Allegri proud of resilient Juve
Zidane to blame for Clasico humiliation
This isn’t a retrospective idea formed after a 3-0 win for the Liga leader – and now, champion-elect – this was screamingly evident at halftime. More so was the fact that Kovacic was running out of gas.
One of the things that coaches and players teach you is that tiredness often doesn’t hit a player first in the lungs or the legs, but the brain. When the opening (and most crucial) Massimiliano Allegri hailed a “top performance” from his side as Juventus edged Roma 1-0 on Saturday. Mehdi Benatia scored the game’s only goal at the Allianz Stadium on 18 minutes. Both teams had good opportunities to score but ultimately it was a tight contest with no further goals.
After the match, the Bianconeri boss told his club’s official website: “We weren’t able to put it to bed, partly because we created problems for ourselves and partly because Roma are a good side with technically gifted players.”
Allegri’s charges have been kept busy recently, playing three games in quick succession, beating Bologna in the league before seeing off Genoa in the Coppa Italia – ahead of facing Roma.
“You have to hand it to the lads – they produced a top performance tonight and showed a real willingness to work hard and end this run of three head-to-head games on a high,” he added. “There was a misunderstanding between the centrebacks at the end and when [Alessandro] Florenzi hit the bar. We gave Roma encouragement when the match looked pretty comfortable, but a 1-0 win is fine and gives us a morale boost.” Allegri concluded: “We are Juventus and we live for these games, but it’s vital that we maintain the same level of focus in other games because they’re all just as important.
“Roma are a solid side and they have a game in hand, so this win is particularly important. Napoli are perhaps a little bit ahead of the rest, but Inter are still there and so are Lazio.”
goal is scored, the young Croatia international makes a bad, bad choice.
Luka Modric fails his duty first, and that’s the most important failure here. Sergio Busquets brilliantly cuts Toni Kroos out, and Rakitic anticipates that Barcelona is about to break the traps that have been set around him. He sprints, Busquets delivers the same little “shunt” pass with which he began the brilliant move via which Barcelona won the Clasico here at the Bernabeu last April.
Rakitic runs, Modric doesn’t react, and suddenly Kovacic has a major choice. His head’s telling him: attack the ball and close down Rakitic’s run. He and Rakitic are international teammates. He knows only too well what the midfielder is capable of. He also knows that in almost any situation, the deal
is that you attack the ball carrier: accept that moving off your man might leave you looking daft. But not as daft as when the team concedes a goal. Snuff out that moment of danger, and perhaps Madrid goes on to win the Clasico via, you guessed it, Bale or Isco or Asensio.
Maybe, only maybe, but at least the idea is still in play.
Instead Kovacic looks over his shoulder, sees Messi and remembers the precise reason he’s been picked: to close down Messi. He remembers the late, unmarked run that Messi made last April to score the winner, and so he chooses badly. He lets Rakitic run. He drifts off the important moment and stays “near” Messi.
An unencumbered Rakitic feeds Roberto down the right and the Catalan’s pass to Suarez for the “goal that won La Liga” is a precise as it was last week, when he set up the Uruguay international against Deportivo La Coruna. And that was that.
So here we rest. Zidane’s original idea was perhaps a little faulty, but not completely wrong. It went against his character, against his trajectory as a footballer and against the Madrid tradition. But he had a chance, at halftime and with the evidence of the first half at his disposal, to correct the idea, to roll the dice and to try to use any or all of three players who have hugely damaged Barcelona in recent matches: Isco, Bale, Asensio. But he didn’t.
Until now, Madrid’s weak defense of its title has had many authors, most of them not the manager. There have been injuries, suspensions, subconscious lowering of intensity, and his major rivals keep on winning. But this time, dear Zizou, this time it’s on you.