Juve wins the Italian Cup (2-1) because they score (a shot and a goal in the first half), but Atalanta deserved because they play (four chances and a draw before half-time). However, this is a final and, unfortunately, no one ever remembers how it went, only those who raised the trophy. Juventus does it and few will complain: despite a black season (qualification for the Champions League is still in the balance), they still have the best players (Buffon, de Ligt, Chiellini, Cuadrado, Kulusevski, Chiesa), they are certainly not led. from the best coach in Italy (Pirlo, at his first experience, made disasters, but also won two trophies), but in the evenings in which it counts they know how to do it and, above all, when it must be done. The old ones (Buffon, Chiellini Cuadrado) and the new ones (de Ligt, Kulusevski and Chiesa) have decided almost the representation of the handover between Juventus that was and what will be.
Atalanta was splendid and frenzied. In the first half he would have deserved to score at least three goals (and there was a penalty on Pessina), he kept the pace very high, he prevented Juve from going out with the ball, he exhausted and hammered her in the flanks, but he never found the knockout blow. Yet, having reached a draw four minutes from the end of the first half, I expected an equally challenging second half. Instead, more than understandably, the pace dropped and Juve raised the pressure, had more of the ball, suffered and risked less (in practice on only one occasion) and, after hitting a post with Chiesa, it went. to win with the same player.
The first goal was scored Kulusevski (31 ‘) and, I don’t know why, after realizing it, he brought his index finger in front of his lips as if to silence someone. Now the Swede is still nobody, he has had a fluctuating season, but more of shadows than of lights, if he begins to sin of pride just because someone, more than legitimately, criticizes him is already off the road and will stay there. That said, which concerns the arrogant disposition of a young man still to grow, Kulusevski scored a beautiful goal (left inside on the far post) after conducting a counterattack initiated by an intervention by Square its Gosens. The Atalantines protested a lot because the Colombian, in addition to the ball, also partially hit the Nerazzurri’s leg. But the referee Massa, supported by the Var, validated, in my opinion rightly and I will explain later why.
Up to that point, however, there had been only one team on the pitch, namely Atalanta, who from 3 ‘to 31’, had put the defense of Juve to the whip. Immediately with Palomino (Buffon’s great save with his feet) on an assist from Zapata, then again with the Colombian from Atalanta who, controlled the ball with his chest, turned on Chiellini, sending out a nothing.
At 12 ‘the episode of the penalty claimed: Pessina receives the ball in the middle of the area, takes two steps and comes into contact with Rabiot before being able to shoot. The dynamics are not very clear, but it is perceived that the intervention of the Juventus player is on the foot of the attacking midfielder. The Var is silent because it is not a blatant error of the referee.
Atalanta attacks, Juve swerves. On de Ligt’s back short pass, with a head, Zapata flies towards Buffon who faces him inside the area and stops him with his body. Then again shots from Freuler (24 ‘) and Malinovskyi (27’ from a free kick), both dangerous, both out.
Andrea Pirlo, just to keep making mistakes, he had excluded Morata and Dybala for the benefit of Kulusevski who, however, is not a forward, but works under the point of Ronaldo. Juve therefore do not have a first striker, they do not have midfielders who fit in (McKennie and Rabiot are very wrong, Bentancur messes up), they do not have external attackers (Chiesa is not seen for the whole first half). But since luck helps the mediocre, from the relaunch of Cuadrado with a half-foul, the restart that seems to be wrecked between Ronaldo’s feet is born. Instead McKennie touches for Kulusevski who scores in his own way.
Atalanta equalized ten minutes later and the premise is the same as the Juventus goal. Danilo, in the hallway a little too light, serves Rabiot who, attacked by Freuler, falls to the ground and loses the ball. The short serve is for Malinovskyi which concludes from the edge by striking Buffon. This time, the Juventus players are protesting, but Massa (and the Var) apply the same yardstick for Cuadrado’s intervention. Perhaps there is a half-fault, but not such as to invalidate the scoring.
A beautiful match – the TV reporters underline – but Atalanta spent too much and in the second half left the field to Juve. Immediately (48 ‘) there is a header from McKennie furori slightly (cross from Cuadrado), then a free-kick from Malinovskyi ends up in the pinball machine in the area. Romero has the ball to hit the goalkeeper’s area but de Ligt puts his foot in it and saves a sure goal. It is the last call from Bergamo, from here to the end Juve plays and Pirlo, as usual, is rewarded beyond his merits. It turns on, in fact, Church who first (57 ‘) serves a ball deflected by Kulusevski (great Gollini) and then (59’) benefits from a heel assist by Ronaldo and, alone in front of Gollini, crosses the post. Goal missed.
While Muriel enters for Malinovskyi (67 ‘), the order to remove Chiesa to insert Dybala comes from the Juve bench. The Argentine warms up, while Federico seems to go around in circles, afflicted by the mistake he had just made before. Instead, five minutes later, recovers the ball from a long cross, advances, looks for Kulusevski at the limit, receives the ball and flies in front of Gollini to beat him from the left.
Pirlo, while intoxicated with joy, feels no reason and takes it off to put Dybala on. Ilicic takes the place of Hateboer, Djimsiti that of Toloi in the final expelled from the bench. A high shot from Muriel is all Atalanta can build. Pirlo, however, takes no risks and in the last ten minutes he inserts Bonucci (outside Kulusevski) setting up a 5-3-2 of Maldinian memory. Atalanta, now tired, goes out. Juve wins and Pirlo raises his head. If it were up to him it would be confirmed. But if he remains out of the Champions League, the season is to be thrown away.
THE TABLE
Atalanta-Juventus 1-2
Scorers: pt 31 ‘Kulusevski (J), 41’ Malinovsky (A); st 28 ‘Church (J)
Assist: pt 31′ Mckennie (J), 41′ Hateboer (A); st 28′ Kulusevski (J).
Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Gollini; Toloi (31 ‘st Djimsiti), Romero, Palomino; Hateboer (31 ‘st Ilicic), Freuler, De Roon, Gosens (38’ st Miranchuk); Malinovsky (13 ‘st Muriel), Pessina (13’ st Pasalic); Zapata. A disp. Rossi, Sportiello, Maehle, Sutalo, Lammers, Caldara, Ruggeri. All. Gasperini.
Juventus (4-4-2): Buffon; Cuadrado, De Ligt, Chiellini, Danilo; McKennie, Bentancur, Rabiot, Church (28 ‘st Dybala); Kulusevski (38 ‘st Bonucci), Ronaldo. Available Szczesny, Pinsoglio, Arthur, Ramsey, Morata, Demiral, Bernardeschi, Frabotta. Herds Pirlo.
Referee: Massa of Imperia.
VAR: Valeri di Roma 2.
Stem: st 43 ‘Toloi (A).
Ammoniti: pt 27 ‘Chiellini (J), 35’ Malinovskyi (A), 41 ‘De Ligt (J); st 33 ‘Romero (A), 40’ Freuler, 43 ‘De Roon (A), 44’ Ilicic (A).
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