Juventus Turin did not miss their return to the European stage. The most successful club in Italian football dominated PSV Eindhoven 3-1 (half-time: 2-0) in the opening match of the new-look Champions League on Tuesday.
The wait has lasted sixteen months for Juve fans. They were banned from European competitions last season after their club was sanctioned for breaches of financial fair play and a resounding accounting scandal. But they only had to wait about twenty minutes to celebrate their team which, with the exception of a very timid first quarter of an hour, spoiled them and did justice to its record.
Like the first goal (21st), a superb curling shot into the top corner by Turkish prodigy Kenan Yildiz who was playing his first match in the Champions League at 19, the Old Lady, reinvigorated by Thiago Motta, who arrived this summer from Bologna, is not afraid and can aim high, in Europe, as in Serie A.
Juventus could have made it even worse three minutes later when Teun Koopmeiners crossed to Weston McKennie. Unfortunately, his effort was blocked by Dutch goalkeeper Joel Drommel.
First goal conceded this season
McKennie, preferred to Khéphren Thuram, hardly had time to think. Three minutes after this opportunity, the American midfielder doubled the lead by taking advantage of a great inspiration from Nico Gonzalez who lobbed his defender to infiltrate the penalty area (27th).
In the 34th minute, Dusan Vlahovic, discreet until then, took advantage of his team’s domination, but the Serbian, alone in the middle, was caught in extremis by Matteo Dams. After the break, the Bianconeri resumed their clear domination. It took them only seven minutes to add a third goal thanks to Nico Gonzalez (52nd), forgotten by a Dutch defense at bay and ideally launched by Vlahovic.
With this comfortable lead, Motta was able to rotate his squad, notably with the entry of Thuram, for his Champions League debut, and the exit to the loud applause of the Juventus Stadium of Yildiz, symbol of a rejuvenated and ambitious Juve.
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In added time, the Dutch surge observed in the last quarter of an hour materialized with a goal from Ismael Saibari (90 + 3rd), the first conceded this season by the “Old Lady”.
