Juventus welcomed Monaco to Turin in complete command of their Champions League semi-final tie, holding a 2-0 lead from the first leg in Monaco. It always seemed too big a mountain for Monaco to climb, and so it proved to be.
Like in the first leg, Monaco made the brighter start, only to be pegged back by a classic Juventus counter, Mario Mandzukic finishing off a move that began with Gianluigi Buffon collecting a Monaco corner. It was 2-0 soon after, Dani Alves crashing home an unstoppable shot from outside the box.
Kylian Mbappe scored for Monaco in the second half, but it was scant consolation as Juventus closed out the game to move onto next month’s final in Cardiff.
Here are seven deadly stats from the game.
MONACO’S BRIGHT START
Juventus spent 85.71% of the opening 10 minutes inside their own half.
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) May 9, 2017
Monaco not letting them get out. pic.twitter.com/3hS9MlYht3
Knowing that scoring early was their best chance of mounting an unlikely comeback, Monaco began the night on the front foot, with Juventus penned in for the first ten minutes of the game.
Mbappe was a constant threat, taking on Andrea Barzagli time and again down Juventus’ right-hand side.
Despite the pressure, however, there were no clear-cut scoring opportunities. Mbappe’s crosses for Falcao were handled with ease by the Juventus defence, and the young Frenchman was unable to forge any chances for himself.
JUVENTUS SET NEW DEFENSIVE RECORD
641 - Juventus have now overtaken AC Milan's unbeaten run record (641 mins) for an Italian side in #UCL. Locked. #JuveMonaco
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) May 9, 2017
This back three of Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini, and Leonardo Bonucci, along with Gianluigi Buffon in goal, may end up going down in history as one of the best defences ever, and they’ve certainly burnished those credentials during this Champions League campaign.
Record after record has been broken during Juventus’ run to the final, with this latest one setting them apart among Italian sides.
Although they were finally breached later in the night, this group is on the verge of becoming legendary.
IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED, TRY AND TRY AGAIN…
25': Mandzukic’s shot saved ❌
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) May 9, 2017
27': Mandzukic’s shot wide ❌
33': Mandzukic’s shot saved ❌
33': Mandzukic scores ⚽️
It was coming. pic.twitter.com/3ZW5Pv1h7L
After Monaco’s bright started faded, their back line started coming under pressure from Mario Mandzukic and the rest of the Juventus attack.
It was the Croat who posed the biggest threat, firing wide before drawing an excellent save from compatriot Danijel Subasic.
He drew an even better save from a point-black header just minutes later, but the rebound fell kindly for him, and he duly fired Juventus into the lead.
DANI ALVES, JUVE’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MVP
Dani Alves has been involved in more CL goals this season than any other Juventus player - 7 (3 goals & 4 assists) #UCL pic.twitter.com/wwGmjPwHRL
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) May 9, 2017
This Juventus side has become known for its excellent defence, so it’s only fitting that its most influential attacking player is a defender.
Right-back Dani Alves has excelled going forward for the Italian side, and he capped a virtuoso display across the two legs of the semi-final with a stunning goal to put Juventus up 2-0 on the night and 4-0 on aggregate.
He was the creator of Juventus’ first goal as well, although it won’t go down as an assist as Mandzukic’s initial header from his cross was saved. Shame.
MONACO’S FREE-FLOWING ATTACK TAMED
Juventus 2-0 Monaco HT: Monaco failed to have a shot on target in the 1st half, a rarity... https://t.co/jhcBdBQGK8 pic.twitter.com/XSl9PXLUa8
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) May 9, 2017
Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim made it a point to mention that his side had the same number of shots on target as Juventus in the first leg, and the Italian side had simply done better at converting their chances. It was a way of saying that despite the seeming gulf between the two sides and the two-goal deficit, Monaco still had a chance.
Juventus debunked that theory in the first half on Tuesday. Monaco’s attack, the highest-scoring in Europe, didn’t have a shot on target in the opening 45 minutes.
Despite having heaps of possession, Monaco never truly threatened the Juventus goal, and they watched their unlikely comeback become impossible.
MBAPPE GETS HIS GOAL
Kylian Mbappé is the youngest player in history to score in a Champions League semi-final.
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) May 9, 2017
18 years and 140 days old. ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/qfezLLf7HJ
Kylian Mbappe has been the feel-good story of the Champions League knockout stages, and it would have been a shame if he exited this year’s edition without one last goal.
While he would have began the night dreaming of leading his side to a historic comeback, his goal ended up being a consolation one, but it made history nonetheless.
He may never come up against Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon again, but he’ll always have a goal against the legendary Italian in his resume.
JUVENTUS’ BBC IMPERIOUS
Barzagli, Bonucci and Chiellini's game by numbers vs. Monaco:
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) May 9, 2017
100% aerial duels won
93 passes completed
20 clearances
2 fouls committed
👊 pic.twitter.com/zHApdRWHqB
With Real Madrid holding a 3-0 lead going into the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid, there is every chance that Juventus will come up against the famed Los Blancos ‘BBC’ front line – Bale, Benzema, and Cristiano.
If they do, they’ll counter with a BBC of their own.
Bonucci, Barzagli, and Chiellini have been a wall at the back for Juventus, and they showed it again on Tuesday.
