Good morning, my friends! Here are the front pages from the Italian newspapers La Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere dello Sport, and Tutto Sport, Thursday 18 February 2021.
La Gazzetta dello Sport, Front Page, Thursday 18 February 2021.
Front Page La Gazzetta dello Sport, Thur. 18 February
👉Juve have faith Champions League: Porto win 2-1, but Chiesa’s goal is golden
👉This is how the Derbyssimo return Toward the super challenge at San Siro, a new clash at the top (after too many flops)
Corriere dello Sport, Front Page, Thursday 18 February 2021.
Front Page, Corriere dello Sport, Thursday 18 February
👉Champions League, an uphill qualification: fiery second leg at the Allianz on March 9 Chiesa keeps it alive Fede's goal shakes up an ugly Juve, beaten 2-1 by Porto Ronaldo’s black night, anger for a penalty not awarded pic.twitter.com/wWgbTA1R4a
35% Ball Possession FC PORTO and 65% Ball Possession JUVENTUS FC Porto 2 – 1 Juventus
2′ Mehdi Taremi 82′ Federico Chiesa
46′ Moussa Marega
Juventus failing to win the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg game against FC Porto on Wednesday 17 at the Estádio do Dragão in Porto, Portugal. Juventus will need to win on the Second Leg on March 9 at the Allianz Stadium. The qualification to the Quarterfinals is still possible. Don’t give up!
Porto have never won against Juventus in the previous 5 European competitions (1N, 4P). The only precedent between Porto and Juventus in the knockout stages of the Champions League dates back to the round of 16 of 2016/17. Juventus won with an aggregate score of 3-0, but in both matches the result was pinned 0-0 before Porto were sent off in both halves of the games. Juventus are the only team, together with Zenit St. Petersburg, to have faced Porto at least twice away from home in European competitions without ever conceding a goal.
⚽️ It is Porto to open the score in the 2nd minute surprising Juventus! Mehdi Taremi defeating goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny from very close range with a right footed shot in the center. Mehdi Taremi’s goal (1 minute and 3 seconds) is the third fastest goal conceded by Juventus in the Champions League after Möller (Borussia Dortmund in 1995) and Alaba (Bayern Munich in 2013). Now, this is an uphill battle for Juventus with the pressure to react.
🏆FC Porto 1 – 0 Juventus, 2nd minute, goal by ⚽️ Mehdi Taremi for @FCPorto from very close range with a right footed shot in the center.
Problems for Juventus surprised again barely starting the second half. In the 46th minute, Porto increasing the score for the 2-0 with the goal by Moussa Marega.
🏆👉 Porto 2 – 0 Juventus, 46th minute, goal by ⚽️ Moussa Marega for @FCPorto with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner. The assist is by Wilson Manafá. https://t.co/wvorXwhN3Q
Juventus shortening the distance in the 82nd minute. It is Federico Chiesa to defeat FC Porto goalkeeper Agustín Marchesín with a right footed shot for the 2-1.
🏆👉FC Porto 2 – 1 Juventus, 82nd minute, goal by ⚽️ Federico Chiesa for @juventusfcen with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Adrien Rabiot. https://t.co/31LlEXwTGQ
1 – Federico Chiesa is the first Juventus player other than Cristiano Ronaldo to score a goal for the Bianconeri in the #UCL knockout stage since Blaise Matuidi in April 2018 (in the quarterfinals against Real Madrid). Handover.#PortoJuventus
The game ending with suspense. In the final seconds of the match …. a penalty… not granted… not even checking the VAR… running out of time…
Surely, it was a penalty. Referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande was under pressure and hesitated. The action also happening in the last agonizing minute making it more difficult to grant it. Oh well, still hope for @juventusfcen to qualify to the Quarterfinals. Just don't give up pic.twitter.com/EyUfiyYDqQ
Click the video to watch FC Porto vs Juventus highlights on Wednesday 17 February 2021
Referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande from Spain will direct the game. Referee Del Cerro will be assisted by Assistant Referee 1: Juan Yuste Jimenez and Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Alonso Fernandez from Spain. The Fourth Official will be Jose Sanchez Martinez from Spain. The VAR will be Alejandro Hernandez and the AVAR will be Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea both from Spain.
Referee: Carlos Del Cerro Grande 🇪🇸
Assistant Referee 1: Juan Yuste Jimenez🇪🇸
Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Alonso Fernandez🇪🇸
Fourth Official: Jose Sanchez Martinez🇪🇸
VAR: Alejandro Hernandez🇪🇸
AVAR: Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea🇪🇸@juventusfcenpic.twitter.com/7dzltf8hxJ
✅ Here are FC Porto vs Juventus official starting lineups – formations for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg game on Wednesday 17 at the Estádio do Dragão in Porto, Portugal at 21:00.
🇵🇹 Porto vs Juventus🇮🇹
👉 Lineup Juventus (4-4-2): Szczesny; Danilo, De Ligt, Chiellini, Alex Sandro; McKennie, Rabiot, Bentancur, Chiesa; Kulusevski, Ronaldo
Subs: Diogo Costa, Loum, Luis Diaz, Grujic, Romario Barò, Joao Mario, Felipe Anderson, Toni Martinez, Evanilson, Nanu, Sarr, F. Conceiçao.
Coach: S. Coinceçao
Referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande from Spain will direct the game. Referee Del Cerro will be assisted by Assistant Referee 1: Juan Yuste Jimenez and Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Alonso Fernandez from Spain. The Fourth Official will be Jose Sanchez Martinez from Spain. The VAR will be Alejandro Hernandez and the AVAR will be Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea both from Spain.
Referee: Carlos Del Cerro Grande 🇪🇸
Assistant Referee 1: Juan Yuste Jimenez🇪🇸
Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Alonso Fernandez🇪🇸
Fourth Official: Jose Sanchez Martinez🇪🇸
VAR: Alejandro Hernandez🇪🇸
AVAR: Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea🇪🇸@juventusfcenpic.twitter.com/7dzltf8hxJ
Good morning, my friends! Here are the front pages from the Italian newspapers La Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere dello Sport, and Tutto Sport, Wednesday 17 February 2021.
La Gazzetta dello Sport, Front Page, Wednesday 17 February 2021.
Front Page, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Wednesday 17 February
👉 Champions the assault restarts Juve go to Porto! First leg of the Round of 16: CR7 in his Portugal leading the Bianconeri in the chase for a Cup they’ve been dreaming of for 25 years
Tutto Sport, Front Page, Wednesday 17 February 2021.
Front Page, Tutto Sport, Wednesday 17 February
👉 COVID: Lazio deferred, Toro and Juve await
👉 I’ll take care of it! Tonight Porto-Juve, first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 Pirlo loses Bonucci too (possibly 20 days out), but Ronaldo feels like home… pic.twitter.com/I3Fw0myScB
✅ Here are the declarations of Juventus Coach Andrea Pirlo and Captain Giorgio Chiellini during the press conference on Tuesday 16 February 2021 courtesy of juventus.com. Pirlo facing the media ahead of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg game against FC Porto on Wednesday 17 at the Estádio do Dragão in Porto, Portugal at 21:00.
👉 Declarations of Juventus Coach Andrea Pirlo:
Porto is a compact team, who are very good at defending and narrowing on two banks of four. It will take patience in not forcing the play and not allowing counters. The Champions league is a particular competition, different from the league. There are so many teams fighting to win, everyone wants to do it, and it really depends on which moment you’re in when you face the teams. It’s important to be mentally ready. Porto are different to us. In the league they are more offensive, whilst in Europe they are more cautious. We try to play in another way, but sometimes we also have to defend.
We began this season looking to achieve all our objectives. We are at the halfway point and competing on all fronts, this is the most important thing. We had a good match on Saturday, only the result was missing so we are not worried.
Ramsey is available, Dybala is not ready and Bonucci is out. However, they will still travel with us because they all want to be close to the team. In the offensive phase we can do better by creating more to finish more chances. We’ve missed Dybala’s goals a bit and we haven’t had him available often, we hope he can find continuity and will be like a new signing. Cristiano is coming back to his country and will want to score as always, especially in this type of match.
Morata has played a lot. He came back from a muscle problem, then he had the flu so in the last period he was never 100%. He’s happy, he’s fine, he just needs to score like all forwards. We believe in him. Both he and Kulusevski are fine. Tomorrow, after the finishing touches, we will evaluate who to play from the beginning. Both have done well lately
👉 Declarations of Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini during the press conference.
I faced Conceicao many times as a player. He had great technique and remained in the hearts of the Portuguese. He is also doing very well as a coach with Porto. We will have to play a careful game and we will have to be calm by not allowing them to capitalise on our mistakes
We are coming from a good period, Saturday’s match doesn’t hurt us. We are fighting for all of our goals and now another big goal begins. We’re going into it with enthusiasm, albeit aware of the obstacles. Porto defend very well; they are a physical team, and we will have to be good at breaking them down and avoiding their counter-attacks that can be devastating. We are all four centre-backs of a high level.
The choices come down to the coach and for our part we know that we must always be ready, accepting every choice. The team wins, we alternate, and there is a great feeling among us. The emotional aspect will also be important, but we experienced something similar in the Coppa Italia. In the Champions League there are more pitfalls because the opponents are less known to us, we will have to be good at not making the mistakes of the last two seasons.
Knowledge in training as well as in the match allows you to improve the awareness with all your teammates. Cristiano is an added value and we are fortunate to have his experience daily. Since we drew Porto I started studying their forwards. They are dangerous both in the spaces and on crosses, but they also have excellent players out wide. We will have to be ready and not allow spaces.
Referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande from Spain will direct the game. Referee Del Cerro will be assisted by Assistant Referee 1: Juan Yuste Jimenez and Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Alonso Fernandez from Spain. The Fourth Official will be Jose Sanchez Martinez from Spain. The VAR will be Alejandro Hernandez and the AVAR will be Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea both from Spain.
Referee: Carlos Del Cerro Grande 🇪🇸
Assistant Referee 1: Juan Yuste Jimenez🇪🇸
Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Alonso Fernandez🇪🇸
Fourth Official: Jose Sanchez Martinez🇪🇸
VAR: Alejandro Hernandez🇪🇸
AVAR: Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea🇪🇸@juventusfcenpic.twitter.com/7dzltf8hxJ
By Anna Italia
