At the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Juventus hosted Sporting in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final. While the Portuguese enjoyed a better first half, the Bianconeri survived the early onslaught to produce an improved second-period display, as Federico Gatti proved to be the unlikely author of the winning goal. So here are our player ratings for Juventus who took a slim yet significant advantage after overcoming Sporting 1-0 at home.
Juventus (3-4-3)
Wojciech Szczesny – 6.5
The former Arsenal man put up an impressive display for as long as he lasted on the pitch before sustaining a painful injury that forced his exit late in the first half. Made two crucial saves.
Federico Gatti – 8
In a night that he’ll surely remember for the rest of his days, the former Frosinone man cemented himself as the ultimate hero by latching onto the rebound to score the solitary goal of the encounter. He was also instrumental at the back, making a string of important interceptions.
Gleison Bremer – 7.5
An unyielding display at the back from the Brazilian who had the Sporting attackers in his pocket, winning almost every single duel.
Danilo – 6.5
The Juventus captain was solid at the back and even tried to make himself involved in the attacking phase, but his impact remained limited in this regard.
Juan Cuadrado – 5.5
The Colombian trotted up and down the right wing, but he just wasn’t as influential as usual, especially in the attacking phase.
Manuel Locatelli – 6
A mixed bag from the former Sassuolo man. On one hand, he did a brilliant job at shielding the backline and retrieving the ball, but on the other hand, he was particularly wasteful in his passing.
Adrien Rabiot – 6.5
A generous display from the former PSG midfielder who ran his socks off for 90+ minutes and tried to join every Bianconeri attack.
Filip Kostic – 5.5
The Serbian had to play in a slightly deeper role than usual to accommodate Chiesa who was present on the same flank, which apparently limited his attacking threat.
Angel Di Maria – 6.5
The Argentine veteran started on a positive note, but his impact faded as the minutes progressed. Nonetheless, his cross to the box sparked the winning goal.
Arkadiusz Milik – 5.5
The Pole made decent movements, but lacked the technical touch. He still doesn’t look sharp following his return from injury.
Federico Chiesa – 7
A vibrant display from the Italian winger who caused havoc every time he ran at Sporting defenders. He had the first big chance of the match and was definitely the most dangerous Juventus player.
Substitutes
Mattia Perin – 7.5
The Italian custodian proved his worth with an absolutely stunning double-save in added time. Juventus are lucky to have such a solid player serving as a second-fiddle goalkeeper.
Nicolò Fagioli – 6
The young midfielder saw little of the ball after coming in, but he did well to support his teammates at the back.
Dusan Vlahovic – 6
The Serbian earned a needless booking for an elbow, but his header paved the way for Gatti’s winner.
Paul Pogba – 6
The Frenchman made his return to action much to the delight of Juventus supporters. Made a timely acrobatic interception late in the match.
Leandro Paredes – N/A
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