Clinical Juventus put an impressive Fiorentina squad to the sword to earn their spot in the Coppa Italia final against Inter Milan.
Juventus showed off their clinical ability in front of goal against Fiorentina to set up a blockbuster Coppa Italia final against defending Serie A champions, Inter Milan.
La Viola went into the game trailing 1-0 from the first leg. They had no choice but to take the game to Juventus and did exactly that. Fiorentina enjoyed more possession and made more shots than the home side on the night, enjoying vast stretches of dominance.
However, they were unable to make the most of their creativity and failed to breach the Juventus defence. The same cannot be said of Juventus who settled the tie thanks to their ability to make their opportunities count.
Federico Bernardeschi, restored to the starting XI gave the home side the lead in the 32nd minute. This gave Juventus a two-goal cushion in the tie going into the second half. Fiorentina kept pushing but continued to draw a blank, making the home side’s job easier.
21 – Juventus have reached their 21st Coppa Italia Final, at least five more than any other side in the competition. Date.#JuveFiorentina #CoppaItaliaFrecciarossa pic.twitter.com/WSRjRVscI3
— OptaPaolo ? (@OptaPaolo) April 20, 2022
Danilo rounded off the night with a second goal in stoppage time to end the game 2-0 on the night and 3-0 on aggregate. The scoreline largely flatters Juventus over both legs but then, it is also a testament to their ability to get the job done even when they are not at their best.
The Bianconeri will now face Inter Milan in what will be a repeat of this year’s Supercoppa Italiana. Massimiliano Allegri’s side will be keen to get back at the Nerazzurri and end the campaign with a trophy. It promises to be an exciting match-up between two teams who have dominated Italian football in recent years. The Hard Tackle now looks at how the Juventus players fared on the night.
Mattia Perin: 8/10
The reserve goalkeeper held his own and showed exactly what he is capable of. Perin was alert all night and responded positively to anything Fiorentina threw at him. He deserves special praise for keeping La Viola at bay all night.
Mattia Perin appreciation tweet. I feel so safe when he’s in goal.
Good night Juventini ??? pic.twitter.com/CknBCFJDJv— Ghida (@thejuventina) April 20, 2022
Mattia De Sciglio: 6/10
It was a mixed night for the Italian as he intermixed the solid with the ridiculous. Despite being a tad careless at times, De Sciglio largely did his job. He was taken off for Juan Cuadrado in the final ten minutes. He also picked up a needless yellow card late in the first half.
Leonardo Bonucci: 5/10
The veteran displayed his leadership skills by organising the rearguard well, but it is clear that his age is starting to show. He was held high and dry at times by Fiorentina’s style of attack and struggled to keep up with their constant movement. Unfortunately, the visitors’ profligacy in front of the goal meant Juventus went unpunished.
Matthijs de Ligt: 5/10
The Dutchman looked shaky on the night and struggled to keep Fiorentina quiet. Had it not been for the excellent Perin, de Ligt’s inadequacies could have been consequential.
Alex Sandro: 6/10
The full-back was solid but unspectacular and did his job on the night. In what appears to be his last season with Juventus, Alex Sandro appears determined to go out on a high.
Federico Bernardeschi: 7/10
The Italian winger gave an excellent account of himself on the night, handing Juventus breathing space with a well taken first-half strike. He was among Juventus’s better players on the night and also provided the assist to Adrien Rabiot’s disallowed goal.
2 – Federico Bernardeschi has scored two goals in all competitions this term, as many as he had in total in the previous two campaigns for Juventus. Ex.#JuventusFiorentina #CoppaItaliaFrecciarossa
— OptaPaolo ? (@OptaPaolo) April 20, 2022
Denis Zakaria: 7/10
The Swiss international formed a solid partnership with Danilo in the middle of the park. Zakaria’s athleticism combined with his physical prowess helped him respond accordingly to Fiorentina’s attacks. He did just enough to prevent the Juventus midfield from being overrun, offering the Bianconeri defenders a respite.
Danilo: 8/10
The Brazilian deserves credit for not just holding his own in an unfamiliar position but also coming out on top. He battled hard all night and kept his cool in some testing situations. His goal in second-half stoppage time was the icing on the cake.
Danilo makes it official for Juventus! ⚫⚪
A 3-0 aggregate win and it's going to be a Derby d'Italia final ? pic.twitter.com/olVyc7UyOf
— Premier Sports (@PremierSportsTV) April 20, 2022
Adrien Rabiot: 6/10
The Frenchman continues to be inconsistent and did not have much to write home on the night. The standout moment for Rabiot was the first half goal which was eventually chalked off for offside.
Dusan Vlahovic: 6/10
It was a rare off night for the Serbian ace against his former side. Vlahovic struggled to get going and lacked the usual sharpness in front of the goal. This largely limited the Juventus attack who failed to turn up for the majority of the match. In his defence, Vlahovic looked jaded and could do with a breather.
Alvaro Morata: 6/10
The Spaniard was off the pace on the night and was unable to cause Fiorentina problems. He is another player who looks tired and could do with a breather.
SUBSTITUTES
Paulo Dybala: 6/10
The Argentine replaced the tiring Morata in the 66th minute but did not enjoy much success going forward.
Juan Cuadrado: 6/10
The Colombian replaced De Sciglio in the 79th minute and kept things simple.
Moise Kean: N/A
He replaced Dusan Vlahovic in the 82nd minute but did little of note.
Giorgio Chiellini: N/A
The veteran replaced the excellent Bernardeschi in the 82nd minute, offering solidity at the back as Juventus looked to shut shop.
