Pjanic stunner as Juve set up Napoli clash

Superb free-kick gives team a win over 10-man AC Milan in Italian Cup

Asuperb curling free-kick from Miralem Pjanic kept Juventus on track for a third consecutive Serie A and Italian Cup double on Wednesday after a dramatic 2-1 quarter-final win over 10man AC Milan.

Milan were looking to hand the two-time defending Cup champions their third defeat in succession after following a 1-0 league win earlier in the season with Italian Super Cup victory in Doha in December.

But despite seeing Carlos Bacca reduce the arrears on 53 minutes after Paulo Dybala and Pjanic had given the hosts a 2-0 lead by the 21st minute, Milan threw away their chance of a fightback when Manuel Locatelli saw red for a second bookable offence when he lunged at Dybala moments later.

Two-leg semis

Juventus will now meet Napoli in the two-leg semifinals. Inter Milan host Lazio next week and Roma host second division Cesena in the other last eight ties.

Juventus, bidding for a record sixth consecutive Serie A title, extended their unbeaten run at home to 27 games last week with a 2-0 win over Lazio, and Massimiliano Allegri’s men were in no mood to capitulate at home in the Cup.

Despite leaving ‘keeper Gianluigi Buffon on the bench in place of Norberto Neto, Allegri fielded his strongest side and, despite seeing several chances go amiss, could have few regrets. “We didn’t give them much in the first half, which should have finished 3-0 for us,” said Allegri, who ditched his preferred 3-5-2 formation for a 4-2-3-1 for the second game in succession due to injuries. “We did well up until 65 minutes, then Milan came back into it. But we should have settled it much earlier.”

A Juraj Kucka foul on Asamoah gave Pjanic the chance for one of his trademark freekicks, and when Donnarumma left just enough space at his near post the Bosnian curled a weighted drive past the teenaged ‘keeper’s gloves.