Two goals against Udinese suggest Juventus’s forgotten wonderkid may just be their Champions League saviourAt a glance, Juventus’s preparations for a season-defining showdown with Atlético Madrid appear almost ideal. After losing 2-0 at the Wanda Metropolitano, Massimiliano Allegri tweeted that his team had 20 days to “GET READY for a [return leg] TO LIVE and TO WIN”. Since then, the Bianconeri have won three games out of three.They have triumphed away to Napoli, and since extended their lead atop Serie A to 18 points. On Friday, Juventus beat Udinese 4-1. Repeat that scoreline on Tuesday and they will go through to the quarter-finals. Related: Angry Bayern let it all out and nudge Dortmund off their throne | Andy Brassell Related:...
It feels absurd to say of a team that has dropped six points in 22 games, but Juve have not been playing well for some timeNine points clear at the top of Serie A, Juventus are on the cusp of a crisis. Well, that’s what the papers say. Even La Repubblica, typically a sober voice in Italian sports coverage, applied the ‘c’ word to the Bianconeri on Sunday’s front page.Hyperbole? Certainly. But Juventus had conceded six times in the space of four days. A 3-0 defeat to Atalanta in the Coppa Italia was followed by a 3-3 draw at home to Parma in Serie A. Worse, they let a two-goal lead slip inside the last 20 minutes against the Ducali....
Signing for Juventus was among the personal highlights but racism against Kalidou Koulibaly was a sad way to end the yearThe turn of the year left behind 12 months to remember personally on and off the field but also from a wider perspective in football.On the pitch if I could summarise 2018 in one word it would be progress. Progress for the England men’s team who, perhaps unexpectedly, reached the semi-finals of the World Cup. They continued that momentum by qualifying for the Nations League finals beating top nations such as Spain with the exciting, fearless brand of football we have all been craving to see from England. I was fortunate to be at many of England’s games in Russia...
This was poised to be a tribute to the great Cristiano before José Mourinho’s side produced a group-stage homage to 1999Well, that was a glorious little blast from the past. And no, Cristiano, not in the way you were hoping. Grit, pluck, a feverish belief in the plan: it seems odd now that just a few weeks back these were precisely the things this Manchester United team seemed to be lacking.Instead of which on a mild, still, occasionally fevered night in Turin United produced a moment of Barcelona-lite, a group stage homage to the triumphs of 1999, turning 1-0 down into 2-1 up in the final four minutes. Related: Own goal seals famous Manchester United comeback win at Juventus Ronaldo's...
Paris St-Germain’s squad looks too unbalanced to make an impact in this season’s competition while Inter’s Marcelo Brozovic found a new way to defend a low free-kickÁngel Di María rescued a point for Paris St-Germain at home against Napoli with his stunning late equaliser but there is no glossing over the fact that Thomas Tuchel is having to work with an extremely unbalanced squad. The front three of Kylian Mbappé, Neymar and Edinson Cavani are potent enough but the midfield and defence are simply not equipped to win the Champions League. Adrien Rabiot looked like his defensive duties were optional against Napoli while there were loads of space for Dries Mertens and Lorenzo Insigne to exploit behind PSG’s back four....