It’s a story that any Juventino/a may a thousand occasions over the previous few years. The crew dominates the circulate of the sport, however can’t money in on any possibilities and ultimately succumb to a smash-and-grab aim by their opponents that sees them drop factors.
Saturday evening’s opponent, Atalanta, was one of many newer examples of the phenomenon. When Juve went to Bergaomo to face La Dea within the Coppa Italia quarterfinal in early February, they dominated possession and recreation circulate, however someway allowed three fluke objectives whereas not taking any of their very own possibilities, resulting in one of the deceptive 3-0 scorelines within the historical past of the game.
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It was becoming, then, that the Bianconeri had been in a position to flip that narrative round in opposition to that very same crew, in that very same stadium, in a recreation with enormous Champions League implications.
Atalanta had been in agency management for the whole first half, however they merely couldn’t make the ball go over the road. They missed the goal by razor-thin margins, hit the put up, and had makes an attempt charged down by defenders. Of the ten photographs they took within the first 45 minutes, they solely hit the goal as soon as.
It was simply after the break that Juve struck. The MVP of the 2026 calendar 12 months, Jérémie Boga, pounced on a mistake by the Atalanta protection and nudged the ball into the web through the goalkeeper’s arms. It was a bona fide Ugly Objective that turned every thing on its head. Atalanta made a powerful response, however nonetheless couldn’t provide you with the final touch. They ultimately totaled 22 photographs, however solely three hit the goal — one among which was saved moderately spectacularly. By the point the whistle blew for the ultimate time, Juve had held on to a important 1-0 win that gave them an enormous increase within the race for the highest 4, particularly with Como nonetheless to play league leaders Inter Milan (barf) on Sunday.
Luciano Spalletti, new contract extension in hand, was coping with some main absences. Dusan Vlahovic was injured once more, as had been Mattia Perin, Juan Cabal and Vasilije Adzic. However the suspension of Weston McKennie harm essentially the most. It compelled some fascinating selections out of Spalletti, who determined to return to his 3-4-2-1 formation, full with false 9. With Perin down, Michele Di Gregorio began in aim, shielded by Pierre Kalulu, Bremer, and Lloyd Kelly. Emil Holm made his first begin since coming over from Bologna within the January switch window, enjoying reverse Andrea Cambiaso because the wing-backs. Manuel Locatelli and Khéphren Thuram performed in midfield, whereas Francisco Conceição, Kenan Yildiz, and Boga had been deployed up entrance.
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Raffaele Palladino mirrored Spalletti’s formation, although he was additionally lacking a couple of items. Isak Hein and Kamaldeen Sulemana had been out, whereas Gianluca Scamacca and Giacomo Raspadori had been solely match for the bench. Marco Carnesecchi began in aim behind Giorgio Scalvini, Berat Djimsiti, and Senad Kolasinac. Davide Zappacosta and Lorenzo Bernasconi had been the wing-backs, bracketing the midfield pivot of Éderson and Marten De Roon. Charles De Ketelaere and Nicola Zalewski began behind Nikola Krstovic within the assault.
Atalanta may’ve been up 2-0 inside the first 9 minutes. It was the seventh minute when Yildiz was mugged making an attempt to carry the ball up close to midfield, sending the house aspect screaming down the sphere on the counter. Éderson despatched Zalewski by way of a spot within the protection and into the left channel, however the Pole’s end was ever so barely off, flashing simply extensive of the far put up with a stranded Di Gregorio overwhelmed. Lower than two minutes later, Zalewski swung a free kick in to Scalvini, whose header again in opposition to the grain thudded in opposition to the far put up.
Atalanta maintained agency management of proceedings because the half progressed. In a 12-minute span they’d three photographs blocked, and didn’t take the possibilities {that a} discombobulated Bianconeri protection had been gifting them. Juve’s first actual likelihood got here half an hour into the sport, when a Kelly header from a recycled nook kick was deflected behind by Bernasconi.
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Each groups threatened close to the stroke of halftime. Boga held the ball up nicely earlier than sending a ball by way of the center to search out the run of Kalulu, however he put simply an excessive amount of on it and a few courageous goalkeeping by Carnesecchi prevented the Frenchman from latching on. With the final kick of the half Krstovic almost gave Atalanta a sensational lead, however missed just a little extensive, closing the primary interval with one other disappointing miss.
Juventus instantly made them rue these misses. It regarded like Juve had been about to bemoan a giant miss themselves when Conceição’s roll throughout the field was missed by Boga. The play was saved alive and Holm tried zip in a cross from the byline. It was a ball a goalkeeper the caliber of Carnesecchi ought to catch in his sleep, however he bought twisted up with Djimsiti, permitting it to trickle off the knee of Scalvini and proper into the trail of Boga. The Ivorian pounced, however didn’t get clear contact. It would nicely have missed the goal had it not taken a spark off a determined Carnesecchi, which put it on its ultimate flight path to the again of the web.
Palladino instantly beefed up his assault with Raspadori, and Atalanta virtually responded 10 minutes after the opener when Scalvini headed a nook again throughout the field to Djimsiti, however the center-back’s header was scooped off the road by Di Gregorio. Two minutes later, Raspadori tried to hit a ball by way of a crowd into the field, however Di Gregorio claimed it. It might be the final shot on the right track for Atalanta all day.
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Juve had a golden alternative to salt the sport away within the 66th minute. Holm overpowered Kolasinac and laid the ball throughout for Thuram, who blazed simply over. Raspadori had a ball deflected over the road by Locatelli, then the striker discovered Zappacosta with a cross solely to push the ball extensive. Atalanta wished a penalty when a cross bounced off the higher arm of Federico Gatti, however the remainder of that arm was behind his again, and it solely took a fast VAR verify earlier than the referee signaled to play on. Scamacca barely missed a header three minutes from time, and Atalanta weren’t in a position to get one other shot shut sufficient to hassle the keeper.
La Dea got six minutes of stoppage time — greater than essential, frankly — however by that time they’d run out of concepts, and had been merely making an attempt to lob the ball into the field and hope for a superb bounce. They didn’t get one, and the ultimate whistle despatched Juve residence with three enormous factors.