Juve is taking small steps, but now we need a change of pace
(Massimiliano Nerozzi, sent to Birmingham) God save the Old Lady: only the God of the English national anthem, paraphrased from a cold and dangerous night, can save this Old Lady, battered by injuries (8 players out) and (almost) completely eliminated in attack; and made it out alive from the seething Villa Park only thanks to a high-level defensive phase, made up of organisation, possession and re-aggression. At the moment, the best thing the Bianconeri can do. After that, it was still another 0-0 draw, after the one at San Siro; but if nothing else it is the first Champions League match closed without conceding a goal.
Even if it was close, because the Villans had at least three scoring chances and a thrill, in the wake of the episodes: because, on the gong, the referee (correctly) saw a foul by Diego Carlos on the exit of Di Gregorio, making the online touch of useless Rogers and the roar of the arena. The team of Emeryan old cup vixen (he raided 4 Europa Leagues) hadn't won for a month, even though in the Champions League he had been able to be hungry, even spreading the Bayern Monaco. However, when you don't have a registered center forward in the line-up, and there are on the bench Danilo, Rouhi, Fagioli e Mbangulameans having the arsenal emptied. In short, an attacker would be needed but, for now, we can only hope for Black Friday (of recoveries).
Ready and ready, Juve seems at least a little more enterprising compared to the duel with Milan, trying to keep control of the game (55 percent ball possession), but equally inconclusive, with harmless shots (5). On the opposite side, however, at the door to the break, we dance: first Di Gregorio makes a great save on Watkins, then Gatti sacrifices himself on Cash's stone (it was 37'). Juventus responds with a stop and a shot Conceiçãoonce again the most sparkling. Another danger on the half time siren, with the crossbar stripped by the free kick Worthy. Up until then, Madama's only sin was to concede some English counterattacks, precisely what Thiago doesn't want.
More Juve than Villa however at the start of the second half, with the match point, a close range header from Conceicao, canceled out by a crazy save from Martinez (the Goalkeepers' Golden Ball). Shortly afterwards, block by Locatelli on McGinn. From then on, crumbs, apart from the final torment.
Having said what happened on the lawn, there remain many things to fix outside, if Cristiano Giuntoli took advantage of the trip to England to listen to offers for Nicolò Fagioli and, above all, Douglas Luiz: the empathy between the coach and the Brazilian midfielder, Mister 50 million, is now at its lowest or, perhaps, has never developed. So the boss of the technical area lent an ear to both shops Manchester, City e United. We also chat with the latter Zirkzeethe striker that made Thiago happy, in Bologna: if not God, in this Juve, he could be King.
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