Pirlo's moment of brilliance gives Juventus advantage against Monaco
As he has so often for club and country, Andrea Pirlo made the difference for Juventus on Tuesday.
Only not with a sumptuous free kick. Not even with a goal at all. Just with a play that nobody except the 35-year-old midfield wizard could see.
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Juventus beat Monaco 1-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie in Turin, and the goal came in the 57th minute on a penalty kick by Arturo Vidal.
The play leading up to the goal, however, made all the difference. Pirlo took possession about 10 yards inside his own half and sent a long ball toward Juve striker Alvaro Morata in the 18-yard box, one that caught seasoned Monaco defender Ricardo Carvalho by surprise. Carvalho clipped Morata’s heels trying to catch up to the pass, and Vidal stepped up to the spot and blasted a high shot into the upper-left corner for the only goal of the match.
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Pirlo’s moment of brilliance was even more impressive considering the nature of the game. Both sides traded punches for most of the first hour, but neither could break quite through.
The best chance before the goal went to Monaco. In the 10th minute, Anthony Martial made a driving run down the left side and then patiently played Yannick Ferreira Carrasco in front of the net, but Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon’s reflexes were up to the task.
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Juventus had a comfortable advantage in possession, but Monaco was threatening throughout the night, registering 16 shots to Juventus’ 13. The only curiosity in the team selection was Martial being preferred to the much more experienced Dimitar Berbatov at striker. Berbatov came on for defender Andrea Raggi in the 71st minute but couldn’t find the back of the net.
Still, the French visitors acquitted themselves well, as they did in the previous round when they beat Arsenal 3-1 and left the Emirates with a decisive advantage in the tie.
This time, however, Monaco won’t be heading home with the advantage. Instead, Juventus will head to the Stade Louis II next Wednesday up 1-0 on aggregate and with the opportunity to score valuable away goals.
A victory would send Juventus to its first Champions League semifinal since 2003. With Pirlo leading an experienced side, the Italian champions have to like their chances.
