Juve squeeze history Milan to attain cup final as soccer returns to Italy
13 June, 2020
Juventus reached the Italian Cup final on Friday after a goalless draw with 10-man AC Milan found in the semi-final, second leg in Turin on the day soccer returned to Italy after 90 days away.
Serie A champions Juve advanced on away goals to Wednesday's final found in Rome because of February's 1-1 first-leg draw in the San Siro, despite a great under-par display against a Milan side who all played 74 moments with a man less and which featured a good missed Cristiano Ronaldo penalty.
At the capital's Stadio Olimpico, Maurizio Sarri's side will face either Napoli or Inter Milan, the previous side Juve faced before football entered into its coronavirus-enforced hiatus in March.
Napoli undertake Antonio Conte's Inter at Naples' Stadio San Paolo on Saturday with a good 1-0 business lead from the primary leg, in another meet set for a great eery ambiance without supporters.
"It had been odd and difficult in the beginning, playing within an empty stadium after 90 days away," stated Leonardo Bonucci to public broadcaster RAI 1.
"We've shaken off a dark moment for the whole world. I hope being back again will offer the fans in the home somewhat of hope and delight. We want to provide them with something extra on Wednesday."
A feisty start belied the two teams' longer absence from the pitch, with Juve -- missing famous brands Giorgio Chiellini and Gonzalo Higuain -- roaring out of the blocks and Milan investing in some questionable difficulties to attempt to stop themselves from being overrun.
Juve should have been ahead found in with just 15 minutes on the clock when Andrea Conti clipped the ball found in the penalty area along with his elbow and conceded a good penalty after a VAR check.
Ronaldo hit the woodwork with the resulting spot-kick, but while that should have already been a reprieve for the apart side, they determined themselves a guy down seconds afterwards when Ante Rebic kicked Danilo in the top.
With Zlatan Ibrahimovic out injured and Samu Castillejo suspended, Stefano Pioli's side were missing some firepower in the years ahead, but were able to create challenges for Juve despite spending almost all of the meet on the trunk foot.
Hakan Calhanoglu had Milan's best chance several minutes following the restart, flashing a free of charge header extensive, while Simon Kjaer must have finished better with another header 10 minutes from the end.
However Juve as well had their possibilities, with Milan stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma successful to keep away Blaise Matuidi's thumping close array effort on the half-hour mark, and two great efforts from Paulo Dybala and Alex Sandro later in the next half.
Virus dead tribute
The match was played on your day Italy could have kicked off Euro 2020 in Rome had the tournament not been postponed for a year.
A lot more than 34,000 people along the peninsula have died due to the coronavirus with the vast majority in northern regions just like Piedmont and Lombardy which host Juve and Milan.
Both teams placed a minute's silence before kick-off for many who shed their lives to the virus before breaking away into applause for healthcare workers, three of whom were stood in the centre circle.
Juventus players warmed up before the match on T-shirts with the message "Zero Racism", while Milan wore tops on with "Dark Lives Matter" written in them, in solidarity with global protests above the death of George Floyd.
The few fans hanging around the Allianz Stadium told AFP that these were happy to see football come back as the country edges towards normality.
However they were sad that suits had to occur without the passionate support that accompanies virtually all matches in Italy.
"It's hard for a team not to be capable to depend on the occurrence of the cheering devotees," said Massimiliano Balduzzi, 47, from Bergamo, one of the country's worst-hit areas.
"I assume that there should be cheering at the stadium. Unfortunately, using what happened, we can only continue waiting and trust that everything will go well."
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