CL: Juve Stuns Real Madrid With 2-1 Home Victory

After a 12-year absence, Juventus returned to the final four of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, topping Real Madrid in Turin, 2-1, in the first leg of a mouthwatering semi-final clash.

Their lack of pedigree in recent years meant the Bianconeri were understandably viewed as the outsiders among the teams left in the draw.

Indeed, this was only the club’s third season back in the elite competition since Andrea Agnelli took control of Juventus. Bayern Munich dealt them a lesson in the 2012 quarter-finals before Juventus crashed out in the group stage last term.

This season however, the Grand Old Lady of Italian football has been an entirely different proposition.

Losses to Atletico Madrid and Olympiakos in two of their first three matches saw Massimiliano Allegri finally abandon the 3-5-2 framework so beloved by predecessor Antonio Conte. In its place, the former Milan boss deployed his side in a formation he told La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t FootballItalia) was “4-3 and then we’ll see.”

The results improved immediately, and the club marched emphatically past Borussia Dortmund and AS Monaco to bring them to the brink of what would be their first final since 2003.

The one surprising choice in the coach’s starting XI was Stefano Sturaro in place of Roberto Pereyra, as Allegri opted for the defensive qualities of the former rather than the more incisive style of the latter. With Vidal in that more advanced role, it quickly became apparent the plan was to harass the reigning European champions in hopes of cutting off the supply line to their star-studded attacking line-up.

The 22-year-old did not celebrate against his old club, showing respect for the team he has supported since childhood. “I’d give anything to win,” Morata told AS (h/t Football Italia) in the buildup to the game, but his hopes would take a blow just 19 minutes later when a long, patient passing move led to an almost inevitable goal for Cristiano Ronaldo.That approach almost paid dividends in the opening minutes when Tevez pressured Iker Casillas into a mistake that led to a chance that Vidal should have made more of. The Bianconeri would make amends just moments later, however, as the Real Madrid goalkeeper spilled Tevez's low shot, leaving Morata with the simplest of tap-ins during the eighth minute.

But Juventus were determined to prove they deserved their place in such company, turning in a superb all-round performance that showed they could match the continent’s best. According to statistics fromWhoScored.com, the Bianconeri ran Real Madrid close in terms of shots (13-12 in favour of the Spanish side) and passes (556-508 in favor of Madrid), despite surrendering 52 percent of possession to Carlo Ancelotti’s men.

Juventus would grab the lead just before the hour mark when Tevez earned a penalty after Dani Carvajal hauled him down. The Argentinean would smash home the spot-kick, taking his tally for the season to 29 in all competitions as he struck for the seventh time in 11 Champions League outings.

As he has on a number of occasions, Allegri would then return to a back three to protect that advantage, and the final whistle saw the 2-1 scoreline preserved ahead of next Wednesday's second leg.

The coach expressed pride in the performance shortly afterward but also lamented a late chance that fell to Fernando Llorente, as he told Sky Italia (via Football Italia):

I am very happy with what the lads did. This is the right reward that they deserved, as it’s not easy to reach the Champions League semi-final and especially to play against Real Madrid. We played with great intensity and allowed Real Madrid very little ... It’s a shame, as we could’ve done better with the Llorente chance, but I’d have been happy beforehand to get a win over Real Madrid.

Having already sealed the Serie A title, Juventus' weekend league fixture at home to Cagliari is ultimately meaningless, but this latest victory shows the club have certainly earned their place among the continent’s best.

Real Madrid will no doubt respond with a strong performance on home soil in the second leg, but if Juventus can replicate their first-leg performance, their making the final is by no means out of the question.