Socrates

ROMA - JUVENTUS .- Monday, March 2nd, 2015 - 8:45 PM Olimpico Stadium, Rome Referee: Daniele Orsato Pogba fit for Roma? Feb 27, 2015 Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba will be fit to face Roma in Monday’s Scudetto showdown, according to reports. It was revealed yesterday that the youngster was struggling with a thigh injury, and could miss the crucial top-of-the-table clash. However, according to Mediaset, an MRI scan at Vinovo this morning showed no damage to the muscle. The news outlet reports that while Pogba will be carefully monitored over the coming days, the former Manchester United man should be fit to face Roma. A win for the Bianconeri would see them extend their lead over Rudi Garcia’s men to a potentially unassailable 12 points. In addition, the crisis at Parma may see Juve given an extra three points, as the Old Lady will awarded a 3-0 walkover if the Ducali cannot complete their fixtures. That would be a bitter blow for the Giallorossi, who have already played the Emilian side twice, dropping two points in their last meeting. In the event of Parma being expelled from the League, Juventus would also have a free weekend. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Andrea Pirlo's Injury Could Be a Net Benefit for Juventus Feb 27, 2015 Andrea Pirlo is as legendary a player as they come in Italian soccer. He is a two-time Champions League winner, five-time Italian champion, a hero of the 2006 World Cup victory, has the fourth most caps in the history of the national team and is the only player who isn't a defender or goalkeeper to be honored as a centurion. While he made his name at AC Milan, his name will go down just as permanently in Juventus' lore. His arrival in tandem with manager Antonio Conte ended the club's post-Calciopoli doldrums and catapulted the team back to the top of Serie A. It would be reasonable, then, for Juve fans to be severely concerned about his impending absence. The team's official website (h/t Football Italia) confirmed that he will miss three weeks after suffering a calf injury in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. Given the fixtures facing the team in the next three weeks—a potential title decider in Rome, a grudge match against rivals Fiorentina and the return leg in Dortmund—Pirlo's vision and passing prowess will likely be missed. There is, however, a silver lining in this unfortunate circumstance. Indeed, L'architetto's absence may even help the Bianconeri. The book on Pirlo is that sustained pressure will deny the ability to work his magic. In 2010, Alex Ferguson sticked Park Ji-Sung on Pirlo as a man-marker. Without the time and space to unleash his passes, Pirlo was neutralized, and in turn so was Milan's attack. This strategy is Dortmund's default against any opponent. They press hard in midfield to force the team to force the mids into rushed passes and mistakes. It's Pirlo's worst nightmare, and he was forced into several uncharacteristic errors before he was withdrawn. To his credit, he responded by pressing right back and regained possession on a few occasions. Pereyra's introduction forced some juggling in the midfield. Claudio Marchisio moved from the flank of the diamond formed by the 4-3-1-2 formation to the regista position normally occupied by Pirlo. Arturo Vidal, originally deployed as trequartista, moved farther back and his place was taken by Pereyra. These changes had a profound effect on the team. Their play became far more direct. Pereyra used his pace and dribbling ability well behind the strikers and was more effective at linking with Alvaro Morata and Carlos Tevez. He very nearly sealed the tie late on when a shot across the face of goal ghosted past the post. In moving farther back, Vidal was made more effective. He has always been a poor fit for the trequartista role, and it showed in his performance against Dortmund. He gave the ball away on several occasions and committed more than a few fouls. When dropped back into the midfield, his game improved. Allowed to play his natural position, he was less restricted and could use his defensive skill and endurance to greater effect. Juve benefits with Pereyra, the much more suited player, playing in the hole behind the strikers and Vidal playing his regular role as a box-to-box midfielder. Marchisio is a world-class player in his own right and has quietly become a great alternative to the regista position. He doesn't share Pirlo's ability to drop a 60-yard pass on a dime in a snow storm, but he can make the passes he needs to and plays the position with greater pace than the older man—a key to breaking Dortmund's press. The other potential benefit of Pirlo's injury comes from the move down the depth chart. With Pereyra in the starting lineup, a place opens up for youngster Stefano Sturaro as the first midfielder off the bench. Sturaro was purchased from Genoa in the summer and immediately loaned back to the Griffone. Faced with potential depth problems in midfield the Bianconeri recalled him early this January. The only other player on the squad who can play in the midfield is Simone Padoin—but Sturaro is already the better option. The 21-year-old is a midfield bruiser in the mold of Gennaro Gattuso, and is a future fixture in the team's midfield. To get a potential baptism of fire in big fixtures as a reserve could be a major spur in his development. Pirlo's absence is always difficult to bear. But now his injury could force Massimiliano Allegri to make moves that, if Pirlo were healthy, would be extraordinarily difficult but in the current situation are both obvious and beneficial. This is especially so against Dortmund, where Pereyra's presence and the realignment that comes with it might be the key to breaking Jurgen Klopp's press and preserve their advantage in the second leg. Pirlo is a key part of any team, but in this particular case, his absence may just force the squad to grow.

ROMA - JUVENTUS .- Monday, March 2nd, 2015 - 8:45 PM Olimpico Stadium, Rome Referee: Daniele Orsato Roma must beat Juventus - Garcia The Frenchman has seen his side fall to pieces in Serie A since the turn of the year, leaving them nine points adrift of the league leaders ahead of Monday's game. Feb 27, 2015 Rudi Garcia has admitted Roma simply have to beat Juventus on Monday or else their Serie A title hopes are over for another season. The Giallorossi have fallen nine points behind the reigning champions in the Scudetto race after developing an inability to convert draws into victories since the turn of the year. With European football in March secured - they completed a 3-2 aggregate win over Feyenoord in the last-32 of the Europa League on Thursday - Garcia now has his sights set on resolving their league woes on Monday. "We are satisfied with our performance in Rotterdam," the French coach told the club's official website. "But we need to find continuity. "We showed against Feyenoord that we haven't forgotten how to play. We need to remain on this path. "We'll soon see if this is the turning point for our season. I am satisfied with the performance, now we just need to find the right consistency. "We have two days fewer than Juve to prepare for Monday's game but I'm confident. There is a game against Juventus that we must win." Massimiliano Allegri's men head into the clash at Stadio Olimpico - where Roma have not lost in Serie A all season - on the back of beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in their Champions League last 16 first leg. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Juventus star Paul Pogba 'not interested in Manchester United return' Feb 27, 2015 Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba reportedly has no intention of returning to Manchester United in the future, despite rumours that the Premier League giants are interested in the Frenchman. The 21-year-old left Old Trafford on a free transfer to Juve back in 2012 following an alleged fallout with former manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Since leaving the Red Devils, Pogba has gone on to become one of the most talented youngsters in Europe and has reportedly attracted interest from Real Madrid. According to the Daily Star, the midfielder is certain that he will never return to United as he feels that he has bigger options should he ever leave Juventus. Pogba has been valued at £75m by his agent Mino Raiola.

ROMA - JUVENTUS .- Monday, March 2nd, 2015 - 8:45 PM Olimpico Stadium, Rome Referee: Daniele Orsato Roma V Juventus – Preview: Serie A’s Top Two Clash With Giallorossi In Last Chance Scudetto Saloon Feb 27, 2015 The destination of the Scudetto could become clearer on Monday evening as Roma and Juventus clash in Serie A’s top of the table clash at the Stadio Olimpico. The defending champions have won 77 of their 161 previous matches against last season’s runners-up in Serie A and secured a 3-2 victory when the two sides met in a fiery encounter at the Juventus Stadium in October. Three penalties, two red cards and a late disputed winning goal by Leonardo Bonucci ended up being discussed in parliamentary question time, while the performance of match official Gianluca Rocchi was described as a ‘horror show.’ Of the polemics that raged in the aftermath, one of the most notable was Roma coach Rudi Garcia claiming his side were stronger than Juventus and that they would go on to win the Scudetto this season. However, the Giallorossi have since suffered from a loss of form drawing six of their last seven Serie A matches and managing only nine goals in as many games in the league. With nine points now separating the two teams, Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini has more recently suggested that his side should now be more concerned about consolidating second place. In addition to this concession, Juve can also take reassurance from knowing that their nine-point advantage is the joint-biggest that any Serie A team has held after 24 rounds in the era of three points for a win. Monday’s edition of La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport notes that it has happened five times before, and on all five occasions the team that achieved such an advantage went on to win the title. The Bianconeri are unbeaten in all competitions in 2015 after 11 matches, but have drawn in their last two away league matches at Udinese and Cesena. Andrea Pirlo is set to miss the next three weeks after suffering a calf injury during the Champions League Round of 16 first leg win against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. Paul Pogba is also a doubt due to a thigh problem, which means that Stefano Sturaro could make his Juventus debut after being recalled from his loan at Genoa. Juan Iturbe was a second-half substitute in Roma’s 2-1 Europa League win at Feyenoord on Thursday after recovering from ligament damage in his knee and ankle. Maicon and Victor Ibarbo are still unavailable though injury, while Kevin Strootman, Leandro Castan and Federico Balzaretti are long-term absentees. Form Guide: Roma (D-D-D-W-D-D) Juventus (W-W-D-W-D-W) Expected Starting XIs Roma: De Sanctis; Torosidis, Manolas, Astori, Holebas; Pjanic, Keita, Nainggolan; Gervinho, Totti, Ljajic. Juventus: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Sturaro, Marchisio, Vidal; Pereyra; Tevez, Morata. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

ROMA - JUVENTUS .- Monday, March 2nd, 2015 - 8:45 PM Olimpico Stadium, Rome Referee: Daniele Orsato Pogba in doubt for Roma-Juve Feb 26, 2015 There are reports Paul Pogba is at risk for Monday’s Roma-Juventus match due to a thigh problem. La Stampa’s online edition suggests Pogba suffered a muscular problem in his left thigh. He will undergo further tests tomorrow, but is at risk for the big Scudetto showdown. It is a particularly heavy blow considering Andrea Pirlo has already been ruled out for three weeks. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

ROMA - JUVENTUS .- Monday, March 2nd, 2015 - 8:45 PM Olimpico Stadium, Rome Referee: Daniele Orsato Orsato to ref Roma-Juventus Feb 26, 2015 Daniele Orsato will take charge of Monday night’s top of the table clash between Roma and Juventus, it has been announced. There was huge controversy in the reverse fixture, as Gianluca Rocchi awarded the Bianconeri two penalties, and sent Roma Coach Rudi Garcia to the stands. Orsato last presided over a Juventus game in November, a 2-1 victory over Torino in the Derby della Mole. Elsewhere, Davide Massa will run the rule over Fiorentina’s trip to Inter, while Gianpaolo Calvarese will officiate as Chievo welcome Milan. Week 25 referees Antonio Damato - Atalanta-Sampdoria Paolo Valeri - Cagliari-Verona Daniele Doveri - Cesena-Udinese Gianpaolo Calvarese - Chievo-Milan Claudio Gavillucci - Genoa-Parma Davide Massa - Inter-Fiorentina Angelo Cervellera - Palermo-Empoli Daniele Orsato - Roma-Juventus Carmine Russo - Sassuolo-Lazio Massimiliano Irrati - Torino-Napoli http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

ROMA - JUVENTUS .- Monday, March 2nd, 2015 - 8:45 PM Olimpico Stadium, Rome Referee: Daniele Orsato Why Beating Roma Will Ensure 4th Consecutive Serie A Title for Juventus Feb 26, 2015 Statistically speaking, last season was among the finest AS Roma have ever enjoyed, the club setting new records for points (85), wins (26) and clean sheets (21). Despite those achievements—and starting the campaign with 10 straight victories—the Giallorossi still found themselves some distance behind eventual champions Juventus. Indeed, thanks to their own breathtaking pace, the Turin giants would set a new Serie A mark by winning 102 points, 17 more than Rudi Garcia’s men, to comfortably lift their third consecutive title. Both sides strengthened their playing squads this summer, but the shock departure of Antonio Conte was seen as the opening Roma needed in order to truly compete with their northern rivals. A controversial 3-2 win over the capital club put Juventus in the driving seat once again, but in the aftermath of that October meeting their coach appears to have inadvertently derailed their title push. Garcia was sent to the stands during the game and blasted referee Gianluca Rocchi afterwards, complaining at his press conference that “the penalty boxes are 19 yards," at Juventus Stadium after a foul by Miralem Pjanic on Paul Pogba resulted in a spot-kick, per Goal.com. Captain Francesco Totti followed his coach’s lead when speaking to Sky Italia, refusing to accept they had been defeated fairly. “I don't know if we were beaten by referees, but we certainly were not beaten by Juventus tonight,” he said (h/t ESPN) before adding that the Bianconeri triumph “by hook or by crook.” The complaints continued, with Garcia saying in December that “It's true Juventus are ahead by three points and we all know how," per Jacopo Lo Monaco of Reuters UK. Yet it is easy to forget that before they clashed two months earlier, the two sides were in fact neck-and-neck at the top of the table. Indeed, since beating Inter at the end of November, Roma have registered just three Serie A victories, adding eight draws to fall nine points behind the Bianconeri. That is an alarming slump, particularly after Garcia stated his belief that his team would win the Scudetto because “we are stronger than Juventus,” per Football Italia. As the two protagonists meet again on Monday, Garcia must find a way to lift his team to victory if they are to have any hope of keeping his promise. A loss or draw would perhaps make the lead insurmountable for the Giallorossi, even as Juve continue their Champions League adventure. Massimiliano Allegri’s men are likely to be buoyed by Tuesday’s win over Borussia Dortmund, putting on an excellent display in which they conceded possession and struck at pace on the break. A similar approach would serve them well at the Stadio Olimpico, as that would negate many of Roma’s strengths just as it did to the German outfit. With the likes of Gervinho and Pjanic failing to match the excellent form they showed last term, it will clearly be a difficult task for the home side. Supporters are increasingly unhappy with the situation, with the banner above making their opinion of the situation abundantly clear. Owner James Pallotta believes that is a minority opinion however, blaming the Roman press for the situation as he spoke to reporters at an event in Milan earlier this week, telling them (h/t Football Italia): It’s only a problem for the media, it’s they who create it. The only ones who see a problem are them and a few fans, who maybe aren’t real fans either. Most other people don’t think that way. I’ve met 30 [Roma fans] in Milan, and for them it’s ok, the team is trying and this is just a phase. We’re still second in the table. Every year the goal must be to win the Scudetto, I don’t see what the problem is, sometimes you win and sometimes you can’t. Do you think that Rudi was a God last year, and is now the devil incarnate? I don’t think so, it’s just a period where we’ve had a few draws, we’ll get back to winning. Ideally for Pallotta and AS Roma, that would start on Monday night, because failure to beat the Bianconeri a second time would likely spell the end for their challenge. It could lead to further problems for Garcia before next season begins, and is almost certain to deliver yet another title to Turin and Juventus. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eZpDL98dFs http://www.tuttosport.com/foto/calcio/champions_league/2015/02/24-91134_0/+FOTO+Juventus-Borussia+2-1%3A+che+spettacolo+Tevez+e+Morata http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/gYAseuw8dMx/Juventus+v+Borussia+Dortmund+UEFA+Champions/LXq5-_4xk9B

Pirlo out for three weeks Feb 26, 2015 Juventus will be without Andrea Pirlo for the Champions League return with Borussia Dortmund, as he’s out for three weeks. The Italian international was subsituted during the 2-1 win over the German side on Tuesday with a calf injury and was assessed this morning. “The tests showed first degree strain of both medial heads in the right leg,” The Bianconeri confirmed on their official website. “The prognosis for a complete recovery is 20 days.” A first degree strain causes pain, but involves only micro-tearing of the fibres in the muscle, meaning that Pirlo will recover in three weeks, rather than several months. The return leg with Dortmund takes place on March 18, two weeks on Wednesday.

JUVENTUS - BORUSSIA D. 2 - 1 Carlos Tévez (13') Marco Reus (18') Álvaro Morata (42') Tuesday, February 24th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) Dortmund handed Piszczek blow BVB have been beset by injury problems all season and will now have to do without another of their key men for the foreseeable future. Feb 25, 2014 Borussia Dortmund defender Lukasz Piszczek has been ruled out for six weeks after sustaining an ankle injury in Tuesday's 2-1 Champions League defeat at Juventus. The Poland right-back lasted just over half an hour of the round of 16 first leg in Turin before limping off following a challenge from Paul Pogba that left him writhing in agony. Dortmund revealed on Wednesday that Piszczek, who has been unfortunate with injuries during his time at the Bundesliga club, is set for another spell on the sidelines. BVB coach Jurgen Klopp has seen a number of his key men succumb to injury this season and must now do without the defender for the second leg against Juve on March 18, while he could also miss the clash with Bayern Munich at the start of April.

Carlos Tevez: 'There were too many big egos at Manchester United' Feb 25, 2015 Juventus striker Carlos Tevez has revealed that he never felt settled at Manchester United because there were too many "big egos" in the team. The Argentina international spent two years at Old Trafford before joining local rivals Manchester City in 2009. The 31-year-old's career at City came to an end four years later following his controversial decision to refuse to warm up for then-manager Roberto Mancini during a Champions League tie with Bayern Munich in 2011. When asked by El Pais if he ever felt at home in England, Tevez said: "Not really at Manchester United because there were so many big egos there. At City I did, but I made a mistake and paid for it. I considered quitting football." Tevez currently plies his trade in Italy for Juventus.

JUVENTUS - BORUSSIA D. 2 - 1 Carlos Tévez (13') Marco Reus (18') Álvaro Morata (42') Tuesday, February 24th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) Juventus pass Milan in rankings Feb 25, 2014 Juventus have moved ahead of Milan in the latest UEFA club rankings, and are the only Italian club in the top 20. The Bianconeri beat Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League Last 16 first leg last night, while the Diavolo are not involved in European competition this term. Inter remain 22nd in the standings, with the Old Lady and their city rivals immediately above, and Napoli two places below. Juventus’ ranking is set to rise further in the next few years, as a season of no participation in Europe will be wiped from the record in the coming seasons. Real Madrid are ranked as the top team in Europe, with Barcelona and Real Madrid rounding off the top three.

Pirlo out for a month? Feb 25, 2015 Juventus will evaluate the condition of Andrea Pirlo today, with fears the midfielder could be out for a month. The Italian international went off during last night’s win over Borussia Dortmund, struggling with a calf injury. According to Tuttosport, with Pirlo having suffered a similar type of injury in the past, there are fears that the Bianconeri could be without him for the next month. That would see the World Cup winner miss crucial games away to Roma and Borussia Dortmund, and would leave him in doubt for a potential Champions League quarter final should the Old Lady complete the job in Germany. “He went off with a calf problem,” Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri said after the game. “We’ll evaluate it tomorrow morning, hopefully it’s nothing serious.”

JUVENTUS - BORUSSIA D. 2 - 1 Carlos Tévez (13') Marco Reus (18') Álvaro Morata (42') Tuesday, February 24th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) Morata: Juve will go to Dortmund all guns blazing The ex-Real Madrid striker scored the winner as Massimiliano Allegri's men won the first leg but he is aware how tough it will be to reach the last eight. Feb 25, 2014 Alvaro Morata has promised that Juventus will go to Borussia Dortmund with all guns blazing after they edged a 2-1 triumph in the home leg of their Champions League last-16 clash on Tuesday. After Carlos Tevez's opener had been cancelled out by Marco Reus, the Spanish forward put the Scudetto holders back into the lead in Turin and ensured they have a narrow advantage ahead of next month's second leg. Morata, who joined Juve from Real Madrid last summer, is under no illusions about how tough it will be for the Bianconeri at Signal Iduna Park but insists they will throw everything they have at Jurgen Klopp's side. "I think we played well, but it was very difficult," he told Sky Sport. "Borussia Dortmund might not have be doing well in the Bundesliga, but we all know they are strong in the Champions League. "The second leg will be extremely difficult in a fervid stadium, but Juve will go there with everything we’ve got. Tonight we won and I am happy." Morata's strike at the Juventus Stadium against Dortmund was his eighth of the season for Massimiliano Allegri's men. The 22-year-old has scored in his last three starts for Juve, who can go 12 points clear in Serie A with a victory over second-placed Roma on Monday.

JUVENTUS - BORUSSIA D. 2 - 1 Carlos Tévez (13') Marco Reus (18') Álvaro Morata (42') Tuesday, February 24th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) Juventus 2-1 Borussia Dortmund: Carlos Tévez, Álvaro Morata give Juve slender lead in close-fought tie Bianconeri recover from Giorgio Chiellini's error to take narrow advantage to Signal Iduna Park in two weeks’ time. Feb 25, 2014 Well, that was intense, wasn't it? Borussia Dortmund were pretty much what we expected — quick, skillful, aggressive (a little too aggressive for my liking) and at times defensively shaky. For Juventus, Max Allegri took an unfamiliar approach — but not unexpected — by mainly ceding possession to Dortmund, giving them little space and trying to hit them on quick counter attacks. This was the first time in this season's Champions League that we've had less possession than our opponents. "We prepared this tactic, to invite Borussia forward, clog the midfield and therefore create spaces behind them. At this level you can't try to dominate your opponents, so we aimed to make the most of their defensive weaknesses" said Allegri after the game. It worked pretty well, as apart from the goal — which came as a result of an unforced error — Dortmund did not have many dangerous opportunities. This was in part helped by Jürgen Klopp's strange decision to play their in-form striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang out wide on the right; it's fair to say that Ciro Immobile was much less of a threat up front. Two complaints I have from this game. Firstly, Juve again wasted too many chances to get a third or even fourth goal. The most upsetting of these was Roberto Pereyra's in the 85th minute. Great pass first by Claudio Marchisio to Man of the Match Álvaro Morata, who then played the Vidal wannabe through, only for him to scuff his shot (despite Dortmund keeper Roman Wiedenfeller being poorly positioned). When, oh when, are we going to improve in this area? Secondly, why were Juve trying to play the ball out from defence and midfield so often, given how aggressively Dortmund were pressing us? Juventus gave the ball away too many times like that. As even Michael Cox (of Zonalmarking.net) noted, Allegri's men were much more effective when either quickly playing out of or bypassing the midfield all together - as was the case on both of our goals. One other thing; While the game was not dirty by any means, I did feel like the referee let Dortmund get away with a lot of their aggressive play at times. Juve definitely should have had more fouls. I hope the Juventus players have learned from the few mistakes they made Tuesday night, and work towards not repeating these. The second leg is going to be extremely difficult, and Signal Iduna will give Dortmund a big lift. I'm still only 50 percent confident that Juve can knock out Dortmund (as there's more to winning than just having great players). But in the first leg, Juve showed that they can step it up against the top teams in Europe. In two weeks, they'll have the opportunity to show that they belong on this stage by knocking one of them out. MATCH SUMMARY Dortmund made a bright start to this game, with some quick passes in midfield leading to Immobile shooting over from just outside the box. Dortmund had the best of the early exchanges, but Juventus took the lead in the 13th minute with a great counter attack. Morata and Carlos Tévez exchanged passes on the half-line before the young Spaniard sprinted down the left on Dortmund's goal, cut back and had what seemed a weak shot/cross. However, Wiedenfeller spilled this right into the path of Tevez for El Apache to tap into an open net. A brilliant start for Juve! Alas, our dream start soon turned sour. Under no pressure, Chiellini goes to control a ball and inexplicably slips and presents Marco Reus with a one-on-one opportunity and the German international coolly sent Buffon the wrong way to equalize for Dortmund. It was the all-important away goal that we desperately wanted to avoid conceding, and it was extremely disappointing to concede via an unforced error. Dortmund continued to press and were definitely on top after this and Juve looked to be struggling to contain them, but they still had their chances. On 21 minutes, Juve created a half chance with Tévez hooking a cross back from the goal line for Morata, who headed wide from around the penalty spot. A few minutes later, Juve had another chance, this time from an Andrea Pirlo free kick which met Leonardo Bonucci at the far post for him to head high and wide. A late challenge on Dortmund right back Lukasz Piszczek by Paul Pogba resulted in the former being substituted for Matthias Ginter. Five minutes later, Juventus were forced into a change of their own, with Pirlo having to come off with a calf injury. Pereyra was his replacement. This did not turn out to be a detrimental loss, as a further five minutes after that, Juve retook the lead. A long pass from the back by Bonucci found Tevez, who spread the ball out wide for Pogba, who in turn played a one-time pass into the middle for the wide open Morata to side foot into the bottom corner. A goal and an assist for Juve's most in-form player at the moment. The first chance of the second half fell to Dortmund and Immobile; after Juve failed to clear their lines, the ex-Juve man spun but fired straight at Buffon. On 61 minutes, quick passing and movement up front by Juve led to a Lichtsteiner cross for Morata to flick on, which eventually fell for Tevez who lashed over from 12 yards out. While Dortmund had the majority of the possession, Juve were still creating chances. Pogba played in Marchisio, who layed off to Tevez, who then somehow wriggled free amidst a sea of Dortmund legs to get a shot on goal which was deflected wide for a corner. Tevez then took advantage of a slip by Ginter in the Dortmund defence to unleash a strike on goal, which Wiedenfeller pushed out for a corner. Chiellini headed over on the corner. On 80 minutes, Juve failed to clear a Dortmund free kick, and Blaszczkowski whipped in a cross from the right which Hummels headed over. The last chance of the game fell to Juve. On 86 minutes, Marchisio played in Morata who controlled and then slid a pass through to the onrushing Pereyra who got into a great position in the box but then scuffed his shot wide. It was a great chance and would have given us that much desired two goal cushion going into the second leg. PLAYER RATINGS Buffon: 6.5 Another solid performance by old reliable. An assured performance deserved of a clean sheet. Lichtsteiner: 6 Performed admirably against one of the best players in Europe, with Reus overall being menacing rather than outright dangerous. Got forward well when the opportunity arose. Bonucci: 6.5 Was back to his solid self as he has been for most of the season so far. Started the play which led to Juve's second goal, and late in the game made a key interception when Aubameyang would have been clean through. Chiellini: 5 Still can't get over that slip. Yes, I know, these things happen, but why did it have to happen tonight? Sigh. He did very well subsequent to that however, but being solely at fault for Dortmund's goal can't get him above a 5. Hopefully he makes up for it by getting the winning goal in the second leg. Evra: 6 Solid performance by the veteran Frenchman, who is now looking like the player who was a stalwart for Man United for so many years. Was caught out of position on a few occasions, but nothing particularly noteworthy. Marchisio: 6.5 Our best midfielder on the night. Made some key interceptions to win back possession and was involved in most of our chances created in the second half. Pirlo: 5 Unfortunate that our maestro went off after 35 minutes. He played some good passes out of midfield to help alleviate pressure, but he also lost the ball a few times. Thankfully we did not miss him. Pogba: 6 Assisted on Morata's goal and showed some flashy touches, but was not as effective as we would have liked. Vidal: 5.5 An aggressive performance by Vidal, which resulted in a yellow card. Could maybe have had a penalty when tripped in the box late on, otherwise did not do much offensively. Lost the ball in midfield a few times as well when trying to play out from midfield. Morata: 7 A goal and an assist, another man of the match performance by Morata. Would have had two assists if Pereyra had finished his great chance — again, how could he not score there? Tevez: 6.5 Performed the way we would expect from Tevez. Notched up his 4th goal in this season's Champions League and was also involved in our second goal. Since Conte took over, Juve's forwards have always had chemistry. But the Tevez-Morata partnership seems to be the best we've had since then to now, as they are both so quick and tricky. Long may it continue! Subs Pereyra: 5 Did a lot of running and was generally busy, but missed the best chance to give Juve that two goal cushion we desperately hoped for by scuffing his shot wide. Padoin: N/A Came on for Vidal late on and made no real impression. Coman: N/A Came on to give Tevez a much needed break. Gave up a chance to Dortmund by taking too long on the ball, but thankfully nothing came of it. Coach Allegri: 6.5 Set up the team pretty much as expected, and in my opinion, took the right approach. Can't be blame for the goal conceded which we know he really wanted to avoid. He will have his work cut out in the second leg, however.

JUVENTUS - BORUSSIA D. 2 - 1 Carlos Tévez (13') Marco Reus (18') Álvaro Morata (42') Tuesday, February 24th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) Juventus open lead over Dortmund in tactical Champions League battle Feb 25, 2014 A thrilling match between two impressive sides, both Jurgen Klopp and Massimiliano Allegri approached the game with interesting and intelligent strategies. It was night where attacking the defensive weaknesses of the opponent was the priority and the result was a beautiful tactical encounter. Juventus love nothing more than to play the ball out from the back, controlling the tempo and looking for the vertical passes forward until they reach the final third. The likes of Andrea Pirlo and Paul Pogba maintain possession while Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio shield the back-line. The only way Dortmund could win back the ball was by interrupting the less technical players -- the Bianconeri centre-backs. Singling them out, they eventually achieved what they wanted, provoking the Giorgio Chiellini slip that led to the equaliser. When in possession, Dortmund worked through the flanks, their full-backs pushing high, while Juve's plan to congest the midfield failed on occasion. Marco Reus' equaliser deflated the Bianconeri and they lost confidence while Pogba and Vidal did little to ease the pressure. Thus İlkay Gündoğan was allowed plenty of time and space to dictate play as his teammates pressed and harried, pushing in numbers to intercept passes and overwhelm the opponent. The fans were frustrated, wondering why the Old Lady was being dominated and not pressing as efficiently to win back possession and secure the back-line. However, Die Schwarzgelben's attacking game was simply not at the level we have seen in previous years. No strategy, no cutting edge and visibly lacking a bull of a striker who would make the most of the intelligence around him. Juventus and their coach seemed prepared. Allegri was aware of his opponent's offensive flaws and focused on attacking their defensive weaknesses. For despite the drop in confidence, the lack of intensity and the sporadic nonchalance of his midfielders, tactics allowed the Old Lady two goals in the first half. Why? Because the coach realised that BVB's compact style of play meant that if they wanted to push forward, they would be forced to take risks at the back. Those risks would be punished by his leading man on the night, Alvaro Morata. Juventus, at times, overcame the tough pressing game intelligently, sending quick balls through the middle to allow Carlos Tevez to revel in the space and Morata to show off his pace and skills. Swallow pressure, then attack, that was the Bianconeri strategy. This season, Borussia Dortmund have been forced to possess the ball more often than they have in the past four seasons in the German Bundesliga. Many have pointed out that their inability to show off their perfect reactive game and the lack of a true marksman up top are some of the key reasons behind their domestic collapse this term. As such, why not give them the ball and see what their front-line can do? Many believe that a giant like Juve should always look to dominate matches and play a proactive style of play, especially at home and that is precisely why they have been hindered in this competition in recent years. A positive result, however it is achieved, is all that matters and the preconceived notion that some teams should be too proud to play a reactive game is damaging for a side still finding its feet in this competition. It was time for the Bianconeri to realise their limitations and play with their heads and not their hearts, embracing their faults and finding ways to show off their strengths. If Giorgio Chiellini didn't slip, it would have been a perfect night. Then again, Klopp always knew a mistake could be provoked and that's why his strategy also resulted in an important away goal. It's all about the tactics. Sadly, as one has come to expect from Juventus, they missed several chances to extend their lead to make life that much easier for themselves in the away fixture. Compact and determined, the Bianconeri were barely disturbed by their opponents, who had eased off in the second half. Roberto Pereyra impressed with his bursts forward even if his finishing nearly killed hopeful onlookers, while Claudio Marchisio deserves bountiful praise for his work ethic and tactical versatility. Leonardo Bonucci proved monstrous at the back and almost punished BVB's poor defending from set-pieces, but one still cannot help but wonder why Pogba isn't delighting in these matches. He produced certain moments of magic, such as his lovely assist for Juve's second goal but his impact was infrequent. These are the games he needs to show fight and greater determination, using his strength and technique to get to the balls quicker and provide the team with his skills in both phases of the game. Thankfully he wasn't given the yellow card he so richly deserved, which means he will be given another opportunity to demonstrate his importance to the side at Westfalenstadion. It's still all to play for at this point, but Dortmund's defensive inadequacies should give Juve hope they can score in the return leg.

JUVENTUS - BORUSSIA D. 2 - 1 Carlos Tévez (13') Marco Reus (18') Álvaro Morata (42') Tuesday, February 24th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) Chiellini: I Was Praying For Reus To Miss Feb 24, 2014 Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini was praying for Borussia Dortmund forward Marco Reus to fail to convert the chance that led to the German outfit’s goal against the Bianconeri on Tuesday night. The Italian international’s faulty slide tackle allowed Reus to go through on goal and equalise for the Germans having gone 1-0 down, but Juve were able to redeem themselves and emerged victorious by a score of 2-1, thus giving them the advantage heading into the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie. “The error for the Dortmund goal? It happens, but the problem is that there was only [Gianluigi] Buffon left and he couldn’t do anything,” he told Sky Sport. “I was praying for Reus to miss but unfortunately he scored, however we reacted well. “At half-time our mentality didn’t change, we knew that Dortmund are a side that exploit space really well. “They were dangerous at the start of the second half, but we kept compact and we even created many opportunities. “We were able to win, but it’s a tight result.” Juve are set to travel to Germany to face Dortmund at the Signal Iduna Park in the second leg of the tie on March 18.

JUVENTUS - BORUSSIA D. 2 - 1 Carlos Tévez (13') Marco Reus (18') Álvaro Morata (42') Tuesday, February 24th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) Juventus 2 - Borussia Dortmund 1: Initial reaction and random observations Feb 24, 2014 Juventus had just seen their lead — and Giorgio Chiellini — slip away mere minutes after Carlos Tévez gave his team a 1-0 advantage. They looked every bit of a team that was shaken, giving away possession and while seeing Borussia Dortmund start to truly take over the game and impose their will and high pressure. It wasn't looking good for Juventus as the first half went on — their lead was gone, and so was their ability to command what was directly in front of them. Then, on a quick counterattack, Álvaro Morata happened, with a tip of the hat to Paul Pogba and his beautiful assist. And then, after a second half of defensive stands, a Juventus win happened, which is almost always a good thing. What was expected to be a close tie is still exactly that. Juventus heads to Germany for leg No. 2 in two weeks with a slim 2-1 advantage after Marco Reus' first-half strike on Chiellini's massive blunder gave Dortmund the away goal they so desired. Juventus' goal was to keep Dortmund off the scoreboard, but when you have gift-wrap the opposition an equalizer as easy and simple as that one, all those hopes go flying out the window. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@carlitos3210: "The return leg? Even if we had won 3-0 tonight it still wouldn't be over." Honestly, I love that attitude. Carlitos knows. And after watching the first leg, so do a lot of us here. Juventus rebounded nicely after Morata's goal gave them the lead for what proved to be for good. But Dortmund are dangerous even though they aren't the same kind of team they were a few years ago. They still have talented players, they still have Jürgen Klopp, they still have the second leg at home. Juventus got the first step mostly right, but there's still a second leg to be played in an atmosphere that's just as imposing as the one at Juventus Stadium. It's not over, but it was never going to be because these two teams are both out there to prove a point. Tuesday night was a good win, but I won't truly celebrate until we get the chance to see Gigi Buffon giving out hugs to anybody willing after Juventus advances to the Champions League quarterfinals. Hopefully we actually get to see that. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@OfficialAllegri: "It was a fair result. We could have scored more but I’m happy with the win and our overall performance." Random thoughts and observations Because of the nine-hour time difference between Italy and where I live here in the U.S., all of the morning news from Italy pops up online right as I'm about to head to bed. Some predicted lineups had Fernando Llorente starting over Morata. Man oh man, I sure am happy that didn't happen. Morata continues to impress, continues to score goals, continues to prove why Allegri switching from one Spaniard last month to another was the right choice. This is a young player with tons of potential starting to truly realize it. That, my friends, can be a wonderful thing. Watching this Morata-Tévez partnership develop has been fun. They both track back on defense, they compliment each other so well. And, as proven against Borussia Dortmund, they're setting up each other and causing all kinds of trouble in the final third. Remember when people said Tévez couldn't get the job done in Europe? How's that working out? There are few Juventus-related things that bring me so much joy as hearing the aftermath of a Juventus goal whenever they're playing a big game at Juventus Stadium. It's not just loud, it's defining. You know who was pretty reliable following Dortmund's goal? Giorgio Chiellini. A lot like the team, he could have crumbled. Instead, he was solid in the second half as Juventus defended their 2-1 lead. Tonight was proof that Juventus can survive in the Champions League without Andrea Pirlo being a focal point in the team. A big reason for that was how Roberto Pereyra played after replacing Pirlo late in the first half. He's one of the few players that is able to dribble at players One of my biggest worries was Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and the jetpacks he has attached to his heels kicking it into full gear as he goes on a counterattack. For the most part, Dortmund's speed demon was pretty quiet against Juventus. That's in part because Patrice Evra was consistent as all hell at left back, but also because Jürgen Klopp decided, for some reason, to start Ciro Immobile and push Aubameyang out wide. When Marco Reus ran at what looks like 80 percent or so, he was still able to blow past Juventus defenders. As scary as Aubameyang's speed is, Reus' acceleration is a close second. If Juve were able to put away even one of their handful of second-half chances, going to Germany with a two-goal advantage would have me sitting so much more comfortably. Just a reminder for everybody: Juventus is pretty good at home. Squawka Football ✔ @Squawka Juventus' home form in all competitions: WWDWWDWWWDWWWWWWWWWWWWDWWWWDWWWWWWWWWWDDDWWWWWW Goals: 110 Conceded: 28 Yeah, that's pretty good. Anybody ready for Roma on Monday night? I like knowing that Juventus is heading into a big game after playing well the game before. That just so happened to be another big game.

JUVENTUS - BORUSSIA D. 2 - 1 Carlos Tévez (13') Marco Reus (18') Álvaro Morata (42') Tuesday, February 24th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) Allegri confident Juventus will progress The Bianconeri overcame Borussia Dortmund 2-1 on Tuesday, leaving their coach with "a few doubts but many certainties". Feb 24, 2014 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri believes that Tuesday's 2-1 Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund was a coming of age performance from his team and believes they can hold onto their lead in the second-leg and progress to the quarter-finals. Carlos Tevez gave the Italian champions the lead in Turin but the visitors hit back through Marco Reus before Alvaro Morata struck to secure a narrow first-leg lead. The former AC Milan boss feels that his side will have chances to cancel out BVB's away goal in the second leg and says his side's showing left him with few doubts. "We will have chances to score more goals," he told Sky. "In the defensive zone, we were very ordered, we were probably wrong on some passages but I am very satisfied with my guys. "Jurgen Klopp positioned his strikers in a different way but we contained them. After this game, I have a few doubts and many certainties. Juventus were confirmed today. "You must have good technique and speed against teams like Dortmund. We set up the game, we did not want to leave them space. "In the Champions League, it's impossible to think of dominating the opponents. We had a good second half." Juventus travel to Dortmund for the second leg on March 18.

JUVENTUS - BORUSSIA D. 2 - 1 Carlos Tévez (13') Marco Reus (18') Álvaro Morata (42') Tuesday, February 24th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) JUVENTUS 2-1 BORUSSIA DORTMUND CHAMPIONS LEAGUE REPORT Feb 24, 2014 What a game! That was everything you want from the Champions League, two evenly matched teams, two good coaches, and 90 minutes of back and forth fighting. Best of all, Juventus won 2-1. Of course, we still have the return leg in Dortmund, so anything can happen. That said it was a fine win for Juventus and even more so, a big step forward for the project. While Juventus dominate in Italy, our stature in Europe has still not recovered from Calciopoli – and now, from the weak state of Serie A sides in Europe in general. The game actually started rather slow. Borussia Dortmund were pressing relentlessly, as they would all game, but neither side wanted to risk exposing themselves in order to score. At least, not at first. Ciro Immobile caused a scary moment when he forced Gianluigi Buffon to clear the ball early on, but Buffon was quick to get that ball out of play. Similarly, Immobile received a pass and caught Giorgio Chiellini out of position at the start of Juve’s half. Patrice Evra made a risky but perfectly timed tackle to stop it. Juve would make a statement quickly, though. Alvaro Morata, in the 12th minute, found himself with some space in Dortmund’s half. He made a run towards the leftside edge of Dortmund’s area, and took a shot from a questionable angle. Despite the angle Morata’s shot was forceful enough to force a save from Roman Weidenfeller, and Carlos Tevez was right there to tap in the rebound. Who else? It was a great moment, and Juventus Stadium erupted in celebration. Juventus were ahead of Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. Sadly, five minutes later it all changed. It was a pedestrian play, really. Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci were a bit too close together, awaiting an aerial ball coming down. Marco Reus was facing them a few yards away. Chiellini slipped as he took his first touch, and Marco Reus was able to easily get the ball and a one on one with Buffon. As great as Buffon is, it’s tough in general to stop an attacker with such space. Much less Reus, who had his pick of any shot. Predictably, Reus slid one past Buffon, and the game was level. Even worse, Dortmund had scored a crucial away goal. As upsetting as the sequence was, Juventini can perhaps take solace in the fact that Dortmund only scored via a freak accident. Juventus were quick to respond. Leonardo Bonucci, who had a fine game in defense, sent forth an aerial long ball to Carlos Tevez. Bonucci, who had been instructed by Allegri previously this season to keep his passes on the ground, was given free reign today with his passing, and Juve benefited. This time, he found Tevez, who hooked the ball back for Morata. Morata was about 15 yards out and took a strong header, but he was just too far from the goal and Weidenfeller easily saved the chance. Bonucci himself would get a chance to score soon after. Mats Hummels fouled Arturo Vidal by the corner flag, though he had seemingly contained Vidal and was about to win a throw-in. A free kick was awarded, and Andrea Pirlo found Bonucci in the box, but his header went over the goal by a decent amount. Pirlo would come off minutes later during a setpiece. It was rather sudden, he didn’t collapse on the field and get carried off. Rather, as the teams set up for the next whistle, Pirlo came off for Roberto Pereyra. It seemed like a bad omen for Juventus, but Pereyra would end up having a fine game. When Pirlo left, Claudio Marchisio moved back into the regista role. Roberto Pereyra actually took over Vidal’s spot as a “trequartista” – though this is a misnomer as either Vidal or Pereyra in that position always helps defends, and thus isn’t really a trequartista – and Vidal moved to central midfield alongside Pogba. It was a smart move by Max, as each man really excelled in their given spot. Even Vidal, who has struggled at times this season. But it was Pogba, not Vidal, who would have hand in Juve’s second goal. Tevez passed to Pogba out left, who fed Morata a ball into the box, which was tapped in for Juve’ go ahead goal. It was right before half time, and in a way it took the sails out of Jurgen Klopp’s side. During the second half, it seemed Dortmund were almost content with the result. At least, they were happy to lay back and try to hit Juve on the counter. Certainly, they continued to press Juve’s players nonstop. However, especially in midfield, the Juventus men quickly adapted to the pressing and responded with quick passing, deft touches, and smart movement. Juve did have a few chances to score during the second half. Carlos Tevez forced a save that led to a corner in the 65th minute, and Roberto Pereyra had a painfully close effort that went across the face of goal and just wide. The Pereyra effort would have been assisted by Morata, by the way. He was basically like a perfect hybrid of Llorente and Tevez, both a reference point and a tenacious player who helped create in attack and close down in defense. Dortmund’s most dangerous moments in the second half came near the end of the match, when they had two chances in two minutes around the 90th minute. However, both times they were only able to penetrate Juve’s area, and not actually execute in the box. At other times, Juve foiled their attacks. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, for example, was fed a dangerous long ball, but Bonucci cleared it with a bicycle kick before it could reach its destination. While Dortmund may have weakened a bit in the second half, they will stand strong in the second leg. Juventus, who will be the away side, will really need an away goal to secure a win. Still, they showed today that they can take on Dortmund’s best side and handle them. In 3 weeks we will see if a change of scenery can affect the two sides. Statistics Man of the Match: Alvaro Morata Flop of the Match: Giorgio Chiellini Fouls: 8 Corners: 8 Pass Accuracy: 80% Shots on Target: 3 Total Shots: 10 Ball Possession: 47% Formation: 4-3-1-2 Formation Lineups Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Marchisio, Pirlo (Pereyra 37), Pogba; Vidal (Padoin 86); Tevez (Coman 88), Morata Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller; Piszczek (Ginter 32), Papasthatopoulos (Kirch 46), Hummels, Schmelzer; Gündogan, Sahin; Mkhitaryan, Reus, Aubameyang; Immobile (Blaszczykowski 76) Ref: Lahoz (ESP)

JUVENTUS - BORUSSIA D. 2 - 1 Carlos Tévez (13') Marco Reus (18') Álvaro Morata (42') Tuesday, February 24th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) Weidenfeller: Loss To Juventus Is An ‘Acceptable’ Result Feb 24, 2014 Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller has stated that the 2-1 loss to Juventus is an acceptable one. Die Schwarzgelben were defeated at the Juventus Stadium in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie, and the 2014 World Cup winner said that his side’s offensive play must improve. “We could’ve done better, but the result is acceptable,” he told UEFA.com. “Our offensive play must be more organised, you can’t expect to be fortunate all the time.” Both sides will face each other in the second leg of the tie at the Signal Iduna Park on March 18, with Borussia Dortmund aiming to make it three consecutive seasons where they have made it to at least the quarter-finals.

JUVENTUS - BORUSSIA D. 2 - 1 Carlos Tévez (13') Marco Reus (18') Álvaro Morata (42') Tuesday, February 24th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) Mission far from accomplished as Juve fail to kill off lively Dortmund They may have won 2-1, but the Bianconeri's away record in Europe - and Dortmund's suitability for the Champions League - leaves the Germans favourites to progress. Feb 24, 2014 By Kris Voakes | International Football Correspondent In Juventus’ recent history, there have been few nights like this. A Champions League knockout win over a team of Borussia Dortmund’s calibre has not been witnessed since the days when the intimidating Stadio delle Alpi lay on the site of the captivating Juventus Stadium. But the nature of their 2-1 victory on Tuesday left many wondering quite how to react. A win is a win, they say, except this one was not quite as healthy as it could have been. With a second leg to come they could live to regret not stamping on their opponents’ throats when they had the chance. Juventus started brightly. They were full of energy, lifted the tempo from minute one, and the home support responded by filling the stadium with noise. The roof came off 13 minutes in when Alvaro Morata’s clever play in the left channel forced Roman Weidenfeller into an error which allowed Carlos Tevez to tuck home the opening goal. It was just the start they needed and should have given them a real stranglehold on proceedings. But instead they quickly handed back the initiative. They took their foot of the pedal and Giorgio Chiellini’s slip allowed Marco Reus to equalise. After that, the game was never quite the same again. The urgency and desire of the opening 13 minutes disappeared and all of a sudden Dortmund were counter-attacking with real verve. Whereas in the early moments Juve were the aggressors, BVB had quickly regained their flow and showed themselves to be exactly what they are. While they remain in the bottom half of the Bundesliga, the Dortmund machine is very much in tune with the Champions League. It is no accident that Jurgen Klopp has led his side to a quarter-final and a final in this competition in the last two seasons. With power, pace and endless willing, Dortmund are built for Europe. And they’re also long enough in the tooth to know that a 2-1 away defeat is far from the worst result a side can take home with them. Even after Morata side-footed home from Paul Pogba’s low cross just before half-time, there was no panic evident amongst those in yellow. They continued to exploit gaps left behind as Juve looked for a crucial third goal and would have taken a share of the spoils away with them had the hapless Ciro Immobile hit the target with one of a couple of blazing efforts from around the edge of the area. Dortmund are a strong outfit whose cogs are not quite clicking into place at the moment. Juventus, on the other hand, have still to show their true Champions League pedigree. It is a long time since the Bianconeri last found themselves in this position. Their only knockout victories in the last nine years of this competition before Tuesday were a pair of wins against Celtic in 2013. In many ways, this is a high water mark. And many will point to Chiellini’s slip as a key moment, but to watch these two teams is to know that Dortmund would have found their way to equalise anyway. But Juve head to Germany as underdogs to progress with good reason. They have won only four of their last 16 away trips in the Champions League and BVB look like a team beginning to find their feet after a wretched start to the campaign. It will take a monumental effort in Dortmund to make the most of their 2-1 lead. That is not to say they won’t progress. They will remind themselves of huge turnarounds in recent seasons – not least when winning their last three group games to reach the 2012-13 knockouts – as they build up to their biggest game of the season in three weeks’ time. But if they are eliminated, it will be the loss of the initiative in this first leg that they will live to regret. They began the game as the big, brave warriors looking to take on Europe with the force of a thousand men, but finished it with a nervous smile and a feeling that the hard work is still to be done. Juventus are far from in the box seat.

JUVENTUS - BORUSSIA D. 2 - 1 Carlos Tévez (13') Marco Reus (18') Álvaro Morata (42') Tuesday, February 24th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) Marco Reus Goal Keeps Borussia Dortmund Champions League Hopes Alive vs Juventus Feb 24, 2014 Borussia Dortmund may have lost the first leg of their Champions League tie with Juventus by two goals to one, but Jurgen Klopp will be confident enough of giving it a go back in Germany when the two sides meet again in three weeks' time. The resurgent side travelled to Turin in a buoyant mood, having racked up three wins in a row in the Bundesliga of late, and certainly looked like their old selves when they took to the pitch at the Juventus Stadium. Zipping around the pitch with an old style of play that values tenacious closing down and inch-perfect attacking passing, Dortmund approached their Italian opponents with little respect, and in return Juventus seemed to revert back to the team that has dropped out of Europe at this stage three years in a row. However, a famous victory wasn't to be, and if only to enrage Black and Yellow fans across the continent, Klopp's team ultimately fell on their own sword and allowed Juventus the advantage on the night. In a manner befitting of Dortmund's stop-start season, it was the misguidance and unpleasant inability to perform from both Roman Weidenfeller and Marcel Schmelzer—two serial chokers throughout this current campaign—who did all they could to undermine the fantastic way Klopp's side had come to dominate in Turin. Although Marco Reus was fortunate to grab a goal in the 18th minute, when Giorgio Chiellini tripped on the ball and allowed the Dortmund forward to run in and simply tap the ball past a bemused Gianluigi Buffon in goal, the home side were counting their blessings after two simple attacks down the left flank that resulted in tap-ins for both Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata in the 13th and 42nd minutes respectively. Both goals could have undoubtedly been broken down by a series of midfielders and defenders before each ball made it into the box yet all the cameras caught was the Dortmund left-back failing to be in the right place at the right time on each occasions. Schmelzer has long looked like a weak link in this Dortmund side—often favoured by Klopp for his industrious nature and Erik Durm's mysterious dip in form this season—and Massimo Allegri's team clearly picked up on that before the game. Two mistakes from the Bundesliga defence and Dortmund were somehow behind at half-time. Unfortunately Dortmund were unable to muster the necessary incentive to right any wrongs they feel they may have been subjected to in the opening 45, and with the niggling injuries to Lukasz Piszczek and then Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Klopp's side looked like a shadow of the bullies who'd arrived in Italy earlier that day. Such circumstances forced the Bundesliga side into making two defensive substitutions when in fact Klopp should have been bringing Shinji Kagawa and Jakub Blaszczykowski on for the largely ineffective Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Ciro Immobile. The Armenian international was a surprise pick on the night—undoubtedly starting so Klopp could rest Kagawa for the prioritised league clash with Schalke this weekend—but offered very little to suggest he had any intention of turning his form around at the club any time soon. Similarly, Immobile returned to his old club with the same huff and puff that we've seen from the young Italian each week but with very little purpose or indeed reason for being on the pitch at all. One bright spark came in the 55th minute when the striker received the ball in the box and was able to turn and hit a low, powerful shot at Buffon, but aside from that, it was another disappointing night for the Dortmund striker. In truth, it was the home side who should have added to their tally in the second half with a number of commanding corners directed straight to the head of a dominant Chiellini time and time again before substitute Roberto Pereyra missed a clear chance in the 85th minute to put the tie to bed. Juventus may come to regret not finishing off the round in Turin when they appear before the Yellow Wall in hostile Dortmund, yet on the night they will be happy to take any lead at all into the second leg. By the end Dortmund looked vulnerable, out of ideas and a little out of breath. Klopp's side had come to surprise Juventus and that they did before old habits came back to offer the Italian side a somewhat undeserved lead. The second leg awaits with undoubtedly more goals and a few twists in the tale before all is said and done.

JUVENTUS - BORUSSIA D. 2 - 1 Carlos Tévez (13') Marco Reus (18') Álvaro Morata (42') Tuesday, February 24th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain) Dortmund woes on display as Juve's deadly counter proves decisive Feb 24, 2014 Three quick thoughts from Tuesday night's Champions League round-of-16 first leg in Turin, where Juventus downed Borussia Dortmund 2-1. 1. Juventus use counter to effect but still lack quality For most of the first half, be it with Andrea Pirlo or without -- the Italian left injured after 36 minutes -- Borussia Dortmund took the match to Juve. But two fantastic counterattacks paved the way for the Italians' deserved 2-1 win against the Bundesliga strugglers. Ahead of the tie, Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal said his side are already up there with Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona as the main Champions League favourites. They are not. They have a vulnerable back four, which will be punished more than once by better attacks than Borussia Dortmund's. But Juventus achieved two things. Firstly, they took the fight out of Borussia Dortmund once they saw that Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz was hesitant to issue a yellow card. And secondly, and mainly, the counterattack leading to Juventus' first goal was extraordinary. Alvaro Morata took out Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos and then, with the help of Dortmund defender Mats Hummels and goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller, the former Real Madrid man put the ball through to Carlos Tevez for the opening goal. Tevez's physicality was the starting point for the second goal, as the Argentinian won a ball 25 metres from Dortmund's goal and passed it behind the line to Paul Pogba, whose ball set up Morata for the goal. Ironically, it was just the third time that Juve had been in the Dortmund half. The Serie A champions, however, failed to put the nail into Dortmund's coffin in the second half, and will now be up against the Westfalenstadion and BVB in three weeks. Anything can still happen, but Juve will not reach the level of Europe's top teams this season. 2. Dortmund's Bundesliga woes on display This is how Borussia Dortmund's Bundesliga season fell apart early this season. They played well in the middle of the park, but other than forcing Juventus into their own half, Dortmund were not able to create a lot of danger. What happened in defense is an entirely different story. Mistakes and misjudgments led to two goals from only three Dortmund passes into the box. But let's stay up front for a while. After three consecutive wins in the Bundesliga, BVB manager Jurgen Klopp withdrew Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the top and handed a new chance to Ciro Immobile, and also to Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who replaced winter signing Kevin Kampl. It didn't look too bad. The 4-1-4-1 system allowed BVB to attack Juve high, with Mkhitaryan and Ilkay Gundogan sitting a bit deeper than wingers Marco Reus and Aubameyang. Up front, Immobile was invisible for the majority of the match, although the Italian had three good attempts at Gigi Buffon's goal -- in the fourth, 57th and 75th minutes -- before being replaced by Jakub Blaszczykowski. Immobile has not still arrived at the Westfalenstadion, and it's doubtful he ever will. Klopp's personnel changes failed to impress, contrary to his tactics. Dortmund's goal came on a freak mistake by Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini, and other than a Nuri Sahin shot in the first half from outside the box, BVB never got into dangerous positions. What happened behind Sahin had all the makings of Dortmund's Bundesliga season. Weidenfeller, a World Cup winner, did not manage to hold on to the ball before Tevez slotted in from short distance. The second goal might have been down to a wonderful combination between Tevez, Pogba and Morata, but at least the Spaniard could have been man-marked by Mats Hummels. The thing with Borussia Dortmund this season is that from here on it can go either way, but if they fail to close the gaps in the back four, they will bid goodbye to Champions League for at least the next 18 months, despite, arguably, being the better side. 3. Reus-Pogba duel ends in draw One hundred million euro man Paul Pogba or Marco Reus? That was one of the anticipated duels on the pitch this Tuesday night. It resulted in a draw. Pogba contributed by setting up Morata's game-deciding goal shortly before halftime, and Reus scored the important away goal for Borussia Dortmund. They rarely met on the pitch, with the Frenchman and the German covering their respective left side. Pogba sat deeper and was more connected with his side, even more so when Juventus slowly got the upper hand of the match in the second half. Having taken out Lukasz Piszczek with a tackle from behind -- and bizarrely not going into the books -- Pogba then faced Sokratis, and after that, Oliver Kirch. The Juve midfielder clocked up a passing average of some 90 percent, including the neat pass to Morata. Reus, on the other side, continued his hot streak for Dortmund as he scored in the fourth consecutive match since signing his contract extension earlier this month. But with Aubameyang playing on the other wing, Reus missed his natural partner in BVB's attack. With the deep-lying Mkhitaryan and Gundogan placed between Aubameyang and Reus, Dortmund's high pressing was nothing more than defending most of the time. But Reus, by now, has become one of the players feared by his opponents, be it in Bundesliga or in Europe. And so when Chiellini slipped, the German picked up the ball, ran toward the box, and put the ball away in his unique style from just outside the 16-metre line. The battle between Pogba and Reus ended one-all, but on Tuesday, Juventus had Tevez and Morata against Immobile and Mkhitaryan. On a day like that, with the high art of defending nonexistent, that made the difference.