23 November 2016
Standout stats
One – Juve achieved their first major objective of the season last night as they qualified for the Champions League knockout stages.
The Bianconeri now also sit first in Group H having overtaken Sevilla to assume pole position in their four-team category with just one game remaining.
Eight – This is the eighth time in their last 10 campaigns in Europe’s premier club competition that Juve have reached the last 16.
It was also eight years ago that the Bianconeri last won on Spanish soil in a famous 2-0 triumph away to Real Madrid in November 2008.
526 – Passes between Bianconeri players at a precision rate of 84.4 per cent. Massimiliano Allegri’s men also enjoyed 58.1 per cent of possession at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.
Main men
Marchisio – Cometh the hour, cometh the Claudio. Yesterday’s was Marchisio’s first goal since May 2015, a statistic scarcely helped by his long-term injury this year, but he could not have chosen a better moment to return to the scoresheet, his penalty getting Juventus back on level terms just before the break.
In doing so, the Little Prince became the fourth Juventus player to net from the spot in the Champions League, following in the footsteps of Alessandro Del Piero, Nicola Amoruso and Filippo Inzaghi.
Bonucci – Leonardo Bonucci quite simply loves the big games. One month ago he was celebrating the opener at home to Napoli, just to give you an example.
Last night, he netted the goal that effectively sealed Juve’s qualification to the knockout stages, a thunderous drive from all of 25 yards out that nestled into Sergio Rico’s bottom corner. The nature of the hit, its timing and impact were reminiscent of a certain strike at home to Roma two years ago… that was a pretty big game too!
Mandzukic – Mario Mandzukic’s smart finish at the death was his 38th career goal in the Champions League. Super stuff, Mario.
Dani Alves – The former Sevilla man put in a fine showing at his old stomping ground, completing a match-high 71 passes, while also making two interceptions and, if that wasn’t already enough, he also managed two dribbles past opposition players.
Kean – Just three days after becoming the first player born since the Millennium to feature in Serie A, Moise Kean repeated the feat last night in the Champions League. Watch this space, people!
