Cristiano Ronaldo double, goals from Chiesa and Dybala

TORINO – Where do you want to see it? On the side of the pessimists, Juventus is really ugly (especially in the first half), that still makes a mistake in the approach of the game, that it is fighting in construction, that it does not occupy the area, mainly because of a Dybala still very away from the area. and that too many defensive distractions are still allowed (including the last one that concedes the goal to Udinese in the last minute). From the side of the optimists he would see a success at a time when the three points counted more than anything, a dirty victory of those that show character and ability to get ahead (exactly what Juventus lacked until now), the confirmation of McKennie, the always determined Will of Chiesa (the best in the field), the inexorable efficiency of Ronaldo and the competitive tenacity of the recovery. Both the first and second are right, but the seconds have a 4-1 lap on their side, built without giving too much show, but affirming technical superiority.

Milan exam

After the 4-0 at Parma, beaten by a spectacular 90 minutes, perhaps there was more enthusiasm, which then proved short-lived on the bad night against Fiorentina. Perhaps this less brilliant but more concrete victory can further encourage Pirlo in the growth of the team’s character. Especially for the first final of this period, on Wednesday at San Siro against Milan, when Juventus will surely have to do more, especially in the approach, but they arrive comforted by the result.

Ruthless CR7

Everything changes in the 31st minute, when Ronaldo invents the goal from the advantage of nothing. Ramsey is very good at stealing the ball from a De Paul who is not very reactive in control (a pity, until now the Argentine had been very good), then the ball ends up at the feet of CR7 who from the left shoots towards the area in a burning way and fires a shot. of deadly violence and precision. Not a minute goes by and the Bianconeri are in danger of drawing the tie with Ramsey who, in a kind of retaliation, loses the ball in favor of Wallace and Lasagna, released in the area of ​​the pass, kicks badly and in the arms of Szczesny.

Soft focus

The advantage loosens the maneuver of the Bianconeri a bit (at 37 ‘Ramsey calls Musso to a miracle after a good exchange with McKennie) who have approached the game in a not entirely convincing way. Even the network was a stuck Juventus, with a laborious and imprecise construction, with few ideas and almost all of them predictable. The only good thing is the high pressure, but the focus of the game is not very lucid. Dybala is wide and far from the area, which is left empty too often (there is a clear and gloomy example at 9 ‘when a good center from Ronaldo from the left does not find anyone). And then there are the defensive failures, such as the one that at 10 ‘leads De Paul to score the potential goal from the lead, annulled by Var for a decisive touch from De Paul himself, when the action begins. A sigh of relief for the bianconeri who, however, miss Lasagna who crosses the middle for the hasty (and unmarked) De Paul.

The recuperation

Juventus starts the second half as it should have started the first. Aggressive, concentrated, relentless: Chiesa drags his team forward and scores 2-0 at 4 ‘: Ronaldo verticals for the blue, who surprises Stryger Larsen behind him and once in the area he overtakes Musso with a shot well-directed diagonal satin. A just reward for an excellent performance. A few minutes later comes the third goal with a stubborn action from Ramsey that picks up the rebound of his first shot and, rising from the ground, manages to hit the net. But precisely in that confusing phase, the ball ends up in the arm and Giacomelli cancels with the Var. The third goal comes shortly after, however, in the 70 ‘with Cristiano Ronaldo primed by Bentancur who steals a ball from De Paul and throws CR7 towards an impregnable diagonal. Meanwhile, Udinese has caught two bars with Stryger Larsen and Zeegelaar, confirming a defense that is not entirely stagnant by Juventus, which, in fact, ends up taking 3-1 (from Zeegelaar who, free, shoots from a few meters) in the last minute, with a collective distraction that Pirlo rightly got angry about. Certain lightness should not be allowed even at 3-0. Dybala, scoring the fourth goal on the counterattack, with a magnificent action returns the smile to the coach’s face: not that his performance was exactly centered, but for the Argentine it is very important to find a goal, because the head works miracles.