Juve bounce back to claim ninth Supercoppa

After the humiliating loss to Inter Milan on Sunday, it was crucial for Juventus to bounce again as rapidly as potential.

Factor was, the sport they had been looking at had numerous pink flags. Three days after being frequently ripped open on the counterattack, their opponents within the Supercoppa Italiana had been none aside from counterattacking specialists Napoli. With the likes of Lorenzo Insigne and Hirving “Chucky” Lozano possessing potent powers on the run and with Juve pressured to start out the lower than fleet-footed duo of Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini after Merih Demiral picked up one more damage, there was each chance that we might see one more disappointing recreation.

So it was fairly refreshing when the precise recreation performed out very in another way. Juve had been in need of dominant, however they managed lengthy stretches of the sport and successfully nullified that vaunted counter. Whereas their assault began slowly, they discovered sufficient of an edge to go forward simply after the hour mark and completed issues off on the final kick of the sport for a 2-0 victory that introduced their record-extending ninth Supercoppa — and Andrea Pirlo’s first trophy as a coach — again to Turin.

Wednesday’s recreation was the long-delayed first assembly between coaches and former teammates Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso. Each coaches had been lacking some key gamers. Pirlo was nonetheless lacking Alex Sandro and Matthijs de Ligt as a result of COVID-19 and Paulo Dybala to damage. A late blow got here on Tuesday when Demiral was dominated out as a result of a brand new muscle damage, however obtained a last-minute shot within the arm when Juan Cuadrado cleared COVID protocol and was made out there hours earlier than the sport. Gattuso was nonetheless lacking summer time signing Victor Oshimen, coping with each a shoulder damage and a COVID prognosis, whereas Fabian Ruiz was out injured and Dries Mertens solely match sufficient for the bench after getting back from a nasty ankle damage he suffered in December.

Pirlo’s choices had been due to this fact considerably restricted. He despatched out his normal 3-5-2/4-4-2 hybrid setup, anchored by Wojciech Szczesny in aim. Bonucci and Chiellini joined Danilo within the again, whereas Cuadrado was surprisingly pressed immediately into the beginning lineup reverse Federico Chiesa within the wing-back spots. Rodrigo Bentancur, Arthur, and Weston McKennie made up the midfield, whereas Alvaro Morata was rested in favor of Dejan Kulusevski, who began up entrance alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

Gattuso countered with a 4-2-3-1 setup. David Ospina began in aim, screened by Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Kalidou Koulibaly, Kostas Manolas, and Mario Rui. Tiemoue Bakayoko and Diego Demme shaped the double pivot in midfield, whereas Lozano, Piotr Zielinski, and Insigne lined up behind striker Andrea Petagna.

The sport began extraordinarily cagy. Manolas headed an early Napoli nook over, whereas Ronaldo and Allan each ballooned photographs into the empty stands of the Mapei Stadium. Each groups did nicely closing the lanes down when their opponents obtained themselves into threatening areas. The sport didn’t see its first shot on track till the twenty first minute, when Insigne put a direct free kick proper at Szczesny for a straightforward maintain.

Not lengthy after Szczesny was practically in a spot of hassle when he collided with Danilo as he went to assert a ball into the field. Lozano was close by, however Chiellini was nearer and cleaned issues up, though the Mexico worldwide may’ve been judged offside had he made extra of issues. However simply earlier than the half hour mark Woj borrowed Gigi Buffon’s outdated Superman cape to disclaim Lozano from point-blank vary after the winger met a cross from Demme with a diving header.

Picture by Daniele Badolato – Juventus FC/Juventus FC through Getty Pictures

The final quarter-hour of the sport noticed numerous possession out of Juve, however they weren’t in a position to get the ball into place to make an actual risk to Ospina’s aim. That’s to not say it was the ineffective possession that we noticed for big parts of the Inter recreation. The ball was shifting loads quicker and into higher positions, however a mixture of fine protection and, in some circumstances, a pitch that was fairly knarly stored Juve from actually making a lot of a risk, and so they headed into the half usually answerable for proceedings however having didn’t put a shot on track over the primary 45 minutes.

That modified seconds into the second interval, when Federico Bernardeschi, who had changed an injured Chiesa at halftime, fed McKennie into the left aspect of the field than continued his run into the center, getting a glancing shot off McKennie’s low cross that simply didn’t have sufficient energy to get away from Ospina.

The sport once more settled into the sample of the latter phases of the primary half, with Juve taking the attacking initiative and Napoli making an attempt — however largely failing — to strike on the break. Juve nonetheless weren’t creating a lot in the best way of photographs both, however they nonetheless had the initiative, and so they lastly made the breakthrough simply after the hour. Ronaldo had practically pressured Manolas into an personal aim, with the Greek defender practically shinning a low cross inside his personal submit, however the ensuing nook was initially headed by Lozano after which ricocheted off of Bakayoko and sat completely for Ronaldo, who smashed it previous a despairing Ospina for the sport’s first aim.

Napoli needed to begin chasing issues, however for the following 10 minutes or so Juve had been those that regarded extra more likely to rating the sport’s subsequent aim. Juve began racking up their nook rely, and Napoli didn’t muster a single shot over the following quarter-hour. Mertens was thrown on for the final 18 minutes, and he was the one who gave the Partenopei their greatest alternative to equalize — albeit within the sneakiest method potential.

The Belgian had been on for about 5 minutes when he got here up behind McKennie, who was getting ready to clear the ball out of the correct aspect of the Juventus penalty space, and caught his foot in between McKennie’s foot and the ball. He had no intent to play the ball, simply to get part of his anatomy right into a place the place it was not possible for the Texan midfielder to not kick him as a substitute of the ball. Referee Paolo Valeri initially waved play on, however an uproar from the Napoli sideline and a buzz down from the VAR sales space noticed him reverse his resolution and award Napoli the penalty. By the letter of the regulation it was the proper name—however the letter of the regulation is silly and must be modified to handle conditions like this the place the attacking participant is clearly making an attempt to purchase the penalty.

Maybe the gods of calcio agree with me, as a result of Insigne utterly bottled the penalty, squibing it large to his left whereas he had Szczesny going the opposite method. Pirlo rapidly despatched on Morata and Adrien Rabiot to complete the sport out. Ronaldo pressured a unbelievable save out of Ospina within the ninetieth minute, however the flag went up anyway, leaving the sport within the steadiness for the 5 minutes of stoppage time. Within the fourth minute of these 5 Szczesny made one more magnificent save, altering path after Chiellini deflected a shot by Lozano and getting again the best way he got here to parry it away.

Ospina was despatched up for a last-ditch nook a minute later, however the supply was headed out, and Arthur performed the ball ahead for as soon as to Morata, triggering a three-on-one break. Morata triggered it down the sector to Cuadrado, who charged down towards the aim. Ospina had managed to get far sufficient again to dissuade an early chip, however now was pressured to come back out to problem. With Insigne closing in from behind, Cuadrado determined to be selfless and performed it ahead into the correct channel, the place it rolled completely into the trailing run of Morata, who guided the final kick of the sport into the empty web, ending a great efficiency in model and securing Pirlo’s first ever trophy.

Picture by Ciro de Luca/Soccrates Pictures/Getty Pictures

WOJCIECH SZCZESNY – 8. He solely needed to make three saves, however the final two had been merely immense, denying Lozano with two unbelievable response stops. Anybody that implies he isn’t up for manning the aim in large video games is, to be frank, a moron.

LEONARDO BONUCCI – 6.5. Not loads in the best way of counting stats, however he was stable and nicely positioned all day. Completed 9 of 15 lengthy balls and put one first rate ball into the field after a nook as nicely. When he performs like this, issues are a lot safer.

GIORGIO CHIELLINI – 7. Made a team-high six clearances and utterly neutralized Petagna. When he’s wholesome, there’s nonetheless a lot high quality in him.

DANILO – 6. Made himself harmful bombing ahead and accomplished seven of eight lengthy balls, and was comparatively robust defensively with the one obtrusive marking mistake that led to Lozano’s large header within the first half.

JUAN CUADRADO – 8. How? How the f&$% did he try this? The person was out for 2 weeks with COVID-19 and went straight out on a number of hours’ discover, performed 90 minutes, and was probably the greatest gamers on the sector. His crosses weren’t essentially the most correct, however he nonetheless led the group with 5 dribbles, notched two key passes and the help on the final aim, and he accomplished 95.8 p.c of his passes. This efficiency was straight-up magic.

RODRIGO BENTANCUR – 6. His cross completion left one thing to be desired (89.1 p.c), however he was his normal self off the ball, contributing six interceptions and taking part in an enormous half within the press that stored Napoli off their recreation for a lot of the match.

ARTHUR – 6.5. He accomplished 98.4 p.c of his passes and led the group with three tackles. In addition to he may’ve accomplished, although, I’d nonetheless like him to be much more incisive together with his passes, as he clearly handed up a few good runs in favor of a shorter possibility.

WESTON McKENNIE – 6.5. Led the group with three key passes and continuously brought about issues together with his runs into the field. His qualities enable the remainder of the midfield to deal with different issues, and his presence merely makes the group higher. He will get no markdowns for the penalty as a result of, frankly, I discovered it dumb.

FEDERICO CHIESA – 5. Didn’t actually do a lot after being returned to the left aspect of the formation, though it’s potential that that has one thing to do with the truth that he aggrivated the ankle damage he suffered in opposition to Sassuolo 10 days in the past. Hopefully he isn’t going through an excessive amount of day out.

DEJAN KULUSEVSKI – 5.5. Just a little uncontrolled up entrance. Solely accomplished 50 p.c of his passes and couldn’t get himself into any harmful capturing spots. His expertise stays evident, he simply wants numerous refinement.

CRISTIANO RONALDO – 7. Way more concerned than on Sunday. He was completely on the spot for his aim, and whereas his cross accuracy nonetheless wasn’t nice, he nonetheless regarded much more harmful than he did in Milan.

Picture by MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP through Getty Pictures

SUBS

FEDERICO BERNARDESCHI – 6. He was overwhelmed far too simply on Lozano’s stoppage-time probability, however general had a great shift, making two tackles and virtually scoring seconds after approaching.

ALVARO MORATA – NR. Took the aim excellently and held the ball up nicely as Juve tried to kill the sport off.

ADRIEN RABIOT – NR. Made a pair of tackles in solely eight minutes of labor.

Days after essentially the most insipid efficiency of his quick reign, Pirlo righted the ship for his first trophy as a coach.

The vast majority of the sport went just about precisely like he desires it to. The press did nice work, holding Napoli hemmed into their half for lengthy stretches and stopping a lot in the best way of capturing alternatives. After Inter sliced via them on the counter on Sunday, the protection had clearly been drilled in coaching, as a result of Napoli, whose counter recreation is pretty much as good or higher than Inter’s, didn’t have practically the identical success making an attempt to interrupt. That stored Szczesny bored for lots of the sport, particularly within the second half.

It’s a little regarding that Juve didn’t put a shot on track till after halftime, and there’s nonetheless loads to be desired from the midfield by way of creativity. Arthur made a number of ahead passes right now but in addition handed up a number of alternatives to advance the ball to a operating teammate. Till the entrance workplace can get a extra pure playmaker into the group, Pirlo goes to need to bash it into the Brazilian’s head that he must be extra incisive.

Juve finish the andata on Sunday, with a lunchtime kickoff in opposition to Bologna.