Juventus Season 2014-2015

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

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Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Allegri: 'Details decisive in Monaco'

Apr 21, 2015

Max Allegri told Juventus “details will make the difference” in their Champions League showdown with Monaco.

The Bianconeri won the first leg of this quarter-final 1-0 and visit the Stade Louis II tomorrow evening.

“I don’t know what tactics Leonardo Jardim will adopt tomorrow. The tie is open and we only have a small advantage,” insisted the Coach in his Press conference.

“In order to qualify tomorrow we need to score at least one goal and play the right performance with both our heads and our feet.

“Monaco are a tough team to play against and we know them a little better after the first leg. It’s going to be a difficult and very long game. This team defends well, has good technique and very physical strikers.

“The details will make the difference and we must never let our minds wander from the issue at hand.”

There have been reports Allegri will scrap the 4-3-1-2 system and go back to 3-5-2 for this match.

“I haven’t decided the line-up yet. The players we have on the bench are going to be fundamental too.”

Allegri had reached the quarter-final with Milan before, but never gone beyond that stage, so is the pressure weighing on him?

“It would be an important result to reach the semi-final and another step forward that this Juventus team can and must make.

“We should be very proud to be taking part in this game. These lads are doing something very important and we should enjoy the moment rather than think about what could happen in future.

“When I arrived the primary objective was to still be competitive in March on all fronts. It’s April, in Serie A we are in a strong position, we reached the Coppa Italia Final after overturning a home defeat to Fiorentina and now we hope for another wonderful evening to reach the Champions League semi-final.

“This squad has a great deal of potential. It can still improve and tomorrow we must be not just stronger, but better.

“I firmly believe tomorrow night we will put in a great performance and reach the Champions League semi-final.”

Arturo Vidal had skipped training this week due to tonsillitis, but is included in the squad.

“He trained today and is at our disposal. He had a temperature on Monday, but was already feeling better yesterday.”

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

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Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Buffon: 'I want Champions League'

Apr 21, 2015

Gigi Buffon hopes to win the Champions League “sooner rather than later” as Juventus visit Monaco for the quarter-final.

The Bianconeri won the first leg 1-0 and visit the Stade Louis II tomorrow night for a place in the semi-final.

“I know full well this is a very important game for me, my teammates and the whole club,” said the goalkeeper in a Press conference.

“I think this proves that, if we get past this round, Juve are growing and would place an important marker on a European level to prove – in case anyone had any remaining doubts – that we are back.

“It would therefore help put pressure on opponents and build our own pride.

“Of course I hope to try and win this trophy along with our fans, because it’s missing from my trophy cabinet and has been missing from Juve’s for too long.

“When will we win? I have no idea, but seeing as I’m nearing my use-by date, I’d be happy if it were sooner rather than later!” joked the 37-year-old.

“I’ve been around this tournament for 20 years. At some times I really hoped to win, at others the pressure of hoping had become too much.

“This year we started out aware we could do great things, above all in the Champions League, and in my view the mistakes of last season were still with us. We didn’t want to get the approach wrong again,” he said referring to their group stage exit to Galatasaray.

“Clearly to win a trophy you need a bit of good luck, but they do say fortune favours the brave. It’s early to start flying towards the sun, but we are certainly in a good position. Unfortunately, that’s not enough.”

Monaco have tended to do better away from home than on their own turf in the Champions League this season, so do Juve have a double advantage?

“Seeing as they concede very few goals and score few, I don’t think we’re going to need too many goals tomorrow to secure qualification.

“They have everything needed to get a result, but we are not here to be sacrificial lambs or to see how good Monaco are. We know all this and have self-belief.

“We want to play football and put our qualities to the fore.”

Monaco were furious after the first leg was decided by an Arturo Vidal penalty, as the foul appeared to be outside the box.

Considering the constant controversy in Italy over refereeing decisions, is it the ‘alibi of losers’ in Europe too?

“We didn’t get that impression,” shrugged Buffon. “The way of rationalising what happens on the pitch is very different in Europe to in Italy and so is the way of expressing it.

“It can happen that a person expresses their opinion. It can be constructive if behind it there aren’t other issues that cast shadows or discredit football.

“Of course you can say you were unlucky with a decision that was very difficult, because I challenge anyone to say that in real time they were certain the foul was four centimetres outside the area rather than inside.”

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

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Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Monaco must be smart against Juve - Jardim

The coach believes his side are well prepared for every possible
tactical set-up from the Serie A leaders and is confident they can progress.

Apr 21, 2015

Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim says his side must "be smart" when they take on Juventus in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

The Italian side beat Monaco 1-0 in Turin in the first leg thanks to a goal from Arturo Vidal.

Jardim, though, believes his side can recover, insisting they are prepared to deal with whatever Massimiliano Allegri's men throw at them on Wednesday.

"We must be smart and know how to manage our game," he told reporters. "In the Champions League, we play a different style to what we play in Ligue 1.

"It's down to the players to make a difference on the pitch. We are ready to deal with any possible tactical set-up of Juventus."

Jardim also revealed experienced midfielder Jeremy Toulalan could yet play a part at Stade Louis II.

"We'll see tomorrow if Jeremy Toulalan can play. If he is not fit, Fabinho will play in the middle."

Defender Aymen Abdennour, meanwhile, is expecting a tough but enjoyable game.

"It will be a beautiful game, a challenge against one of the best teams in the world," he said.

"We're a young team but we have great ambition. We want to make it a great game."

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

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Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Toulalan awaits fitness test

Apr 21, 2015

Jeremy Toulalan is back in the Monaco squad to face Juventus, but it remains to be seen if he’ll start.

The second leg of the Champions League quarter-final kicks off on Wednesday at 20.45 CET.

Captain Toulalan missed the first leg, a 1-0 Juve victory in Turin, and will have a late fitness test tomorrow.

Geoffrey Kondogbia and Nabil Dirar both have ankle problems, but are expected to start anyway.

Lacina Traore is unavailable due to a bruised tibia.


Monaco squad for Juventus: Stekelenburg, Subasic; Abdennour, Carvalho, Echiejile, Fabinho, Kurzawa, Raggi, Wallace; Carrasco, Dirar, Kondogbia, Moutinho, Silva, Toulalan; Berbatov, Germain, Martial, Matheus

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

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Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Juventus know what to expect from Monaco - Allegri

Juventus boss says his side must aim to score an away goal
and warns they cannot afford to become complacent.

Apr 21, 2015

Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri says his side know what to expect when they take on Monaco on Wednesday.

The Italian champions take a 1-0 lead to Stade Louis II for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final knowing that just a draw will take them into the last four.

While Allegri admits he is fully prepared to face a strong defensive unit against the Ligue 1 side, he maintains his own players cannot afford to become complacent and must look to score themselves.

"I don't know for certain what Monaco's tactics will be, but we will try to score as we know what they are about," Allegri told a press conference.

"Monaco are a team that defend well and are physically very strong, so it will be a difficult game, just like the first leg.

"It could come down to the finer details. We are in the quarter-finals, we have a chance of going through, and whether we do or not depends on ourselves. We are not that far into the competition yet; we can go even further. But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves."

Juventus are without the injured Paul Pogba but can call upon Simone Pepe and Arturo Vidal, with Allegri admitting he will have to be smart with his substitutions in order to keep his side's Champions League campaign alive.

"I think we are in for a long night and I will have to make the right substitutions," he said.

"Pepe is in the squad and he has been doing well but I don't think he is ready to start. My team has great quality, good character. We have the ability to progress and we will need to be brave and focused."

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon believes the game is a chance for Juve to prove they can be considered one of the continent's best sides again as he aims to lift the Champions League trophy for the first time.

"It is a very important game for the club as a whole and the chance to show we are back among Europe's finest," he said.

"Monaco have what it takes to try and overturn the result. They are a strong team but we are also aware of our qualities.

"The Champions League is a trophy I've never lifted and one I'd like to as soon as possible. A team's success comes around through the squad, club and backroom staff. The coach has done really well to come in and immediately get on the same wavelength as us."

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

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Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

MONACO V JUVENTUS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PREVIEW

Apr 21, 2015

 

 Juventus

Arturo Vidal is in the 23-man Juventus squad that travels to Monaco for the Champions League quarter-final.

The Bianconeri hold a slender 1-0 advantage heading into the match and Juve coach Max Allegri knows the tie is far from over.

“I don’t know what tactics Leonardo Jardim will adopt tomorrow. The tie is open and we only have a small advantage,” insisted the Coach in his Press conference.

“In order to qualify tomorrow we need to score at least one goal and play the right performance with both our heads and our feet.”

Given what’s at stake, it’s entirely likely Allegri will field a 3-5-2 in the hopes of replicating Juve’s dominant performance against Dortmund in the last-16.

Gigi Buffon is fit and will start in goal, with Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini in the back-three. Arturo Vidal was suffering from tonsillitis and was initially a doubt but Allegri confirmed he would be included in the squad and could well start alongside Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio.

Stephan Lichtsteiner and Patrice Evra will play on either flank with Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata up front.


Probable lineup

3-5-2: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Evra; Tevez, Morata


Injured Players

Asamoah and Romulo (Recovering from surgery), Caceres (ankle), Pogba (hamstring),


Suspended Players

None


Form

(W-W-L-W-W)


 

  AS Monaco

Probable lineup

4-2-3-1: Subasic; Toure, Abdennour, Wallace, Kurzawa; Fabinho, Kondogbia; Silva, Moutinho, Ferreira-Carrasco; Berbatov


Injured Players

Lacina Traoré, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Jérémy Toulalan and Tiemoué Bakayoko


Suspended Players

None


Form

(D-D-W-L-D)


 

Formation

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

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Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal Preview:
Juventus vs. Monaco, Leg 2

Apr 21, 2015

Juventus finds itself in a European situation they were in not too long ago.

Everybody remembers the trip to Germany and Borussia Dortmund in the last round of the Champions League. Juve claimed the opening-leg win at home, led by a one-goal margin on aggregate and heading to the opposition's home arena. There are differences, of course, because this scoreline reads 1-0 in favor of Juventus rather than the 2-1 situation heading to Dortmund just about a month ago.

But the fact still remains: Juventus controls its own destiny against Monaco just like it did against Dortmund. A win or a draw at the Stade Louis II and they're through to the Champions League semifinals for the first time in over a decade.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@gianluigibuffon: "It's a very important game for the club as a whole and the chance to show we're back among Europe's finest."

Advancing to the final four of the Champions League would be the latest feather in the cap of first-year manager Max Allegri. He's got the club on its way to its fourth straight Serie A title by a considerable margin, he's got Juventus in the Coppa Italia final against Fiorentina, and now just 90 minutes away from the semifinals of the Champions League.

Allegri has his club playing some of its best and most efficient football of the season right now. I don't think there's anything really there to disagree with that. This is a team that has dealt with injuries to key pieces, yet still found a way to get things done and compete on three fronts when some thought it wasn't a possibility.

But with the league essentially clinched, the Champions League is the focus — and rightfully so. Juventus don't need to win Wednesday night, but it sure would be nice. And if the team's performance is anything like the second leg against Dortmund, then Juve will be on their way to a round in Europe's premier club competition that they haven't seen in a good number of years.

"Juventus, Champions League semifinalist" does have a pretty nice ring to it. Although "Champions League finalist" and "Champions League winner" are also perfectly fine alternatives as well.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "It's an important evening for our season in general. We're proud to be here, the lads are having a great campaign."


GOOD NEWS

The aggregate scoreline says Juventus is ahead 1-0. I'm okay with that.


BAD NEWS

The aggregate scoreline is 1-0, which means the room for error isn't exactly all too great.


WHAT TO WATCH FOR

1. Does Max Allegri go 3-5-2 or 4-3-1-2?

To be honest, it doesn't really matter to me what tactical setup Allegri goes with against Monaco simply because of how well Juve has played utilizing either formation in recent weeks. We saw the in-game switch from four-man defense to three-man defense against Borussia Dortmund last month and how well the team played after that. Common reasoning in my head tells me Allegri will go with a 3-5-2 simply because of who is available in the midfield and the fact that Andrea Barzagli is healthy. If it hinges on Barzagli, I don't think I will ever object to him playing in a big game because he's been so good since returning from his lengthy injury absence. So if this decision does hinge on Barzagli playing, then let's fill up the pro-Barzagli bandwagon real quick.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "I still haven't decided on my starting XI. It will be a long evening and substitutions will be important."


2. The health status of Arturo Vidal.

This wouldn't have even been a discussion point if Monday's news of Vidal battling tonsillitis didn't actually take place. But because Vidal is trying to shrug off tonsillitis, we are sitting here wondering what kind of shape Vidal will be in come Wednesday night. Juventus said he would be evaluated Tuesday morning, and based on what Allegri said about him at the pre-match press conference, Vidal is going to play against Monaco. How much this case of tonsillitis will affect Vidal still remains to be seen. It's clear that Vidal is getting back in form after struggling mightily to begin the season. Maybe this tonsillitis development is just a blip on the radar and King Arturo is good to go come kickoff. In that case, all of of our collective worrying will have been for nothing even though it could have been something.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "@kingarturo23's better, trained with the team today and is available for #MonacoJuve."


3. The effectiveness of Andrea Pirlo.

Call it convenient or something else entirely, but Pirlo's return to the starting lineup last week against Monaco was a rather unique time to have him come back. And he looked like a player who was understandably rusty after close to two months on the sidelines rehabbing. Well, now Pirlo has had another game to shake off the rust in the form of Juventus' 2-0 win over Lazio this past weekend. Pirlo will be playing from the start against Monaco and will the man pulling the strings in the midfield because of course he will be. The big question is this: Will Pirlo look better than he did in the first leg? I'm not talking about his beard, either. I'm just hoping there's fewer turnovers and bad, misplaced passes like there were last Tuesday night. If that happens, then Pirlo starting is worth it.


4. How Juventus handles Monaco's counterattack.

This is maybe the single-most important thing we saw in the first leg from Monaco. For a good portion of the game, their counterattack was fast and effective, storming forward to put the Juve backline under serious duress. If not for some last-ditch defending and some Gianluigi Buffon heroics, then the aggregate scoreline definitely wouldn't be 1-0 heading into the second leg. Monaco's wingers are quick, Juventus' defenders aren't. It doesn't matter if it's 4-3-1-2 or 3-5-2 or something else entirely, if Juventus is able to relatively handle the Monaco counterattack, then the chances of Allegri screaming on the sidelines during the Champions League semifinals go up that much more. Juventus have racked up clean sheet after clean sheet lately, and Wednesday night would be the perfect time for yet another shutout. (And I'm not just saying that since I'm a former goalkeeper, people.)


My starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, 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]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

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Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

AS Monaco V Juventus – Team News,
Tactics, Lineups And Predictions

Apr 22, 2015

Juventus will be hoping to make it 11 victories out of 11 against French teams in knockout ties when they face AS Monaco in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday. Juventus moved 15 points clear at the top of Serie A after beating second-placed Lazio 2-0 on Saturday as they close in on a fourth successive domestic crown. They also have their eyes on a first Champions League semi-final appearance since 2003. On current form they will start the match at Stade Louis II as favourites to reach the last four. They have won all 10 of their previous knockout ties against French teams in Europe while Monaco have won only one of six ties against Italian clubs. The Ligue 1 club have also not won any of their last four home matches in any competition. Massimiliano Allegri saw his men win last week’s first leg 1-0 in Turin thanks to Arturo Vidal’s second-half penalty and they travel to Monaco seeking a third straight away win in the competition after victories at Malmo and Borussia Dortmund.

While Allegri is enjoying Juve’s good form, his Monaco counterpart Leonardo Jardim has had to watch his side stumble in recent weeks. Since winning 3-1 at Arsenal in the first leg of their last 16 Champions League tie on Feb. 25, Monaco’s form has slipped. They squeezed into the last eight of the Champions League on away goals after losing 2-0 at home to Arsenal and after failing to find the net against Juve last week, only drew 1-1 with Rennes in Ligue 1 on Saturday. The result dented their title hopes and left Jardim frustrated with his side winning only twice in their last seven matches in all competitions. Unless Monaco, click back into gear on Wednesday and come out looking for goals from the start to secure their first Champions League semi-final appearance since 2004, their season is in real danger of fizzling out.


Team news and tactical brief

Monaco

It would be fair to say that Monaco are probably the surprise name in the quarter-finals of the Champions League – a competition that they are participating in for the first time in nine years. The principality outfit have a history of punching above their weight in Europe, having surprised many to reach the 2003-04 final, but they have hardly romped their way into the last eight this year. Leonardo Jardim’s side have won less matches en route to this stage than any of the other seven remaining teams and were perhaps fortunate to top a group in which Benfica were first seeds.

Their 1-0 defeat at the Juventus Stadium last week means that they cannot take the same approach on Wednesday. Instead, Monaco must push forward in search of a goal without which they will be eliminated. Their attacking limitations are exemplified by the fact that none of their players have scored more than once in Europe this campaign. Regardless of their Champions League fate, Monaco will be able to took back on this transitional season – prior to which they sold several their big-name players to focus on developing younger talent – with a great deal of pride. They are third in the Ligue 1 table and on course to qualify for the Champions League again next term, although three draws from their last four games have created a six-point gap which will be stretched to nine should Paris Saint-Germain win their game in hand. Tiemoue Bakayoko missed the weekend meeting with Rennes through injury and is a doubt for Monaco here. Layvin Kurzawa and Aymen Abdennour played no part in the aforementioned fixture, but should come into the starting XI. Lacina Traore is out injured but Geoffrey Kondogbia and Jeremy Toulalan are both expected to return.

Probable Starting Line-up (4-2-3-1): Subasic; Fabinho, Abdennour, Carvalho, Kurzawa; Kondogbia, Toulalan; Ferreira Carrasco, Moutinho, Silva; Berbatov

 

Juventus

The Old Lady have not gone beyond the last eight since losing in the final to Italian rivals AC Milan in the 2002-03 season, but are certainly in the form that makes them potential contenders for a third European Cup triumph, and first in 19 years. There is little point betting on the outcome of the Serie A title race as Juve have surged clear of Roma since returning from the winter break and now hold a 15-point lead at the top with seven games remaining this term. Ominously for Monaco, they had kept clean sheets in their three previous away games, including a thumping 3-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the last 16.
In-demand midfielder Paul Pogba is one of four absentees for the visitors, along with Kwadwo Asamoah, Romulo and Martin Caceres. Allegri rested Alvaro Morata, Roberto Pereyra and Stephan Lichtsteiner against Lazio, but all three should return, with Andrea Barzagli among those to drop out as Juventus revert to a four-man defence. Up front alongside Morata will be Carlos Tevez, who has already scored 26 goals this season.

Probable Starting Line-up (3-5-2):Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Evra; Tevez, Morata


Key Facts

Monaco have lost their two European away games against Juventus, but they won their only meeting with the Bianconeri at home (3-2 in the 1997/98 semifinals).
Monaco have lost just one of their five European games at home against Italian sides (W3 D1), the first trip of any Italian club to the Principality (1-3 against Inter in the 1963/64 European Cup first round).
Juventus have lost just one of their last seven games in European competitions against French sides (W4 D2).


Players to Watch Out For

Dimitar Berbatov (Monaco)

Anthony Martial was very lively in the first leg but Dimitar Berbatov’s experience may see him get the nod over highly-rated youngster.

Carlos Tevez (Juventus)

An away goal would almost certainly put the tie beyond the goal-shy hosts and Tevez is the man most likely to get on the scoresheet for the Bianconeri tonight.


Prediction

Monaco 1–1 Juventus

Monaco were unfortunate to come away from the Juventus Stadium with a loss last week having put in a good account themselves in Turin. While they are without a number of key players, they will be confident of overturning the one-goal deficit when they welcome Juventus to the French Riviera. The Old Lady took a huge step towards the Serie A title and they can now focus their efforts, for the time being, on the Champions League. Juventus have steamrolled their way to the summit of Italy’s top tier and will now look to transfer their form over to Europe once more. Monaco have drawn their last 3 home games and similar could happen here, with Juventus progressing as a result.


Blast From the Past

A repeat of Monaco’s 3-2 win at the Stade Louis II in 1998 during which a certain Thierry Henry was on the scoresheet would not be enough for the French club to progress tonight.
 

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

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Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Abdennour: Monaco Have To Play
The Perfect Game To Get Past Juventus

Apr 22, 2015

Monaco defender Aymen Abdennour says his side must be ‘flawless’ if they are to overturn their 1-0 deficit to progress past Juventus in their Champions League quarter-final.

The French giants welcome the Bianconeri to the Stade Louis, hoping to cause an upset and overturn their slight deficit and progress to the semi-finals of the competition.

“It will be an great game against a very organised opponent. One of the best teams in the world,” Abdennour said at the pre-match press conference.

“We have good players in each area of the field, we are ambitious and we are young. We always want to win and it will be difficult, but we have the quality to do well.

“We have to play intelligently. We will have to be flawless, but having a packed stadium will be advantageous. We will want to run more and do better.

“Carlos Tevez? He’s a great striker along with Morata, but my teammates and I know what we have to do to stop them.”

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

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Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Monaco favourites to beat Juventus - Roma

The former Monaco goalkeeper insists the home side have
a great chance to progress despite their first-leg defeat.

Apr 22, 2015

By Romeo Agresti

Former Monaco goalkeeper Flavio Roma has tipped his former club to overturn Juventus’ first-leg advantage and reach the Champions League semi-finals.

The Italian spent a total of 10 years with the principality side over two spells between 2001 and 2014, and he believes they can overcome the damage done by their 1-0 loss in Turin when the two sides meet again at the Stade Louis II on Wednesday.

“Monaco come into this game looking the better side in my opinion. In Turin they showed verve and quality, while Juventus looked to have some trouble. It is only because of Ricardo Carvalho’s individual error that Monaco are not favourites and I fancy them to progress,” Roma told Goal.

“Juventus are strong and have a team of very experienced players, but you have to remember that Gianluigi Buffon was forced to make key saves on at least a couple of occasions in the first game.”

The Monegasques’ home stadium may have a modest capacity of around 18,500 but Roma explains that it can still generate a hostile atmosphere on big occasions.

“When it is full to capacity, the fans really make themselves heard,” he added. “It is true that some will be Bianconeri fans, but on such a night the locals can make one hell of a noise to push their team on.

“Grounds that house 40,000 to 50,000 people can instil fear, but I’ve never seen any supporter win a match. That said, I am sure the Monaco fans will play their part to galvanise the home side and really make it difficult for the Juventus players.”

The 40-year-old, who also counts Lazio and AC Milan amongst his former clubs, believes the fine displays on show in the first leg gave a good impression of the potential stars for the Ligue 1 outfit in the second leg.

“Monaco created a big impression up front, from Bernardo Silva to Yannick Ferreira Carrasco through Anthony Martial and later Dimitar Berbatov. Then there was the great play in midfield from Geoffrey Kondogbia and the captain Jeremy Toulalan, who provide great equilibrium.

“Carlos Tevez has an extraordinary ability to change the balance of a game, but Carvalho and Aymen Abdennour were almost perfect in Turin. But you also must not forget players like the unique Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal. There will be some real quality on the field.

“It is always difficult to predict a result since there can be so many different factors, but I think Monaco have a 60 per cent chance to go through.”

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

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Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Champions League success would show
Juventus are back, says Buffon

The veteran shot stopper believes his side's performances this campaign prove
that they are on the right track to re-establishing themselves as a major force.

Apr 22, 2015

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon feels reaching the Champions League semi-finals at the expense of Monaco would be confirmation that the Serie A champions are once again a force to be reckoned with in Europe.

Massimiliano Allegri's men recorded a 1-0 win the first leg of the quarter-final tie with the Ligue 1 outfit last week and, a year after being knocked out at the group stage, the Bianconeri are hoping to seal their place in the last four at the Stade Louis II on Wednesday.

"Reaching the semi-finals would show that Juventus are coming on leaps and bounds and also display that we’re ‘back’ on the European stage," Buffon said at a press conference.

"This is perhaps the most significant aspect, which heightens the responsibility and pride felt at being here.

"I hope to win the Champions League sooner or later, because it’s an achievement that I’ve personally missed out on and one that Juve have gone too long without winning.

"I have no idea when it will happen, but I hope it will be as soon as possible.

"Monaco have what it takes to overturn the scoreline, but we’re also confident in our own abilities.

"We’ve shown ourselves to be reliable performers up until now, but success also depends on how good the club and backroom staff are. The coach’s done really well to immediately get on the same wavelength as us."

Juve have not been crowned champions of Europe since defeating Ajax on penalties in 1996. The Bianconeri were beaten in the next two finals, by Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid, and were also defeated in the 2003 tournament decider, by compatriots AC Milan.

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

-

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Barzagli to start for Juventus?

Apr 22, 2015

Andrea Barzagli looks set to start for Juventus in Monaco tonight, as Max Allegri switches to a 3-5-2 system.

The Bianconeri hold a 1-0 advantage from the first leg of the Champions League quarter final, and know that they will progress to the last four if they don’t concede.

Since Barzagli has returned from injury, the Old Lady have not conceded a goal when the Italian international has been on the pitch, which is perhaps part of the reason for his prospective inclusion tonight.

The 33-year-old has trained with the team in today’s light session before the match, with his inclusion indicating he’ll play from the start.

Barzagli will partner Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini in the back three, with Gianluigi Buffon taking his customary place in goal.

Arturo Vidal has shaken off tonsilitis, and should line up alongside Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio in the centre of the pitch, with Stephan Lichtsteiner and Patrice Evra manning the flanks.

Alvaro Morata will partner Carlos Tevez up-front, with Fernando Llorente and Alessandro Matri ready to come off the bench if needed.

For the hosts, Jeremy Toulalan is expected to make his return following an injury, with the side lining up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, with Anthony Martial leading the line.


Probable line-ups:

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

Monaco: Subasic; Fabinho, Carvalho, Abdennour, Kurzawa; Kondogbia, Toulalan; Silva, Moutinho, Carrasco; Martial

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

-

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Can Juventus Finish The Job In Monaco?

Apr 22, 2015

Juventus would have be forgiven for feeling relieved to have drawn Monaco in the Champions League Quarter Finals, but the first leg in Turin should have been enough to prove the Ligue 1 side are by no means a soft touch.

Arturo Vidal’s penalty was enough for Massimo Allegri’s team to take a 1-0 lead to the French Principality, and while the Bianconeri may feel they deserved to win by more, Monaco showed the resilience and attacking qualities that have got them so far in the competition.

Juventus remain the favourites to progress and take one step closer to the Final on June 5 in Berlin, but Monaco, despite the onus being on them to open up and attack to pull back the one-goal deficit, are likely to be a tough nut to crack in what may be a nervy night at the Stade Louis II.

Allegri will undoubtedly be happy that his team did not concede an away goal and will take a lead with them to France, but one goal may not be enough to overcome Monaco who may choose to go all out in front if their own fans.

Breaking their defensive resilience and grabbing an away goal could prove to be crucial, with a repeat of the excellent performance in Dortmund most welcome for the Bianconeri. Holding a 12-point lead at the Serie A summit might allow Allegri to place considerable focus on preparation for the second leg, but his hopes of resting key players such as Paul Pogba and Carlos Tevez may be tested by the visit of second-placed Lazio in Week 31.

Allegri may be deterred from leaving too many players out after their shock 1-0 defeat at beleaguered Parma, although with a job still to do against Monaco, Juventus may be better served keeping their strongest line-up for the second leg to ensure they progress.

Monaco have surprised many by making it all the way to the Quarter Finals, with Leonardo Jardim’s side carrying their qualities in Ligue 1 into the Champions League to great effect.

Arsenal were certainly on the receiving end of Monaco’s resolve defending and ability to score goals on the counter, with their 3-1 first-leg victory at the Emirates Stadium proving that they should not be under-estimated at any cost.

Juventus have already been given a taste of what Monaco are capable of, and while the days of big-money spending appear to be over, they have remained a combative team despite losing James Rodriguez and Radamel Falcao last summer.

Joao Moutinho remains their creative lynchpin in midfield, while Dimitar Berbatov, despite his advancing years, is more than capable of pulling off the spectacular in front of goal.

Highly-rated trio Anthony Martial, Geoffrey Kondogbia and Bernando Silva will have to be kept quiet by Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci at the back, but as only two teams have walked away from the Stade Louis II with victory this season, patience may be the key for Juventus’ chances of breaking Monaco down whilst also keeping it tight in defence.

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

-

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Vierchowod: ‘Monaco not easy’

Apr 22, 2015

Former Juventus defender Pietro Vierchowod warns Monaco are ‘not easy’ but backs the Bianconeri to progress.

The 56-year-old won the Champions League with the Old Lady in 1996, and has discussed their chances in this year’s competition with Calciomercato.

“Playing Monaco is not easy,” Vierchowod told the website.

“If a team makes it to the Champions League quarter-finals it means they’ve got something. Also, they did a lot of good things in the first half-hour in Turin.

“Juventus have the advantage though, because they won the first leg, so they’d have to concede two goals, and it’s not easy to score twice against [Coach Massimiliano] Allegri’s team.

“However, they must have the mentality of fighting until the end to make it to the semi-finals, and they have everything at their disposal to do that.

“The important thing is to go out onto the pitch with the right attitude, then they can achieve the result.

“I don’t know if they can win it, but they have a very good chance to make the semi-final tonight. To get to the final and win is a bit more difficult, because now the strongest best-equipped teams come into play.

“The important thing is to get through tonight, there’s not point saying things like ‘if’ and ‘then’, just think about tonight.

“Let’s concentrate on tonight. I’m confident though, if - as I said - they have the right attitude and Arturo Vidal plays like Vidal.

“After that we’ll see, things can change in many ways.”

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

-

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Line-ups: Monaco-Juventus

Apr 22, 2015

Juventus change to 3-5-2 and have Arturo Vidal fully recovered for their Champions League quarter-final with Monaco.

It kicks off at 20.45 CET.

The Stade Louis II hosts tonight’s big match after the first leg ended 1-0 in Turin thanks to a contentious Vidal penalty.

The Chile international had been in doubt to feature after suffering from tonsillitis, but resumed training on Tuesday and is in the starting XI.

Coach Max Allegri had used a 4-3-1-2 system in the first leg, but looks as if he has moved to 3-5-2 for this trip to the Principality.

Andrea Barzagli is fully fit and can start, which no doubt affected the tactical switch, while Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio complete the midfield, as Paul Pogba is still injured.

Alvaro Morata is picked to partner Carlos Tevez in attack, leaving Fernando Llorente, Alessandro Matri and Roberto Pereyra on the bench.

Monaco had missed Jeremy Toulalan for the first leg, but the captain is back in the starting XI this evening.

Lacina Traore and Ricardo Carvalho are absent, but Geoffrey Kondogbia starts and Nabil Dirar is on the bench following ankle problems.


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

Juventus bench: Storari, Ogbonna, Padoin, Sturaro, Pereyra, Llorente, Matri


Monaco: Subasic; Fabinho, Raggi, Abdennour, Kurzawa; Joao Moutinho, Toulalan, Kondogbia; Bernardo Silva, Martial, Ferreira-Carrasco

Monaco bench: Stekelenburg, Wallace, Elderson, Dirar, Matheus Carvalho, Berbatov, Germain

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

-

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Alvaro Morata, Stephan Litchsteiner recalled
by Juventus for AS Monaco clash

Apr 22, 2015

Alvaro Morata and Stephan Lichtsteiner have been recalled by Juventus for their Champions League quarter-final second leg with AS Monaco this evening.

Both were rested for Sunday's 2-0 Serie A victory over Lazio, but return to an otherwise unchanged lineup at the expense of Alessandro Matri and Simone Padoin.

Andrea Barzagli keeps his place as Massimiliano Allegri retains a back-three formation. Arturo Vidal, whose penalty in last week's first leg gives Juve a 1-0 advantage heading to Stade Louis II, starts in midfield.

Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim preferes pacey youngster Anthony Martial to the experienced Dimitar Berbatov up front.

Aymen Abdennour and Layvin Kurzawa are also brought into the side which drew 1-1 with Rennes at the weekend, while Geoffrey Kondogbia passes a late fitness test to replace Alain Traore in a midfield which is missing captain Jeremy Toulalan.


Monaco: Subasic; Fabinho, Abdennour, Raggi, Kurzawa; Toulalan, Kondogbia, Silva, Moutinho; Carrasco, Martial

Juventus: Buffon; Bazagli, Bonnucci, Chielini; Litchsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Evra; Tevez, Morata

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

-

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Marotta: 'Juve are optimistic'

Apr 22, 2015

Juventus director Beppe Marotta is “optimistic” of getting past Monaco and “likes” Edinson Cavani, but denied talks with PSG.

The first leg of the Champions League quarter-final ended 1-0 in Turin and the decider is this evening at the Stade Louis II.

“I believe this will be the most important test of the Andrea Agnelli era in the last five years,” Marotta told Sport Mediaset.

“We have the right motivation, our opponents are in the way, but I am optimistic.”

This would be the Bianconeri’s first semi-final appearance since losing the Final to Milan in 2003.

“The history of Juventus speaks clearly and the trophy cabinet is rich with international success. We have to take on teams like Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

“Even before then, tonight Monaco are to be feared. We must first overcome this obstacle, then look to the future with calm.”

Marotta was asked about Paris Saint-Germain striker Cavani, who French papers report will be heading to Juventus next season.

“Everyone knows Cavani is an excellent player and he is certainly a target for many European clubs. We like him, but in all honesty we have not approached any PSG director.”

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

-

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

HT 0-0: Monaco pin Juve back

Apr 22, 2015

Monaco have pegged Juventus back into their own half, but the Bianconeri still lead on aggregate in the Champions League quarter-final.

The Bianconeri had won the first leg 1-0 in Turin with a contentious Arturo Vidal penalty and this was their chance of reaching the semi-final for the first time in 12 years. Paul Pogba and Martin Caceres were still sidelined, but Vidal had recovered from tonsillitis and Andrea Barzagli’s return meant a switch to 3-5-2. Jeremy Toulalan missed the first leg, but he was back in the starting XI, though Ricardo Carvalho was ruled out and Nabil Dirar only fit for the bench.

It was a disastrous start for Giorgio Chiellini, who slipped and stopped a counter-attack with his hand, earning a yellow card after 45 seconds.

Geoffrey Kondogbia’s half-volley was off target as Juve were pinned back, then Barzagli put the ball out for a corner at the near post to terminate a fine Bernardo Silva passing move, risking an own goal.

Gigi Buffon smothered a powerful but central Kondogbia strike and Joao Moutinho blasted over, while Danijel Subasic plucked a dangerous Andrea Pirlo pass away from Stephan Lichtsteiner.

Chiellini risked a second yellow card for his challenge on Joao Moutinho’s ankle after 30 minutes. Layvin Kurzawa nodded over, then on 36 minutes Kondogbia tried to burst between Chiellini and Vidal, but strong penalty appeals were waved away as they sandwiched him.

Juve had only two real chances right before half-time when Carlos Tevez pounced on a defensive error, but Alvaro Morata, Lichtsteiner and Pirlo failed to make the most of it.

Moments later Tevez was again in a shooting position, but the curler whistled off target.


Monaco 0-0 Juventus (Half-Time, 0-1 agg)

Monaco: Subasic; Fabinho, Raggi, Abdennour, Kurzawa; Joao Moutinho, Toulalan, Kondogbia; Bernardo Silva, Martial, Ferreira-Carrasco

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

Ref: Collum (SCO)

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

0 - 0

(Aggregate 0-1)

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Monaco 0-0 Juventus (agg 0-1): Allegri's

men scrape through to semi-finals

A stalwart Bianconeri backline restricted the Ligue 1 side to few clear-cut
chances and secured a place in the last four of the Champions League.

Apr 22, 2015

Juventus are through to the Champions League semi-finals after their 0-0 draw with Monaco on Wednesday secured a 1-0 aggregate win.

Arturo Vidal's first-leg penalty proved crucial in the tie as Massimiliano Allegri's men booked an elusive semi-final berth, having fallen short at the quarters three times since their run to the final 12 years ago.

Allegri's men were made to work hard for their progression by a Monaco side that had shocked Arsenal in the previous round and conceded just twice at home in this season's competition.

Geoffrey Kondogbia went close twice before the break while Leonardo Jardim's side saw penalty appeals turned down when the midfielder went down in the box.

That pressure continued after the break with Juve surprisingly sluggish on the counterattack in their bid to kill off the tie.

Monaco ultimately ran out of steam towards the end of a low-key second leg as Juve displayed typical defensive strength to stay on course for a domestic and continental treble.

The hosts were perhaps made to pay for a first half that saw them make most of the running. Kondogbia flashed a fierce drive wide in a purposeful start before testing Gianluigi Buffon again from range 19 minutes in.

A series of fouls from both sides also punctuated play although Jardim's men should perhaps have had a penalty when Kondogbia appeared to be bundled over inside the area.

Vidal and Giorgio Chiellini clumsily sandwiched the Frenchman but Scottish referee William Collum waved away protests.

Carlos Tevez offered a reminder of Juve's threat with a shot narrowly wide from distance prior to the interval.

Throwing caution to the wind, Jardim introduced Dimitar Berbatov for Jeremy Toulalan at the interval and Monaco almost took the lead when Buffon flapped at a Joao Moutinho cross – though Patrice Evra was on hand to clear the loose ball.

Buffon redeemed himself to come out and save from Berbatov after Juve lost possession in overplaying at the back.

Juve gradually began to bring more composure to their game and kept hold of the ball well after the hour as they sought to see out the result and frustrate their hosts.

Allegri's men could have wrapped up the tie in the dying embers when Andrea Pirlo's free-kick grazed the crossbar a minute from time.

But any late Monaco surge failed to materialise, keeping Juve on course to add European silverware to their domestic dominance.

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

0 - 0

 

(Aggregate 0-1)

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

CL: Juve earn semi-final in Monaco

Apr 22, 2015

Monaco laid siege to Juventus, but the Bianconeri hit the woodwork with Andrea Pirlo and reached the Champions League semi-final.

Real Madrid beat 10-man Atletico Madrid 1-0 in the other semi-final.

The Bianconeri had won the first leg 1-0 in Turin with a contentious Arturo Vidal penalty and this was their chance of reaching the semi-final for the first time in 12 years. Paul Pogba and Martin Caceres were still sidelined, but Vidal had recovered from tonsillitis and Andrea Barzagli’s return meant a switch to 3-5-2. Jeremy Toulalan missed the first leg, but he was back in the starting XI, though Ricardo Carvalho was ruled out and Nabil Dirar only fit for the bench.

It was a disastrous start for Giorgio Chiellini, who slipped and stopped a counter-attack with his hand, earning a yellow card after 45 seconds.

Geoffrey Kondogbia’s half-volley was off target as Juve were pinned back, then Barzagli put the ball out for a corner at the near post to terminate a fine Bernardo Silva passing move, risking an own goal.

Gigi Buffon smothered a powerful but central Kondogbia strike and Joao Moutinho blasted over, while Danijel Subasic plucked a dangerous Andrea Pirlo pass away from Stephan Lichtsteiner.

Chiellini risked a second yellow card for his challenge on Joao Moutinho’s ankle after 30 minutes. Layvin Kurzawa nodded over, then on 36 minutes Kondogbia tried to burst between Chiellini and Vidal, but strong penalty appeals were waved away as they sandwiched him.

Juve had only two real chances right before half-time when Carlos Tevez pounced on a defensive error, but Alvaro Morata, Lichtsteiner and Pirlo failed to make the most of it. Moments later Tevez was again in a shooting position, but the curler whistled off target. They were very brief sparks of life after only 38 per cent possession in the first half.

Dimitar Berbatov came on after the break in an even more attack-minded side. Bernardo Silva and Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco slipped in promising positions, then Patrice Evra hoofed clear after accidentally getting in Buffon’s way on a dangerous cross for Aymen Abdennour.

The ball fell kindly for Berbatov and Buffon rushed off the line to palm it off his feet, while at the other end Morata failed to make the most of an inspired Pirlo cross-field pass.

Berbatov would’ve been sent clear by a slide-rule assist, but Barzagli crucially intercepted. Juve actually went closest to scoring at the 89th minute, as a Pirlo free kick from 30 metres swerved to thump the outside of the post at the very top corner.


Monaco 0-0 Juventus (0-1 agg)

Monaco: Subasic; Fabinho, Raggi, Abdennour, Kurzawa; Joao Moutinho, Toulalan (Berbatov 46), Kondogbia; Bernardo Silva, Martial (Germain 76), Ferreira-Carrasco (Matheus Carvalho 87)

Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal (Pereyra 77), Pirlo, Marchisio, Evra; Tevez, Morata (Llorente 68)

Ref: Collum (SCO)

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

0 - 0

(Aggregate 0-1)

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Juventus reach Champions League
semis after goalless draw in Monaco

Apr 22, 2015

Juventus moved into the last four of the Champions League for the first time in 12 years after playing out a goalless draw with Monaco in the second leg of their quarterfinal tie.

Juve went into the clash with a 1-0 aggregate lead after tasting victory against the principality club in the first leg and the Italian giants held onto that lead to book their place in the last-four draw along with Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Monaco took the game to their visitors in the early stages, with Geoffrey Kondogbia coming close on a number of occasions in a first half dominated by Leonardo Jardim's men.

The hosts enjoyed most of the possession in the second period but could not find a way past a resolute Juventus defence.

Juve defender Giorgio Chiellini was booked in the opening minute when he handled the ball to prevent Joao Moutinho from breaking forward, after the Italy international had slipped in the middle of his own half.

The hosts were unable to trouble Juventus shot-stopper Gianluigi Buffon with the resulting free-kick, but it was not long before they were on the attack again.

The game's first meaningful chance came in the fifth minute when Monaco midfielder Kondogbia lashed wide of Buffon's net from 25 yards.

Andrea Barzagli came close to turning the ball into the back of his own net in the 15th minute after playmaker Bernardo Silva sent a dangerous cross in from the right of the box, with the Juve defender prodding narrowly wide of Buffon's near post from close range.

The home side continued to force the issue, with Kondogbia stinging Buffon's palms from the edge of the box in the 20th minute.

Kondogbia then went down in the box after clashing with Arturo Vidal and Chiellini in the 36th minute, but referee Willie Collum waved play on.

Juventus grew into the game as the half wore on and breached Monaco's defence in the dying stages of the first period, but Carlos Tevez could not capitalise, sending his shot just wide from around 25 yards out.

The half-time whistle came at the wrong time for Juventus, with the visitors unable to build on their late spell of first-half pressure in the second period.

Monaco almost broke the deadlock in the 50th minute when Moutinho's cross from the left caused chaos in the visitors' box, with Buffon failing in his bid to punch the ball to safety, but Patrice Evra was on hand to clear the danger on the line.

The hosts came close again five minutes later when a mix-up in Juve's defence saw the ball fall kindly for substitute Dimitar Berbatov just inside the area, but Buffon came out quickly to thwart him.

Bernardo dragged his first-time shot wide from the very edge of the penalty area in the 62nd minute as Monaco continued to throw everything at Juventus.

Andrea Pirlo could have scored a late winner for Massimiliano Allegri's side in the 90th minute when he sent a thumping free-kick towards goal from 30 yards - but his effort clipped the woodwork.

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

0 - 0

(Aggregate 0-1)

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Monaco 0-0 Juventus (Agg 0-1): Bianconeri
Make It To The Semi-Finals

Apr 22, 2015

Juventus secured their passage to the semi-finals of the Champions League after playing out a 0-0 draw against Monaco at the Stade Louis II on Wednesday night, giving them a 1-0 win on aggregate.

In a game of few clear cut chances, the home side missed a glorious opportunity, courtesy of Aymen Abdennour from Gianluigi Buffon’s mistake. Juventus could have snatched the win themselves, but showed great awareness in defence to hold onto the result needed and progress.

Juventus almost had the worst possible start, Giorgio Chiellini slipping on the ball in defence within the first minute and almost allowing Anthony Martial in. The defender swiped the ball away, earning a yellow card for his troubles.

Monaco were dominating early proceedings, the impressive Geoffrey Kondogbia teeing himself for a powerful volley that whistled over the crossbar.

At the other end Carlos Tevez scuffed a good chance after Andrea Pirlo played a perfectly weighted pass through the French defence. Instead of bringing the ball down, the Argentine opted to head it weakly into Danijel Subasic’s arms.

The best chance of the first half fell to Bernardo Silva. A wonderful one-two with Joao Moutinho saw Silva burst into the box and send in a low delivery across the face of goal, deflecting inches wide of the goal off the outstretched leg of Andrea Barzagli.

Kondogbia was causing Juventus problems in midfield, using his strength to avoid Pirlo but could only fire straight at Buffon.

Shortly after Pirlo provided a trademark defence-splitting pass, eluding Monaco’s defence. Stephan Lichtsteiner would have been clear through on goal had it not been for the quick thinking of the on-rushing Subasic.

Monaco had strong claims for a penalty waved away as Martial recovered the ball and released Kondogbia, only to be squeezed out by Chiellini and Arturo Vidal.

On the strike of half-time Alvaro Morata won the ball back and spun away from Silva majestically to send in Tevez, but his shot was dragged wide as a cagey first-half came to a close.

Shortly after the restart Monaco almost broke the deadlock courtesy of a Buffon mistake. After a corner was cleared out to Moutinho, the Portuguese’s deep cross was missed completely by Buffon, who couldn’t get a fist to it, falling to Abdennour three yards out. A last gasp Patrice Evra clearance saved a certain goal.

Juventus were causing themselves problems at the back, but Monaco could not punish them. A sloppy Vidal backpass was underhit and almost released Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian did not have the pace to reach the ball and Buffon was alert to touch it away from the striker’s feet.

Once again Pirlo was at the heart of Juventus’ best attacks. A quick counter attack saw the Italian international play through Morata to dribble past the defence. The young striker did not look up and failed to pick out the unmarked Tevez and was intercepted by Abdennour, much to the disgust of his strike partner.

Monaco were looking dangerous with the introduction of Berbatov, particularly as Layvin Kurzawa charged down the right and cut a ball through for him. Berbatov’s lack of pace allowed Barzagli to get a toe to the ball before he could tap in, rescuing Juventus once again.

As the second half wore on Juventus closed the game down, stopping Monaco from getting in behind. With minutes remaining Pirlo almost secured the result for Juventus, hitting a wicked free-kick which cannoned off the crossbar.

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

0 - 0

(Aggregate 0-1)

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Juventus secure place in
Champions League semi-finals

Apr 22, 2015

Juventus have booked their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 13 years courtesy of a 1-0 aggregate victory over AS Monaco.

The Old Lady picked up a narrow 1-0 triumph in the first leg last week and successfully held out for a goalless draw at the Stade Louis II this evening to secure their place in the last four.

The hosts went into the match knowing that the onus was on them to score, and they threatened within six minutes as Geoffrey Kondogbia chipped the ball up to himself before volleying just wide from outside the box.

The urgency was clearly with the principality, and Kondogbia came close again with a drive that this time forced Gianluigi Buffon into action, shortly after Andrea Barzagli had bundled the ball narrowly past his own post.

Joao Moutinho was the next to come close for Monaco as his effort from just outside the box deflected narrowly over, and that profligacy was almost punished late in the half when Juventus created their first opening of the night.

The Serie A champions won the ball inside the Monaco half and immediately burst forward, with Carlos Tevez leading the charge before firing a shot narrowly past the far post from 20 yards.

The hosts upped the tempo again at the start of the second half and almost broke the deadlock five minutes after the restart when Buffon failed to collect Layvin Kurzawa's cross, only for Patrice Evra to hack the ball clear.

Juve quickly stemmed the tide, however, and Massimiliano Allegri's side successfully kept Monaco at arm's length for the majority of the second half as they edged ever closer to the last four of the Champions League for the first time since 2002-03.

The visitors almost wrapped things up once and for all right at the end of the match when Andrea Pirlo sent a swerving free kick towards goal, but it came crashing back off the post with the keeper beaten.

That was not to prove important, however, as Juventus held on for a draw on the night that was all they needed to confirm their place in the semi-finals alongside Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

0 - 0

(Aggregate 0-1)

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Buffon: 'At last after 12 years!'

Apr 22, 2015

Gigi Buffon felt “tension” was behind the Juventus performance in Monaco, but they can “enjoy” a Champions League semi-final.

The 0-0 draw at the Stade Louis II proved enough after the 1-0 first leg result in Turin, the first Juve semi-final since 2003.

“I thought I’d have to wait less when I was at this stage 12 years ago, but seeing the journey was very difficult, we can enjoy this result even more.

“Of course, we know that we haven’t achieved anything yet,” Buffon told Sport Mediaset.

“We wanted to get through to the next round at all costs. We knew it was a great opportunity and after 12 years we wanted to honour the history of Juve.

“There was a lot more tension here than in Dortmund, as we knew Monaco were much more complicated to face and we had a slender lead, so every tiny error could cost double.

“I think the tension therefore gripped us more than usual.”

Juventus are through to the Champions League semi-finals along with Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid.

[Socrates 8516]

MONACO - JUVENTUS

0 - 0

 

(Aggregate 0-1)

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015 - 08:45 P.M.
Stade Louis II., Monaco
Referee:‬ William Collum (Scotland)

Juve Do Just Enough
to Advance vs. Monaco

Apr 22, 2015

Juventus advanced to the 2014–15 Champions League semi-finals with a 1-0 aggregate triumph over Monaco. Wednesday's second leg finished with a 0-0 score.

The Bianconeri entered the rematch with a slight one-goal edge after scoring a home win last week. It came by way of an Arturo Vidal penalty kick that was controversially awarded after Ricardo Carvalho fouled Alvaro Morata on the edge of the area.

With Juventus holding the advantage, the Italian side were predictably cautious in the opening 45 minutes. They didn't want to make any mistakes that would shift the momentum in Monaco's favor in the blink of an eye, as was the case for Porto against Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

The French club were able to dominate possession, holding the ball for nearly 60 percent of the first half. The struggle came when trying to create good scoring opportunities. The Rouge and Blanc generated seven shots before the break, but only one was on frame.

Luca Persico of Sambafoot provided some analysis on a pretty nondescript half:

Luca Persico @LucaMBPersico
No notable chances conceded by Juventus. Concern is territory and cheap giveaways. Monaco intensity hasn't helped. Need to be more decisive.

David Swan of Football Italia didn't think Juve were playing the right brand of football:

David Swan @DavidLSwan
Unnecessarily negative first half from Juventus. They deserve to concede with that performance

As expected, Monaco started to push the pace a little more after half-time, needing a goal. They were finally able to get a couple of chances closer to goal in the first few minutes of the second. The closest was cleared away from the line by Patrice Evra.

John Bennett of BBC World Service observed a lack of composure from Juve during those tension-filled minutes:

John Bennett @JohnBennettBBC
Juve players look nervy (apart from Pirlo of course, who looks as though he's deciding what wine to have with dinner tonight).

As the second-half clock ticked, Monaco's consistent attack presence was impressive. Matteo Bonetti of BeIN Sports noted the sustained effort:

Matteo Bonetti ✔@TheCalcioGuy
Surely, surely Monaco can't keep this pressure up for much longer..

The needed goal continued to elude them, however.

As Bonetti predicted, Monaco seemed to wear down in the latter stages. Juventus were finally able to put together some extended stretches of possession, heading into the corners and wasting as much time as possible.

That allowed the Bianconeri to reach the finish line with the necessary 0-0 draw to advance.

Juventus celebrated the result:

JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen
FULL-TIME: #MonacoJuve 0-0. Goalless in Monte Carlo, meaning it's the Bianconeri who go through to this year's #UCL SEMIS! #FORZAJUVE

Tancredi Palmeri of CNN noted it's been well over a decade since they advanced this far:

Tancredi Palmeri @tancredipalmeri
Juventus back to semifinals after 12 years and 1 relegation

Ultimately, it wasn't the most entertaining encounter of the quarter-final round by any measure. The second leg was in particular more of an endurance test for Juve than anything else. They were able to thwart the Monaco attack long enough to advance.


Key Player Grades

Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus): A-

Bonucci was a stabilizing force in the middle of the defense at the most important moments. Monaco were able to turn up the heat, especially in the second half, but he made several key tackles to keep them out of dangerous areas. He kept the back line in order amid pressure.


Arturo Vidal (Juventus): B+

Vidal was one of the few Juve players who was able to hold possession. He did well to create space in the middle to burn time and tracked back to make some nice defensive plays. Vidal lived up to his reputation as a highly reliable box-to-box midfielder.


Joao Moutinho (Monaco): C-

At a time when Monaco needed some creativity to spark the attack, he wasn't able to provide nearly enough. Moutinho should have done more given the amount of possession he had with Juve settling into a defensive posture. There were only a few glimpses of strong play.


Dimitar Berbatov (Monaco): C

Monaco brought the veteran striker on at half-time to provide another attacking presence, but Berbatov struggled to find time and space against a steady Bianconeri defensive group. He wasn't able to come up with the moment of brilliance his side needed on this night.

 

Post-Match Reaction

Juventus passed along comments from goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon:

JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen
.@gianluigibuffon: "I thought I'd have to wait less than 12 years to reach a #UCL semi. We wanted to get through at all costs."

The club also highlighted remarks from Leonardo Bonucci regarding potential opponents in the next round:

JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen
.@bonucci_leo19: "Three top opponents are in Friday's #UCLdraw, but we'll be up to the task that lies ahead of us."

As GFFNPressConferences shared, Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim looked back on his team's Champions League run with pride:

GFFNPressConferences @GFFNPressConf
Leonardo Jardim: "Throughout this excellent campaign we have represented both France and Monaco well."

Prince Albert of Monaco chimed in on the match as well, and he believed the hosts deserved better than the 0-0 final score indicated:

GFFNPressConferences @GFFNPressConf
Prince Albert: "We maybe deserved a bit more tonight."

The Bianconeri hold a massive lead in the Italian Serie A and have already qualified for the final of the Coppa Italia, so the team can now shift its full focus to the Champions League semi-finals. Juventus may not be as inexperienced as the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona or Real Madrid at this level, but they'll represent a difficult opponent regardless.

The Italian champions have one of the top defensive units in all of Europe and will likely be boosted by the return of star midfielder Paul Pogba before the first leg of their next Champions League tie. Underestimate the Old Lady at your own risk.

Monaco have fallen behind in the Ligue 1 standings and will now look to secure a top-three finish and a return to next year's Champions League.