Italian Cup final, Atalanta Juventus ends 2 to 1 in Reggio Emilia. The bianconeri take home the trophy, the Goddess enchants

The Juventus he is still champion. Only in the Italian Cup. But even in the season in which he abdicated, he ceded the Scudetto to the rivals of theInter, risks not even qualifying in Champions League, still wins. He beats Atalanta 2-1, which is always beautiful, makes and undoes, enchants, but remains a fairy tale, still unfinished. As in 2019, when he lost against Lazio, but this time it hurts more, because after two years Gasperini’s team seemed even more mature, more ready, simply stronger than Juventus. Evidently not enough.

In Reggio Emilia it was a great final, and not only for the return of the public, after more than a year of Coronavirus and closed stadiums. One of the best matches of the season, in terms of intensity, quality, competitive tension. And one of the best Juventus of the season, for consistency, application, concentration. A clear idea in mind: to defend, contain, and then strike, if and when it would have been possible. That’s exactly how it went. The Goddess played. Juve won. With pragmatism e humility, the strength of those who despite all these games are used to playing them, a lot of experience, but also the youth of Kulusevski e Church, the authors of the decisive goals, the two hopes for the Juventus re-foundation that who knows, could also have started tonight.

How the wheel turns. Atalanta has become so great with Gasperini, Juventus has rediscovered itself so small with Pirlo, that in this final the orobics were the favorites. But the bianconeri were not ashamed to take on the role of the outsider, almost the provincial: with Morata left on the bench and only one striker in the field, Ronaldo, and Kulusevski so far away as to form a sort of 4-5-1. And that was the key. Because they suffered, but never conceded too much to their opponents, and then took over in the final.

Atalanta, who played the game, also decided the pace. Forsennati, from the beginning but not to the end, until she succeeded. In 5 minutes he had already nearly scored twice, with Zapata, irrepressible for De Ligt. And then he claimed a penalty with Pessina (broken intervention by Rabiot), which would have been there, if only Massa had seen, or at least reviewed at the Var. Constant pressure. But Juventus held up. Even in the most difficult moments, all in the first half. Having the good fortune to find himself even in the lead, with the golden left-handed of the former Kulusevski, at the end of a counterattack born from another controversial episode, an entry to the limit of Cuadrado who takes the ball and legs. No whistle, no Var, furious protests again. Everything is OK. Atalanta does not seem to make a turn, continues to attack with the game and nerves and finds the equalizer almost immediately, before the break, with their fitter man, Malinovsky, who by now in Gasperini’s perfect car has replaced Gomez and Ilicic put together. But this effort, physical and mental, will pay off at a distance.

The second half resumes in the same way. Atalanta pushes, attacks, Juve waits, defends. But something is changing. After an hour of play, and what a game, Atalanta also seems to catch their breath, think, perhaps doubt, while Juve find new energy and certainties. Kulusevski touches the brace, Chiesa appears alone in front of Gollini and sensationally prints himself on the post. It is not an impression. On the third occasion, Juventus comes back: the action is still packaged by Kulusevski and Chiesa, the blue again only in the middle of the area this time is not wrong. And this time the Juventus advantage is not a coincidence, it is not an accident that Atalanta has plenty of time to remedy but the dream that slips away again. Gasperini, who had already entered Muriel and Pasalic without results, Ilicic also plays, and then even Miranchuk. But it produces nothing: Atalanta simply has no more, only nerves, for one questionable arbitrage but above all for their own regrets. Juventus was good at making them run out of petrol and then taking advantage of it. Perhaps Pirlo is not so scarce. Or perhaps this trophy does not change anything in the Bianconeri’s bankruptcy season, it will depend much more on that fourth place worth tens of millions. But winning always counts for something. Juventus continues to do so.

Twitter: @lVendemiale

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