Juventus squeeze past Atalanta, Viola see red with Chievo

Paulo Dybala scored a stunning volley and provided an assist, but Juventus found it harder than expected to beat Atalanta 3-2 in the Coppa Italia.

The winners of this one-off Round of 16 encounter go on to face Milan or Torino in the Quarter-Final on January 25.

Giorgio Chiellini was suspended for the trophy holders, with Gigi Buffon, Dani Alves, Medhi Benatia and Mario Lemina unavailable. When these sides met in Serie A last month, Atalanta were beaten 3-1 to end an excellent run of form.

Tomas Rincon got his first start since the move from Genoa and almost scored in the opening minutes, as Stephan Lichtsteiner’s cross sailed just over his head.

Mario Mandzukic almost scored a bizarre goal on 16 minutes when he redirected Lichtsteiner’s cross with his stomach and it bounced off the upright from point-blank range.

Dybala appeared to be brought down in the box by Rafael Toloi, but the referee waved play on. La Joya did make the difference with the opening goal, as Mandzukic knocked down a cross for his absolutely ferocious left-foot volley from the edge of the box. There was no stopping that strike.

Andrea Petagna tested Norberto Neto, but Juve added a second when Dybala’s slide-rule pass sent Mandzukic clear for an angled drive.

Mandzukic threatened a third, firing just wide of the near top corner, but on the stroke of halftime he slipped on a volley at the back post and wasted the splendid Miralem Pjanic chipped assist.

In the second half Atalanta kept more possession without making a dent in the Bianconeri defence and Mandzukic couldn’t get a clean header on to Stefano Sturaro’s cross.

Marko Pjaca made his comeback after three months out with a fracture and Rincon’s solo effort was fingertipped on to the crossbar by Etrit Berisha.

However, Atalanta did find their goal when Abdoulay Konko unleashed a scorcher on the outside of his right boot that flew in off the inside of the far post from the edge of the box.

It didn’t last long, as Marco D’Alessandro tripped Lichtsteiner for a penalty that Pjanic converted.

Konko should’ve had a second moments later, but ballooned wide from 10 yards after a woeful Norberto Neto clearance. Juve didn’t learn from that scare and did concede when 18-yearold Emmanuel Latte Lath got in front of Lichtsteiner to tap in a smart Andrea Conti pull-back from the by-line.

Neto struggled to control an Andrea Petagna curler, Remo Freuler turned over after a Hernanes error and Toloi wasted with a defender’s finish.

Viola see red with Chievo

Federico Bernardeschi’s lastgasp penalty sent Fiorentina to the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, but both the Viola and Chievo went down to 10 men.

The Tuscans go through to face Napoli in the quarter-finals on January 24. Gonzalo Rodriguez sat out a ban with Davide Astori injured, while the Flying Donkeys wanted to make up for Sunday’s humiliating 4-1 Serie A home defeat to Atalanta.

Mauro Zarate curled just wide from the edge of the box in the opening minutes, but at the other end Antonio Floro Flores blasted over as he got on the end of a Lucas Castro assist.

Chievo threatened again and really should’ve done better when Ciprian Tatarusanu misread a Jonathan De Guzman cross and Roberto Inglese missed the target.

Fiorentina protested as Federico Chiesa was sprinting towards the penalty area when he seemed to be barged off the ball by Samuel Bastien, but the referee waved play on.

Chievo did go down to 10 men in first half stoppages, as Ivan Radovanovic received his second yellow card for bringing down Nenad Tomovic on the edge of the box.

With the last kick of the half, Bernardeschi curled a marvellous free kick that smacked the crossbar with Stefano Sorrentino beaten.

Matias Vecino’s snapshot was palmed round the post and that sparked a siege on Stefano Sorrentino’s goal, which resulted in Nicolas Spolli clearing Chiesa’s effort off the line. Chiesa’s crossshot was cleared off the line on to the inside of the post by Mariano Izco, then Kalinic ballooned the follow-up over.

Fiorentina became increasingly frustrated and were also reduced to 10 men, as Zarate received a straight red for his tackle from behind on Bastien. It might’ve seemed harsh, but the foot was high, raking studs down the Chievo defender’s calf.

The Flying Donkeys saw their confidence grow, as Tatarusanu needed a desperate save from point-blank range on Lucas Castro’s header and Mariano Izco wasted a promising counter-attack.

Just as extra time seemed inevitable, Massimo Gobbi tripped Bernardeschi from behind for a penalty. Bernardeschi stepped up and kept his cool to convert, sending the Viola into the quarter-finals.

Yesterday Southampton-Liverpool .................... 1-0

Championship

Today Reading-QPR Tomorrow Leeds-Derby Coppa Italia Yesterday Fiorentina-Chievo ............................. 1-0 Juventus-Atalanta ............................. 3-2 Today AC Milan-Torino .....................................

MALTA

FA Ttrophy Yesterday Nadur-Hamrun .................................. 0-2

SPAIN

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