Juventus Transformed Their Serie A Challenges into a Brutal Coppa Triumph over Cagliari
Juventus Transformed Their Serie A Challenges into a Brutal Coppa Triumph over Cagliari
Following intense criticism for their inability to secure victories, Juventus bounced back with a magnificent 4-0 Coppa Italia triumph over Cagliari, showcasing the true prowess of Thiago Motta's team.
Saturday saw the Bianconeri tie for the 10th time in 16 Serie A matches, with rock-bottom Venezia successfully taking a point away from Turin giants. The end of that encounter, as examined in this previous article, saw Dusan Vlahovic and Juve fans involved in a heated dispute.
However, as kick-off against Cagliari approached, the club's Ultra groups collaborated to unveil a banner supporting the Serbian striker, which read "an isolated incident does not erase the past, you have always been respected by us. Juventus DV9 and Ultras united until the end!"
Juventus deal with injuries, reshuffle lineup
Given Juve's vulnerability in defense, having already lost Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal, Motta opted to reorganize his squad, deploying Manuel Locatelli and Weston McKennie in a makeshift backline due to injuries.
The night appeared to be yet another challenge for the home side as Cagliari, who had managed a 1-1 draw against Juventus on October 6, swiftly sliced through the Bianconeri in the opening minute, with goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio miraculously denying a diving Gianluca Lapadula's attempt.
However, Juve quickly gained the upper hand. A clever pass from Teun Koopmeiners supplied Vlahovic behind the Cagliari defense, but he launched a shot over the bar. Later, Kenan Yildiz's volleyed attempt was blocked by Mateusz Wieteska.
Francisco Conceicao came close to scoring when his shot just missed the mark, and he followed that up with another formidable shot just moments later, only to be thwarted by Simone Scuffet. Finally, right before the half, a nifty pass from Yildiz delivered an opening for Vlahovic, who chipped the ball past Scuffet.
The second half began with Juve persistent in their pursuit of additional goals. A free kick, launched from a full 30 yards out, was launched into the top corner by Koopmeiners, marking Juve's best stretch of the match.
Vlahovic's beautiful chip sailed over Scuffet but was ruled out for offside, soon followed by another Scuffet save on Conceicao's drive. A clinically headed effort from an unmarked Nico Gonzalez was deflected wide by Lapadula, and another strike from Vlahovic was once again disallowed due to offside. The former Fiorentina striker's attempt at scoring after spryly outmaneuvering Scuffet only found the side netting.
The Old Lady would ultimately find the net a third time when Conceicao struck a left-footed shot into the bottom corner, and Gonzalez sealed the victory with a stunning goal, undoubtedly the highlight of the match.
Thiago Motta content with Juventus victory
"It was a strong performance, with the fans behind us as ever," Thiago Motta shared with Canale 5 post-game. "As I mentioned the other night, they have the right to voice their feelings at times, but we need them.
“These lads are going through a difficult time, giving their all at every training session. Sometimes we achieve positive results, while other times we don't. It’s not because we are Juventus, but because we have exceptional players, as we saw today, and should aim high.”
The perspective shared by Motta was echoed by several players, with Di Gregorio offering a seldom-heard interview as he looked forward to Juve's next match and a trip to Stadio Brianteo to face his former side Monza.
"It was a night we needed, we scored four goals without conceding any," the 'keeper told reporters. "We are pleased, as victories lead to more victories and we sought this triumph. We know we have to travel to Monza and continue on this path."
Finally securing a win, Juventus hopes to end the year with victories over Monza, then Fiorentina.
In the COPPA ITALIA match, Juventus FC defeated Cagliari with a resounding 4-0 score, a testament to Thiago Motta's team's prowess. Despite facing injuries and having to reshuffle their lineup, Juve managed to cope well, with Manuel Locatelli and Weston McKennie stepping up in defense. The victory was a boost for Juventus Vlahovic, who contributed to the scoreline with one goal.