UEFA Champions League

HALF TIME: Manchester United 0-1 Juventus

HALFTIME: Manchester United 0-1 Juventus To be fair, Juve are the favourites for this year’s Champions League. But United will still be concerned by the manner in which the visitors dominated. Can Jose inspire his men to yet another second-half revival?

This happened all of a sudden. Ronaldo is sent scampering down the right. He whips a cross into the six-yard box. There’s a slight deflection off Martial, and the ball breaks to Cuadrado, sliding in. Cuadrado’s effort is blocked by Smalling but breaks to Dybala who has the simple task of slamming home into the bottom right from close range. So simple.

Paulo Dybala

 

Pogba battles away and the ball breaks to Mata, 20 yards out. Mata takes an age to size up his shot, and he’s dispossessed with ease. Cancelo brazenly knocks the ball past Lindelof, hoping to beat him in a foot race. He’s given his opponent the best part of ten yards but nearly wins it on the edge of the area. Lindelof does just enough. What a burst of pace by Cancelo.

Juve has enjoyed just over 70% possession so far, and have now quietened the crowd a little bit. The away fans making the most noise. Their heroes are passing it around quite a lot, and in pretty triangles to boot.

The Old Trafford faithful makes themselves heard again, whistling with great feeling as United give up possession with ease. They’re not happy with the way Juve are sashaying about their manor. Dybala wins a corner down the right.

Sighing, tutting, head shaking, tongue clacking, “It’s amazing that Paul Pogba spent four years in Italy surrounded by the likes of Bonucci and Chiellini without learning how to defend a corner kick. He was clueless again midway through the first half as a corner came over and, when the dust settled, there he was, standing all alone on the penalty spot, looking on” – Justin Kavanagh.

“A very painful thing to look at is the United bench. In the good ol’ days there was always somebody Fergie could rely on to turn the game around – Ole, latter-aged Giggs, even Chicharito – but nobody today seems up to the task. Herrera is someone I always like to see on the pitch with his energy, but I’ve not known him to reliably make the decisive impact” – Matt Richman

“Juve are only third-favourites for the Champions League” – Andrew Hurley

Source: The Guardian