Full-Time 8th Edition - Juventus vs Nantes
(Paramount+)
Match Recap
Juventus went into Thursday’s 2nd leg contest against Nantes desperately needing a good showing after they faltered to a 1-1 draw in the first meeting. Oh boy did they deliver! Or perhaps I should say “he” delivered. The Bianconero cruised to an impressive 3-0 victory over the french side, thanks in part to an absolute masterclass of a game from Argentine attacker, Angel Di Maria. Di Maria only continues to impress, as he compiled onto his recent performances by recording his first hat-trick since arriving at Juventus. He opened the scoring in the first half with a mystical curling shot from about 20 yards out that found its way into the top left corner of the goal. The veteran attacker would score a second goal in the first 45 minutes of the contest, before scoring a header in the 2nd half to complete the hat-trick. This performance by Di Maria helped lift Juventus past Nantes and secure a round of 16 spot in Europa League against German club Freiburg. The brilliance that was on display from Di Maria helped ensure that there was no need for panic or a sense of uneasiness during this contest, like so many previous games that seemingly are always down to the wire. This was a comfortable win that fans could sit back and enjoy, a luxury that this Juventus team has not often granted in recent times. Besides the fact that 35 year-old Di Maria just casually served up a hat-trick in a win or go home elimination game, the rest of the team played collectively well also. The ball was moving with zip and creativity, as it seemed from the starting whistle to the 90th minute, Juve never let off the gas pedal. There were several notable chances that were conjured up in the attack, as the final scoreline could’ve looked more along the lines of 5-0 if it weren’t for some unfortunate deflections or balls off the crossbar. It was also an encouraging sign that this team can still provide a spark on the offensive side of the ball, even without a striker like Dusan Vlahovic playing up top, as he was rested on the bench for this contest.
(Sports Illustrated)
Standout Players
We will start with the most obvious player who has more than earned a spot on this week’s list, the star of the show, Angel Di Maria. Anytime a player scores a hat-trick you can expect them to be on the standout players list, but even more so when the performance is as meaningful as this one. This wasn’t simply a few goals in a domestic league matchup, this was in a tournament elimination game, where your club has struggled mightily in similar situations over the past couple seasons. The veteran winger rose to the occasion and willed his team to a commanding victory to see to it they would advance to the Europa League’s round of 16. He also completed his hat trick in style by scoring in a myriad of ways. The first goal coming via a long, bending shot that was placed with finesse into the top corner…a goal of the season candidate most definitely. He then followed it up by successfully converting a penalty kick before the end of the first half, then rounded it out by scoring a header in the closing minutes. Serbian wingback Filip Kostic was also very productive in this match as he served in the cross that helped Di Maria achieve the hat-trick, he now has the 3rd most assists in Serie A this season. Lastly on this list is Brazilian defender, Danilo. Danilo was the vocal leader that this team needed throughout the match, as he was solid on the ball and helped the squad remain composed from start to finish. He was a huge contributing factor to Juventus winning the battle of possession this go around with 61% and completing nearly 200 more passes than the opposition, as he controlled the ball between the backline and the midfield.
Outside Sources:
https://www.sofascore.com/juventus-nantes/XHsMdb
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