September 30, (THEWILL) – Massimiliano Allegri’s charges produced a tactical display in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League Matchday two fixture to see Juventus beat current UEFA Champions League holders Chelsea 1-0 at the Allianz Stadium to take control of Group H.
They may not have been the Juventus of old, but they demonstrated that they still know how to beat a team without the ball. Chelsea had the ball for much of the first half, but as the action progressed, it became clear that the visitors were playing into the hosts’ hands.
Despite being without a designated striker, Juventus looked slick and well-drilled on the break, and Federico Chiesa was the ideal outlet, his pure pace causing all sorts of issues for Chelsea’s backline.
And, it was the young Italian who came closest, getting the ball after some poor Chelsea play and attempting to tuck the ball into the far corner of the net, but it crept just past the post, much to the relief of Edouard Mendy, who was rooted to the spot.
The Londoners, on the other hand, had the worst conceivable start to the second half, as they were caught off guard. Chiesa scored eleven seconds into the half after a nice Federico Bernardeschi pass slipped him in, and the attacker made no mistakes in smashing the ball past Mendy.
After another fantastic counter, it could easily have been two. Adrien Rabiot changed the game with a fantastic pass to Juan Cuadrado, who snuck in behind Ben Chilwell. Bernardeschi missed a wonderfully weighted volleyed cross from only six yards out.
Thomas Tuchel’s team could not turn the game around despite a flurry of substitutions and it was a quiet day for their main frontman Romelu Lukaku, as the Old Lady took all three points.
This is Allegri’s second spell as Juventus manager, and it is by far the most difficult. The Italians went into a crucial Champions League match without key players and without a known goalscorer. But the manager was absolutely spot on with his tactics, stalling the visitors by putting ten men behind the ball before attacking them on the counter.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
