The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Monaco have an Italian job at hand
Jardim’s young and attacking side faces Juventus in a first leg Champions League semifinal tie
AN INTRIGUING battle lies in store between arguably best the attack and the toughest defense in European football when Monaco faces Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal on Wednesday.
Monaco has been scoring freely all season, with 146 goals so far. But coach Leonardo Jardim now faces a more difficult challenge in how to approach the game. In the previous knockout rounds, Jardim had a specific plan to impose his style of play against both Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund – teams rich in attacking promise, but wide open at the back. So confident was he in his attacking play that Jardim even announced in pre-match news conferences what was required to go through.
Monaco's attack has pace, skill and power, and passes the ball at thrilling speed. But so did Barcelona's, and the five-time champion failed to score in either leg of its quarterfinal defeat against Juventus.
“We could have played all day long and they wouldn't have scored,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri proudly said after that game.
Jardim may have to adapt his team to an opponent this time, rather than taking the initiative. This poses a huge test of the Portuguese coach's tactical shrewdness, and the ability of his highly-rated forwards to break down the Juventus rearguard.
Teenage striker Kylian Mbappe has been earning rave reviews after scoring in each of the four knockout matches so far, and his partnership with Colombia striker Radamel Falcao has produced 52 goals.
But theirs is a nascent partnership, and together they have not faced defenders of the caliber of Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini: a formidable center half pairing in Italy's national team and Juventus teammates for seven years.
Hard as nails, uncompromising, tactically astute and solid in the air, not much gets past this partnership. Barcelona's Lionel Messi couldn't add to his tournament-leading 11 goals against them, despite Messi netting nearly 50 goals in another prolific season.
The 30-year-old Bonucci, who joined Juventus in 2010, is more skillful than most center halves, giving the team a precious outlet with his excellent passing from the back.
“Bonucci is more like a midfielder who was stolen to be put in defense,'' Massimo Carrera, the former assistant coach of Juventus, told sports daily L'equipe on Tuesday. “He has vision, good feet, long-range passing.'' The 32-year-old Chiellini, who has been at the club since 2005, is a rugged man-marker and far stronger in the challenge. Just ask Robin van Persie: the former Netherlands striker was left with torn ankle ligaments after one challenge from Chiellini during an international in 2009.
Playing behind Bonucci and Chiellini is Gianluigi Buffon, Italy's 168-cap goalkeeper and arguably still the best in the world. Add former Barcelona livewire Dani Alves at right back, and veteran Andrea Barzagli – whenthe35-year-oldcenterback is required – and you have a experienced and solid defense that any coach would dream about.
The attack-minded Alex Sandro has meanwhile proved himself to be a reliable left back since arriving from Porto last season, and has made the position his own since Patrice Evra left to join Marseille in January.
Allegri's side has only conceded 22 goals in 34 league matches and two in 10 Champions League games. Juventus remains on course for the treble, opening up a ninepoint lead over Roma with four games left in Serie A and reaching the Italian Cup final.
But Allegri also has a prolific attack, with Higuain – the club's record signing for 90 million euros ($100 million) – and Paulo Dybala. Dybala netted two fine goals against Barcelona, while the presence of muscular Croatian forward Mario Mandzukic will givemonaco'svulnerabledefense nightmares, considering its weakness on set pieces. Allegri will be confident of leaving Stade Louis II with an away goal or two. For Jardim, the target will be to at least outscore Juventus in order to have some kind of safety net away; especially as Juventus is on a league record 33-match winning run at home and has not lost in Turin in the Champions League for four years. In previous knockout rounds, Monaco was away first – applying significant pressure with three goals at City and Dortmund. Now it's time to see if Monaco can apply the pressure on Juventus.