistic enough to admit that Bayern, Real Madrid and Barcelona are on a different level and that if they're going to win this thing, Roberto Di Matteo's Chelsea from 2012 have to be their model.

Ahead of next week's second leg, it must be said Monaco are little bit less formidable at the Stade Louis II than they are on the road. Their home record is only good enough for ninth in Ligue 1. Finally maturing in Europe, Juventus are handling these games better, particularly when things aren't going as they had planned or would wish, as was the case in the first half.

Italian publication La Stampa defined this matchup as their "Big Chance" to reach a first semifinal since 2003. They start in Monaco in pole position.