On Saturday, June 3, 2017, the sixty-second Champions League final between Juventus and Real Madrid took place at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

The white-and-black team, coached by Massimiliano Allegri, arrived full of energy after crushing Barcelona’s Messi, Iniesta, Neymar, and Suarez with a resounding 3-0 victory in Turin. The hope of reversing the negative trend in the Champions League seemed more than realistic.

Champions League: the journey to the final

Juventus’ journey in the 2016/17 edition of the Champions League began with a disappointing 0-0 home draw against Sevilla. In the next round of the group stage, they strolled in Zagreb (4-0 against Dinamo with goals from Pjanic, Higuain, Dybala, and Dani Alves).

The away trip to Lyon was significantly more challenging, especially since Juventus was reduced to ten men due to Lemina’s expulsion early in the second half. However, a late goal by Cuadrado secured three valuable points for qualification.

In the return leg, the French team held Juventus to a draw, with Tolisso equalizing Dybala’s penalty goal in the final minutes. Despite this setback, Juventus secured qualification in Seville, where Marchisio (from the penalty spot), Bonucci, and Mandzukic overturned the initial deficit against Parejo. Higuain and Rugani secured a home victory against Dinamo Zagreb.

Allegri’s team finished the group stage in first place and unbeaten.

In the round of 16, Juventus faced Porto. The first leg ended 0-2 thanks to goals scored late by Pjaca and Dani Alves. The second leg lasted only one half: Dybala scored from the penalty spot, extinguishing any remaining hopes for the Portuguese team.

The draw presented Juventus with the toughest challenge: Luis Enrique’s Barcelona. However, on April 11, 2017, the Stadium witnessed an unforgettable night. Juventus won 3-0 with Dybala’s brace and Chiellini’s goal. In the return leg, Juventus defended the lead without much trouble, securing qualification with a 0-0 draw.

The semifinal against Monaco, featuring a young Mbappe, was not a tough obstacle for the Bianconeri. Higuain’s brace in the first leg and a 2-1 victory in the return leg sealed their place in the final. Two years after the disappointment in Berlin, Juventus was back in the Champions League final.

The night in Cardiff

After all these results, this time it truly seemed like the perfect opportunity to break a curse that had seen Juventus play and lose four finals (1997, 1998, 2003, and 2015) since the triumph in Rome in 1996.

Allegri, concerned about Real Madrid’s offensive power, decided to sacrifice Cuadrado by moving Dani Alves to the trequartista line. The Tuscan coach deployed Barzagli as the right-back with Bonucci and Chiellini ahead of Buffon. Alex Sandro operated on the left, with Khedira and Pjanic in midfield. Dybala and Mandzukic completed the trio behind Gonzalo Higuain.

Juventus started strong, with Pjanic testing Keylor Navas with a shot from outside the box. However, Real Madrid took the lead at the twentieth minute with Cristiano Ronaldo, who capitalized on an unfortunate deflection by Bonucci. The Bianconeri responded soon after with a magical goal from Mandzukic, equalizing the game with a spectacular overhead kick. The first half ended level.

In the second half, Juventus seemed to struggle mentally. They endured for fifteen minutes before conceding again. Casemiro’s shot, deflected by Khedira, found the back of the net. Real Madrid took the lead again, and Juventus lacked the strength to mount a comeback.

They quickly conceded a third goal, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a brace and effectively sealing the match. In the final moments, Cuadrado received a red card (just after coming on as a substitute), and Asensio added another goal. Juventus vs. Real Madrid ended 1-4. The dream turned into a nightmare. The hope sank in 45 minutes. Juventus’ European curse continued.

Source link