Barcelona-Juve 0-3: Ronaldo and McKennie stop, Juve first of the group

The first place at the end is a detail. The challenge between aliens won by Cristiano (double) is just one episode of an infinite match (maybe not the last). The victory at the Camp Nou remains a rarity: Barça have not lost at home in the Champions League since 2013. The difference of three goals is enormous: no Italian had ever scored them. But there is something else: the victory over Barcelona, ​​away, 3-0, could mark a turning point. This may be the night the new Juventus was really born. Barcelona will also be in decay, but certain signs go further. The Bianconeri know that the project can work, that the path can be the right one. Ronaldo, who returns to his area in the 81st minute to take a ball from Messi, gives the signal. The desire to believe is there. Buffon holder and parante launches a new assault of the old Juve. Meanwhile, the draw for the round of 16 will be better. And in the championship he will start again with more certainties.

ALL AT THE TOP

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The first twenty, twenty-five minutes are a Coverciano thesis that takes shape, the whole game is the best performance of Pirlo’s Juventus. Publishing. In a great game. The set-up is always the same, the mechanisms too, with the 3-4-1-2 turning into a defensive 4-4-2: only something changes in the outer lanes, where Alex Sandro is with Cuadrado. Two low carriers (now the Colombian is consolidated), no high wingers (Chiesa, Kulusevski, Bernardeschi all on the bench): there will be time to understand if that is the key, but probably not. The eleven Juventus players play at a high level and at a high pace, the high pressure works and the attacks, the starts from below make the Catalan jump (shy, by the way). The Bianconeri win possession for 45 minutes against a team that, even with absences, is still full of talent, at least with the ball between their feet. Ramsey and McKennie always find the right runners to get in, Arthur regulates traffic, Morata is a modern and very helpful center forward

PIQUE

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Ronaldo goes to the shot at 8 ‘, tip; Danilo tries it from the outside a minute later; at 13 ‘Juve is already ahead. All part of a ball that worked very well in his own Ramsey trocar: launch for Cuadrado, who finds Ronaldo in the area: in the contact between Araujo and the Portuguese, the referee gives a penalty, perhaps in a somewhat generous way. Ronaldo converts from central, finding his first goal against Messi in the Champions League. Not satisfied, very charged, Juve finds the 2-0 before Messi and his teammates manage to get once in the shot. It’s 20 ‘and it’s a great action, started again by Ramsey, followed by McKennie who opens on the right for Cuadrado: Ronaldo cuts, they follow him in two, Cuadrado crosses as he knows how to do, McKennie goes half up for 2-0 .

CONTROL

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At that time Juve has already returned the “lesson” of the first leg, but there is life and a goal for the first place in the group. Messi begins to appear and test Buffon’s reflexes: he will do it three or four times during the match, always finding Gigi’s hands to deflect. He often does it alone, or supported by Jordi Alba, while Griezmann is hardly ever seen. At the end of the first half Juve is downgraded, but also the defensive performance: not only Bonucci and De Ligt, but also the increasingly convincing Danilo. Ronaldo returns, Morata lights up with his escapes. This is not the time to “pay off”, the Champions elixir for a Barça that suffers in the League no longer works, at the beginning of the second half Juve brings many men back to the rival area and after five minutes the pressure leads to the clear handball of Lenglet anticipate McKennie). Ronaldo changes the transformation of the penalty, the crossing, not the jubilation: 14th goal at the Camp Nou, the non-local stadium where he scored the most. The comeback is complete, the alien challenge has a clear winner, who has the number 7 Juventus jersey, although Leo will try harder from then on. But in the second half Juve controls, whoever enters (Bentancur and Rabiot) does well, Bonucci also scores 4-0, but offside. That’s fine too, and how.