Socrates

JUVENTUS 0 - 0 BENFICA (Agg 1-2) May 1, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Mark Clattenburg (England) Juventus vs. Benfica: 5 Things We Learned May 1, 2014 Benfica wrapped up their domestic title almost two weeks ago and are now back in the Europa League final. They came out and defended. They had to know that a 0-0 draw was enough, and it was. Benfica and Juventus finished the second leg of this Europa League semi-final scoreless, and Benfica advanced 2-1 on aggregate. It was desperate football, but it was smart, too. Benfica never looked like they were scrambling. When Benfica lost players, they only looked stronger. The final was supposed to be a celebration for Juventus. It is in Torino under two weeks from now, but Juventus will not be playing at home. Here are a few things to consider from a wild night. No Goals from the Juventus Strikers For a moment, the whole stadium went mad. Dani Osvaldo scored in the 80th minute, but it was offside. That was the closet Juventus would come to the one and only goal that would have won them the game and the tie. Only twice in this Europa League campaign has a striker scored for Juventus. Carlos Tevez has scored just once in 12 games in European competition all season, Fernando Llorente just twice. For all their goalscoring exploits in Serie A—they have 34 goals combined in the Italian league, tied for the most of any partnership—it is Tevez and Llorente who ultimately failed the Bianconeri in Europe. They just weren’t there when Juventus needed them. Vidal Makes His Return Arturo Vidal started his first match in three weeks and stormed the pitch early. He is a midfielder who enjoys a good run forward, and against Benfica he kept on attacking. It is clear that Juventus missed his presence in the intervening days. They play with much more balance with him; he is their equilibrium. It is all the running he does, all the ground he covers, that is irreplaceable. Vidal was forced to rest his injured knee and saw only limited playing time in the match against Sassuolo on Monday. But he could not last the 90 minutes and slowly faded away from the game. Juventus Fail to Take Chances They kept on building to a crescendo, but it never came. They created a lot of danger—Vidal’s header at the end of the first half was only saved off the line by the defender Luisao—and they kept surging forward. They managed 54 dangerous attacks, according to UEFA.com, but only two were of high quality. Juventus tried to break down Benfica, who were playing well behind the ball. However, the Bianconeri were mostly limited to speculative shots from outside the box. Juventus have struggled to score routinely in these last few months of the season, usually a maximum of a goal or two per game. Despite all their chances—they attempted 19 shots to Benfica’s four, according to WhoScored.com—Juventus lacked that killer edge. Benfica Potentially Lose Three Players There was nothing left to give. Benfica finished the match with nine men, and they may lose up to three players for the final. Enzo Perez was sent off early in the second half, while Lazar Markovic was red-carded after being subbed off. Eduardo Salvio handled the ball late and gave up a free-kick, earning himself one yellow card too many. He too will miss the final. Then at the end it was Ezequiel Garay who was carried off the field. He took a nasty hit to the face from Paul Pogba, who landed on the 27-year-old defender with his studs. Young Slovenian Calm in Net for Benfica Jan Oblak had played just twice before in the Europa League, but he replaced Artur Moraes in goal at Juventus Stadium and did a fine job. Threats were coming every way. Andrea Pirlo even took a fair few shots from afar. But the 21-year-old goalkeeper was sharp and steady. When the shots came at him, he gobbled up the ball. No fuss. He simply did not give out a bad rebound. He parried away a stinging free-kick from Pirlo and was cool even after Benfica went down to 10 men. Oblak now has 19 clean sheets in 23 games this season.

JUVENTUS 0 - 0 BENFICA (Agg 1-2) May 1, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Mark Clattenburg (England) Benfica hold Juventus to 0-0 draw to secure aggregate win and final place Ten-man Benfica held Juventus to a goalless draw on Thursday evening to progress to the Europa League final for a second consecutive year. May 1, 2014 The Portuguese champions carried a 2-1 lead into the game in Turin and held on with Juve's best chance coming late in the first half. Benfica defender Luisao made a goal-line clearance from Arturo Vidal's header with the visiting goalkeeper Jan Oblak already beaten. The Portuguese champions had midfielder Enzo Perez sent off for a double booking with 23 minutes remaining but defended deeply to hold on. Benfica will meet Sevilla in the final on May 14 at the Juventus stadium, the venue of tonight's game. Juve coach Antonio Conte fielded Carlos Tevez, who ended his five-year European goal drought against Benfica last week, alongside Fernando Llorente in attack. The hosts made a purposeful start as they looked to overturn their first-leg deficit and Andrea Pirlo's shot forced an early save from Oblak. The Serie A leaders continued to press forward and in the 20th minute, Vidal's right-footed volley went just over the crossbar. At the other end, Benfica's Maxi Pereira drilled a right-footed shot from 30 yards that went off target. Juve twice had the chance to go in front before the interval but Leonardo Bonucci's header went just wide while soon after, Vidal's goal-bound attempt was cleared by Luisao. The visitors created a good chance early in the second half when the ball fell to Rodrigo in the heart of the area and his right-footed shot went over the bar. On the hour mark, Pirlo warmed the hands of Oblak with a powerful free-kick which the keeper saved. Juve, who had not reached the final of the competition since 1995, brought in Daniel Osvaldo and Claudio Marchisio with 12 minutes remaining. Osvaldo then had a goal disallowed for offside shortly after. With their European dreams fading, Juve piled forward in the closing stages. Oblak made a great save from Martin Caceres' header as Benfica denied Juve the chance to reach the final that will be played at their own ground.

JUVENTUS 0 - 0 BENFICA (Agg 1-2) May 1, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Mark Clattenburg (England) Stubborn Águias through to Europa League final May 1, 2014 Juventus could only draw 0-0 with Benfica in the second-leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday night at the Juventus Stadium. With the first leg finishing 2-1 in favour of the Portuguese side, the result means the Bianconeri exit the competition and their Portuguese opponents go through to the final on May 14. The away side started the game on the front foot and had an early penalty claim when the ball struck the arm of Leonardo Bonucci, from a Rodrigo shot, but the referee waved any protests away. It took a while for Juve to get into the game and it Ferando Llorente played a Kwadwo Asamoah cross into the path of Andrea Pirlo whose excellent strike needed a fingertip save from Jan Oblak to tip it over the bar. Moments later Juve saw two volleys, one from Arturo Vidal and the other from Carlos Tevez, go flying over the bar, before Stephan Lichtsteiner had a low shot saved by the goalkeeper. With the half drawing to a close, Antonio Conte’s men continued to turn the screw with both Vidal and Bonucci putting headers inches wide of the target, while Pirlo had another effort go off target. Then, just before the break Asamoah sent in a cross to the back post with Vidal waiting, his header into the ground bounced up and looked to be on its way in, but Luisao cleared it off the line. In the second period, the first real chance went to Rodrigo who, unmarked, on the Bianconeri penalty spot could only balloon the ball over the bar. However, after that scare Juve began to assert themselves on the game. Benfica were dangerous on the counter-attack and Lazar Markovic sent Rodrigo through on goal, but an alert Gianluigi Buffon was able to smother following a poor first touch by the midfielder. Pirlo then almost broke the deadlock with a free kick, but a great save from Oblak was needed to keep it out, before Markovic then performed a fantastic late block on a goal bound Vidal shot. Jorge Jesus’ men then found themselves down to ten men just after the hour mark when Perez collected his second yellow card of the game. Tevez then sailed through the Benfica defence before firing into the hands of Oblak, who then initiated counter but the away side couldn’t find the killer pass in the final third. With the clock running down Pirlo sent in a brilliant ball over the top of the defence to an onrushing and unmarked Lichtsteiner, but the Swiss fullback was unable to control the ball and it bounced out for a goal kick. Seconds later Juve did have the ball in the back of the net through Pablo Osvaldo, but it was ruled out as Paul Pogba was in an offside position when the move started. Juventus were getting frustrated with perceived play acting from the Benfica side and after one incident Mirko Vucinic and Markovic, who were both not on the pitch, were issued with red cards for an altercation between both benches. Ezequiel Garay was then taken off after all three substitutions had been made, thus leaving Benfica with nine men for the final moments of the game, but the home side couldn’t find the breakthrough.

JUVENTUS 0 - 0 BENFICA (Agg 1-2) May 1, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Mark Clattenburg (England) EL: Benfica ruin Juve dream May 1, 2014 Juventus won’t play the Europa League Final, as they dominated nine-man Benfica without finding the net. The Final at the Juventus Stadium will be Benfica-Sevilla, as the Spaniards lost 3-1 in Valencia to go through on away goals. The Bianconeri had to overturn a 2-1 first leg deficit if they were to play the Europa League Final on home turf. Arturo Vidal started despite a knee problem, but Martin Caceres came in for Andrea Barzagli. The Eagles missed Silvio and Lujbomir Fejsa with Eduardo Salvio only fit for the bench and Andre Gomes suspended. Ex-Roma goalkeeper Artur was dropped in favour of Jan Oblak. Diego Armando Maradona was in the stands as a personal guest of Carlos Tevez, even though his representative claimed he would be supporting Benfica. Benfica scored at the third minute in Lisbon and almost netted even earlier in Turin, as a long throw-in was flicked on for Ezequiel Rodrigo, whose shot was charged down from point-blank range by Stephan Lichtsteiner. Leonardo Bonucci, on his 27th birthday, stood his ground for a great block on Rodrigo and Maxi Pereira did the same to stop Paul Pogba pulling the trigger moments later. Fernando Llorente knocked down a Kwadwo Asamoah cross for Andrea Pirlo’s screamer, which was fingertipped over the bar. Vidal volleyed a Pirlo assist on to the roof of the net in an audacious finish. An even more spectacular Tevez volley was just over from 12 yards, while Lichtsteiner drilled straight at Oblak when he should’ve passed on a counter. Llorente didn’t get enough power on a shot from just inside the box, seeing it charged down, and as the move continued Vidal’s cushioned header skimmed the back post and Vidal. Ruben Amorim performed a decisive tackle on Vidal and Pirlo blasted wide from distance. Pirlo curled in a free kick from just in front of the corner flag, but Bonucci’s glancing header skimmed the back post with Tevez sliding in. A Tevez slide-rule pass sent Lichtsteiner through, but Oblak was smart to anticipate and smother at his feet. In first half stoppages Juve thought they had scored, as Asamoah crossed for a Vidal diving header into the ground, but Luisao performed a decisive goalline clearance, turning it out from under the bar. The second period kicked off under heavy rain and even hail. Juve risked going 3-1 down on aggregate after 50 minutes, as a poor clearance fell to Rodrigo and he blasted just over from 12 yards. Gigi Buffon was furious when he smothered at Rodrigo’s feet and the striker followed through, earning a yellow card. Pirlo went incredibly close on the hour mark, as his free kick rose and dipped viciously towards the near top corner, Oblak flapping it away. Llorente’s header was charged down, perhaps by a Lazar Markovic arm, and as the move continued Garay desperately cleared from Tevez. Benfica went down to 10 men on 67 minutes, as Enzo Perez received a second yellow card for bringing down Vidal. Tevez aimed a weak effort straight at Oblak, so Antonio Conte threw on Sebastian Giovinco for Bonucci, then Daniel Osvaldo and Claudio Marchisio too. Lichtsteiner had the chance to win it when he sprung the offside trap to get on the end of a Pirlo chipped pass, but his first touch was awful. Osvaldo had the ball in the net, but play was halted for Pogba’s offside position as he acrobatically volleyed a Marchisio cross back into the middle. Conte furiously accused Markovic of time-wasting, as he wanted a stretcher before being replaced by Sulejmani. After another bout of gamesmanship, a brawl broke out on the touchline between Mirko Vucinic and Markovic, who were both sent off from the bench and will therefore be suspended. There was a significant period of stoppages when Pogba landed on Garay’s face with studs at the end of an overhead kick, leaving him bloodied and needing a stretcher, so Benfica went down to nine men. English referee Mark Clattenburg awarded six minutes of stoppages and Tevez blasted straight at Oblak and a Salvio handling offence gave Pirlo a last-gasp free kick. That deflected out for a corner, from which Buffon came up, but Caceres saw his header saved by some fantastic Oblak reflexes. Juventus 0-0 Benfica (1-2 agg) Juventus: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci (Giovinco 73), Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal (Marchisio 79), Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah; Tevez, Llorente (Osvaldo 79) Benfica: Oblak; Maxi Pereira, Luisao, Garay, Siqueira; Ruben Amorim, Perez; L Markovic (Sulejmani 85), Rodrigo (Almeida 68), Gaitan (Salvio 76); Lima Ref: Clattenburg (ENG) Sent off: Perez 67 (B), Vucinic 89 (J, from the bench), Markovic 89 (J, from the bench)

JUVENTUS 0 - 0 BENFICA (Agg 1-2) May 1, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Mark Clattenburg (England) Juventus 0-0 Benfica (Agg 1-2): Ten-man Eagles hold out to reach second successive final Enzo Perez saw red for two yellow cards in the second half but Jorge Jesus' resolute defence held out to dash the Bianconeri's dreams. May 1, 2014 Benfica reached their second Europa League final in two years after a 0-0 draw away to Juventus in the second leg secured a 2-1 aggregate win. The Italian champions needed just a goal to book their place in the final on home turf but were frustrated by a resolute Benfica defence, with Enzo Perez's red card for two bookings not enough to change their fortunes. Dani Osvaldo had the ball in the net in the final 10 minutes but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside as Jorge Jesus' men, beaten finalists against Chelsea last year, were able to shut out Juve to book their place in the final, which will be held at the same venue on May 14. Maxi Pereira was needed to shrug Paul Pogba off the ball inside the area after seven minutes, prior to Jan Oblak tipping a strike from Pirlo over the crossbar. Oblak had returned to Benfica's team in place of Artur and the goalkeeper was given a scare by Vidal soon after. The Chilean, who shook off a knee injury to make Juventus' starting line-up, came close to opening the scoring, only for his lobbed effort to nestle on the roof of the net. The visitors looked lively on the break but failed to test Gianluigi Buffon, while Tevez volleyed over at the other end before the half-hour mark. Vidal then threatened with two headers, the second of which was cleared off the line by Luisao as Benfica retained their slender advantage heading into the interval. Rodrigo fired over the first effort of the second half for the visitors before Pirlo's free kick forced Oblak into another smart save. What could have been the turning point came 67 minutes in when Perez was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge on Vidal, yet Benfica held firm. Stephan Lichtsteiner's control let him down when he evaded the Benfica backline and Osvaldo looked to have scored, only for the strike to be ruled out for offside following Pogba's cut-back, before tempers flared on the touchlines. Unused Juve substitute Vucinic and Lazar Markovic, who had just been taken off by Benfica, were both sent off following a scuffle in the dugout. Markovic and Perez are therefore set to miss the final against Sevilla, while Eduardo Salvio will also be suspended after picking up a harsh late booking for handball. Benfica also lost defender Ezequiel Garay late on after he was caught in the head accidentally by a falling Pogba's boot, but the Portuguese champions held firm to seal their third cup final of the season and a shot at redemption after last year's disappointment in Amsterdam.

JUVENTUS - BENFICA May 1, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Mark Clattenburg (England) Juventus Stadium inspires Maradona May 1, 2014 Diego Maradona is very impressed with the Juventus Stadium. “Napoli should have an arena like this.” The Argentina legend is in the stands in Turin for tonight’s Europa League semi-final between Juve and Benfica. Although he is there as a personal guest of Carlos Tevez, Maradona’s representative confirmed he’ll be cheering on Benfica. “This is a real stadium, one that does honour to football and all of sport,” Maradona told news agency Ansa. “Napoli should have an arena like this. They’d deserve it for their tradition and millions of fans. It would be magical for all of Naples.”

Punizione di Pirlo.

Giovinco inutile.

Benfica in 9 uomini.

6 minuti di recupero.

Lichtsteiner stanchissimo.

Fuorigioco di Pogba. Goal annullato.

Forrest noooooo

Osvaldo per Llorente. Marcisio per Vidal.

Esce Bonucci entra Giovinco.

Giovinco per il 4-3-3?

Tevez troppo centrale.

Una punta in meno e un centrovampista in piú per i portoghesi.

Perez espulso Benfica in 10.

Maradona triste perché la Juve non riesce a segnare.

Asamoah ammonito.

Andrea Pirlo

Altro fallo di Asamoah.

Asamoah ingenuo.

Gigi dolorante alla mano colpita dalla canaglia portoghese.