Jamie Jackson's player ratings
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And with that, this MBM reaches its final destination. All that’s left to do is point you in the direction of our man Daniel Taylor’s verdict, and bid you a fond farewell. Nighty night!
Jose speaks! “The other side was huge quality, and people look for Cristiano, Dybala, Pjanic, but in a top team you have to look for Chiellini, Bonucci, and Juventus is this kind of team when they are in front it’s very difficult to get a goal. Our attacking players were not, what I say in a funny way, with honey in their feet. Things were not coming. But everybody tried, everyone was strong, everyone tried until the end. In the second half Juve defended with an extra central defender to add to the amazing Chiellini and Bonucci. I thought we could take something from the game but it was not possible to score. We had the intention of being positive, so the boys had the feeling from the match we had at Stamford Bridge. But Juve is a different level, and if people don’t want to accept that, it is their problem. I always try to be honest, they are a different level of quality and stability and experience and know-how, and at the base of their team they have Bonucci and Chiellini. That’s the base that allows them to play with the freedom in attack. Lose the ball, no problem, we are here. We deserved a draw but it was not possible. I have no complaints.” BREAKING NEWS: Jose wants some new defenders.
On BT Sport, Gary Lineker asks Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves whether Mourinho’s time is up. There’s a pregnant pause not totally dissimilar to the marvellously timed one at the start of this:
Victor Lindelof talks to BT Sport. “It was a tough game, we deserved more than to lose. We have to start games like we play in the second half. We should do it more often. We know Juve are a great team, but we are also a great team.” Meanwhile Luke Shaw admits that United “gave them too much respect in the first half” and that was why they lost. “We should have been pressing higher and be more aggressive, but we weren’t. We have to make it right when we go away to Juve next.”
This result puts Juve in total control of Group H. Juve are top with nine points. United trail five points behind in fourth. If Juve beat United in the return fixture in a fortnight’s time, they’ll have won the group with two games to spare. A draw will be enough for the Italian champions to secure qualification for the knockout phase. The good news for United is that Valencia were held at Young Boys earlier today, which means they’ve only got two points; Young Boys prop up the table with one. A fair chance there might be quite a lot riding on the final game in this group between Valencia and United. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
A couple of galoots come haring onto the pitch with a view to meeting Ronaldo. The stewards are on hand to catch them before they reach their man; Ronaldo plays peacemaker between the warring factions as everyone grapples on the floor. Then the former United idol takes his leave of Old Trafford - possibly for the last time? - by applauding those still in the Stretford End.
Juventus, who are cavorting around in front of the travelling fans, were deserved winners. On BT Sport, Rio Ferdinand describes the game as “men against boys”. Paul Scholes suggests Juve were “a class above, technically and tactically, a step above. And the sad thing is, it feels like there’s some acceptance from the players and the fans. There doesn’t seem to be any improvement.”
FULL TIME: Manchester United 0-1 Juventus
Ronaldo has a whack from distance. His blooter winds Lindelof, and the whistle goes. Ronaldo smiles and celebrates in reserved fashion. Juve are in total control of Group H.
90 min +3: Barzagli lets a ball bounce over his head, allowing Rashford to nip past him and into the area. Barzagli lightly shoves him in the back as Szczesny claims. Tell you what ... you’ve seen them given!
90 min +2: Young takes ages over a throw, then flings the ball straight at Sandro. The crowd are not wholly impressed. Costa speeds up the other end and takes on Lindelof out right. Lindelof, who has been impressive this evening, holds his own and puts a stop to Costa’s gallop.
90 min +1: One of three additional minutes has already passed.
90 min: Martial skedaddles down the left, drifts inside, and looks to dispatch one of his trademark low curlers into the far corner. He doesn’t get enough on the shot, though, and Szczesny snaffles with ease.
89 min: From the set piece, some head tennis in the United area. The hosts half clear. Bonucci has a whack from 30 yards. It showed ambition, if little else.
88 min: Costa races with great speed at a tattered United back line. He slips a pass right to Ronaldo, who can’t work space to shoot. Ronaldo lays off to Bernardeschi, who earns a corner on the right.
87 min: Bernardeschi gifts United possession in the middle of the park. Mata is sent tearing down the right. He crosses once, then gets a second opportunity ... but no, he’s offside this time. Then Juve make their final change, replacing the excellent Cancelo with Douglas Costa.
85 min: A free kick in the midfield for United. Mata floats it in. Matic wins the header, but there’s no power on it. Szczesny claims.
84 min: Lukaku exchanges passes with Martial down the inside-left channel and has a snapshot from the edge of the box. His effort is deflected over. The resulting corner’s not all that.
83 min: Chiellini is booked for faffing around at a free kick. He wastes some more time arguing the toss with the ref.
82 min: Young catches Pjanic, a fairly clumsy foul. He argues the point with the referee, which demonstrates conviction if nothing else, given he’s already on a yellow.
81 min: London Buses dept. After waiting 78 minutes for a substitution, Juve make two in three minutes. Cuadrado is replaced by Barzagli. A clear sign that Juve want to lock this game down and keep what they have. Meanwhile some details on the other Group H game this evening.
79 min: Bonucci’s indecision nearly allows Rashford to zip clear down the left. He does just enough to recover the situation with a desperate lunge.
78 min: The first change of the evening, with 12 minutes left on the clock. You don’t see this sort of thing so often. The goalscorer Dybala is replaced by Bernardeschi. Dybala isn’t too happy about it.
77 min: Young is booked for a cynical clip on Sandro, who was making good down the left.
75 min: So having said that, United come close to equalising! So close! Pogba turns and has a shot from 20 yards. A fine effort beats the outstretched Szczesny, but cannons off the base of the left-hand post. It bounces back onto the keeper, smacking him in his startled grid! Nine times out of ten, that rebounds into the goal, but United’s luck isn’t in, and the ball caroms away from danger! A moment of slapstick absurdity. Pogba so unfortunate!
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74 min: A bit of space for Martial out on the right. He reaches the byline but his low cross is easily snaffled by Szczesny. The hosts haven’t been seriously troubled yet, despite United’s improved performance in this second half.
73 min: Bentancur floats a pass down the inside-right channel for Ronaldo, who is clear of the last man but can’t meet the ball with his head before de Gea comes out to claim. In the nick of time.
72 min: Martial bursts down the left and runs straight into Cancelo. He wants a free kick, but he’s not getting it, and stops playing. Juve clear their lines as the crowd urge Martial to pick up his feet.
70 min: Pogba spins into space in the middle and strokes a glorious pass down the right for Young. Juventus can only half-clear the resulting cross. United pin the visitors back in their box awhile, but never look like working a situation that seriously worries their opponents. Eventually Matic gives the ball away with a poor pass, and the pressure is off.
68 min: Cancelo has space and time on the right wing, at the halfway line. Ronaldo is on Lindelof’s shoulder, and screaming to be sent clear down the centre. Cancelo rolls a pass down the channel, but undercooks it and Lindelof is able to intercept. Ronaldo cocks his head back in frustration like a Pez dispenser.
67 min: Dybala and Ronaldo one-two their way down the inside-right channel. Some great close control, but they’re a little bit too close to each other to work usefully, and eventually Dybala misjudges a micro-movement and he’s flagged for offside. But United were on the back foot there, one good pass away from being opened up.
65 min: Cancelo is found in acres down the right by Cuadrado. He should do much better than the low cross that’s easily hacked clear by Shaw. If there’s to be another goal in this match, it’s not clear which team’s going to score it.
64 min: Smalling brushes Ronaldo off the ball and struts down the right. His low cross is a little aimless, and Cancelo is able to clear. But that was a purposeful break by Smalling, who made something out of nothing, and against Juve’s star man to boot. That’s really got the crowd going.
62 min: Pogba sweeps a pass wide right for Young, who continues to show down that flank. Mata can’t quite take down the resulting deep cross. But he does manage to whip in another cross from his flank. Lukaku rises high and gets a header goalwards, but there’s no oomph in it, and Szczesny gathers without drama.
60 min: Matuidi is booked for a slide on Young, who was hoping to get on the end of a Shaw pass down the right. Another free kick in a dangerous position for United, who have seriously upped the tempo. But Mata’s delivery is poor, and it’s straight out of play for a goal kick.
58 min: Martial clips the back of his own man, Mata, but United get the free kick anyway. It’s a chance to load the box and cause Juve some trouble, but Mata takes, and Matic goes too soon. Up goes the offside flag, and United can’t take advantage of their stroke of luck.
57 min: Pogba slips a pass down the inside-right channel for Mata, who tries another fancy spin in the hope of getting past Chiellini, but uncharacteristically miscontrols this time. United have been a little bit more positive since the restart.
55 min: A little space for Pogba out on the right. His cross isn’t up to much. “I’ve just seen a clip of Mou walking to the stadium - sans hoodie,” reports Peter Crosby. “I genuinely think his pre-match interview was a nod to Squires.”
United bus late to the stadium. Jose walking to the ground from cricket ground. pic.twitter.com/ShoHNiKab0
— MUFC Away Days (@mufcaways_) October 23, 2018
53 min: That was glorious football all round. What a shot! What a save! From the resulting corner, Lindelof takes Chiellini’s boot in the grid, and the pressure on United is relieved.
52 min: But Juve are soon coming back at United. Ronaldo has, by his own lofty standards, been a little quiet tonight. Well, this was outstanding: he sprays a ball towards Cuadrado on the right. Cuadrado takes a touch down the wing, then slips the ball back inside for Ronaldo, who hits a first-time rising screamer from the right-hand corner of the box. It’s going into the top right, but de Gea stops it at full stretch with a strong arm.
51 min: Matuidi breezes down the left and slips the ball into the six-yard area, hoping to find Ronaldo. Lindelof is on hand to bundle the ball out for a corner. The set piece comes to nothing.
49 min: Martial chases a long pass down the left. For a second he looks set to whip a shot goalwards from the edge of the area, but decides to take an extra touch instead. That allows Bonucci to make a superb slide tackle, clattering Martial to the floor. The home crowd scream for a penalty, but the United players don’t; it was a fair challenge. Bonucci had to get it right, and he executed the tackle perfectly.
47 min: Mata spins gorgeously round Pjanic, and is in acres down the left. He knocks the ball to Martial, who tries twice to curl one into the bottom right from a position on the left. The ball pinballs around a bit. Lukaku stands still, not doing much. Chiellini has a crafty tug of the striker’s shirt, to be fair, but not enough to interest the referee.
Right! The second half! Jose struts up the touchline, back towards the dugout, with great theatrical determination. No changes. Juve get the ball rolling again, after a fashion, having been forced to wait by the tardy Lukaku. Can United perform another second-half escape act? Well, they’re nearly two down immediately, Sandro making ground down the left and hooking towards the near post. Matic steps in ahead of Dybala to chest back to de Gea.
Sighing, tutting, head shaking, tongue clacking, etc.
“It’s amazing that Paul Pogba spent four years in Italy surrounded by the likes of Bonucci and Chiellini without learning how to defend a corner kick. He was clueless again midway through the first half as a corner came over and, when the dust settled, there he was, standing all alone on the penalty spot, looking on” - Justin Kavanagh.
“A very painful thing to look at is the United bench. In the good ol’ days there was always somebody Fergie could rely on to turn the game around - Ole, latter-aged Giggs, even Chicharito - but nobody today seems up to the task. Herrera is someone I always like to see on the pitch with his energy, but I’ve not known him to reliably make the decisive impact” - Matt Richman
“Juve are only third favourites for the Champions League” - Andrew Hurley
Half-time reading:
HALF TIME: Manchester United 0-1 Juventus
To be fair, Juve are the favourites for this year’s Champions League. But United will still be concerned by the manner in which the visitors dominated. Can Jose inspire his men to yet another second-half revival?
45 min: Pogba battles away and the ball breaks to Mata, 20 yards out. Mata takes an age to size up his shot, and he’s dispossessed with ease.
43 min: Cancelo brazenly knocks the ball past Lindelof, hoping to beat him in a foot race. He’s given his opponent the best part of ten yards, but nearly wins it on the edge of the area. Lindelof does just enough. What a burst of pace by Cancelo.
42 min: Dybala, out on the right, uses Shaw as a shield and tries to curl one past the unsighted de Gea and into the bottom left. It’s wide, but not by much. United could do with hearing the half-time whistle.
41 min: Juve continue to knock at the door. A Shaw header upfield is easily intercepted. Suddenly Cancelo is striding into the box. He shoots, but Shaw, having recovered his poise, blocks bravely from close range.
40 min: Sandro wins a corner down the left. It develops into a scruffy melee, Martial just about getting enough on the ball to clear. But once again United don’t look comfortable defending set pieces.
38 min: An astonishing double save by de Gea! Ronaldo sends a swerving riser not-quite-straight at the keeper, who parries well. The ball breaks to Matuidi, to the left of the goal. Matuidi blasts a shot into the ground. It’s heading into the top right, but de Gea bats that one away too. What a keeper! Like that’s breaking news.
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37 min: Matuidi is this close to sending Ronaldo clear through the centre. Lindelof does very well to step in and intercept. Then another phase of attack, and Ronaldo has a look down the left. Young comes across and clumsily body-checks him to the ground. A free kick in Ronaldo territory, just to the left of centre, 25 yards out.
35 min: Juve knock it around the back awhile, to deprive United the chance to build any momentum. It’s smart game management.
33 min: Of course, the problem with going gung-ho in attack, is the increased risk of being hit on the break. Dybala tears down the right and is about to pull the trigger just inside the area when he’s stopped by a marvellous tackle from Smalling.
32 min: Rashford has been United’s one bright light so far. He dribbles in from the right, skipping past a couple of challenges and nearly breaking clear into the area. That’s got the home support energised again, and Young has another ramble down the right wing. He earns a corner, which comes to nothing, but that’s not really the point: that’s better from United, who have upped the tempo.
30 min: From the set piece, Bentancur wins a header on the penalty spot but sends his effort over the bar. United are holding on here. Maybe they’re planning a third amazing second-half comeback in a row.
29 min: The Old Trafford faithful make themselves heard again, whistling with great feeling as United give up possession with ease. They’re not happy with the way Juve are sashaying about their manor. Dybala wins a corner down the right.
27 min: Cancelo flicks a pass down the right and sends Dybala into acres of space. Not sure where Shaw is. United are fortunate that Dybala decides early to look for a team-mate in the middle, instead of powering into the box and having a shot himself. Smalling hooks the ball away again. But United were ripped open with incredible ease there.
26 min: Juve have enjoyed just over 70% possession so far, and have now quietened the crowd a little bit. The away fans making the most noise. Their heroes are passing it around quite a lot, and in pretty triangles to boot.
24 min: Bonucci, of all people, romps down the right and curls a cross into the centre. This is total football. Smalling manages to hook that one clear.
22 min: United are rocking here. First Dybala nearly wriggles clear into the box down the left. Then Cancelo exchanges passes with Dybala down the right and sends a pearler towards the bottom left; de Gea saves spectacularly at full stretch.
21 min: Juve are hogging the ball again. “If the Juve bus was also held up in traffic and their number 5 decided to Jose it in on foot, would it have been Pjanic on the streets of Manchester?” Robin Hazelhurst everyone. He’s here all week. Try the hotpot.
19 min: A defiant roar from the Old Trafford faithful. Pogba is bundled over in the centre circle by Cuadrado. He nearly sets Rashford away on an attack anyway, but the striker miscontrols. The referee brings things back for a free kick, much to the annoyance of the home crowd, but the move had broken down. Still some atmosphere at Old Trafford, despite that early blow.
GOAL! Manchester United 0-1 Juventus (Dybala 17)
This happened all of a sudden. Ronaldo is sent scampering down the right. He whips a cross into the six-yard box. There’s a slight deflection off Martial, and the ball breaks to Cuadrado, sliding in. Cuadrado’s effort is blocked by Smalling, but breaks to Dybala who has the simple task of slamming home into the bottom right from close range. So simple.
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16 min: Mata sends an outswinger onto the head of Pogba, standing on the penalty spot. Pogba tries to guide the ball into the top left, but there’s neither power nor direction on it, and it’s an easy catch for Szczesny.
15 min: Matuidi clatters into Pogba as United probe in the Juve final third. Another free kick for the hosts in a good position, 30 yards from goal, just right of centre.
13 min: Dybala runs at the United back line. He slips the ball wide right for Cuadrado, and keeps on running. Cuadrado hooks the ball into the area, and Dybala meets it with his head, ten yards out, while standing in a huge gap between Matic and Smalling. Fortunately for United, Dybala’s header is weak and wafts wide left. But that was a big chance for Juve, and further sign that this United defence isn’t exactly watertight.
12 min: Pjanic hoicks a dreadful free kick out of play for a goal kick. Nobody in black and white anywhere near it.
11 min: Ronaldo is brought down by Smalling, 35 yards from goal. Pjanic, Cuadrado and Dybala are over it. Juve load the United box.
10 min: Cancelo, tight on the right, loops long for Ronaldo at the far post. The ball’s a little bit overcooked, and Ronaldo doesn’t have a chance to connect, but United, having started brightly, suddenly look a little bit shaky.
9 min: An absurd cross-field pass by Lukaku, from the right wing to nobody on the left, allows Bentancur to burst upfield. The move breaks down, but Shaw is soon nervously giving up possession as well, and Dybala very nearly breaks clear into the area down the right channel. Smalling closes the door just in time.
7 min: Bonucci quarterbacks from deep, sending a pass towards Ronaldo down the inside-left channel. Smalling does very well to get the ball out for a goal kick, with Ronaldo desperate to latch onto the pass and have a dig from inside the area. The resulting corner is a non-event.
6 min: Dybala shins the ball miles into the sky. Another moment enjoyed by the crowd, who are in party mode right now. A proper big-match atmosphere at Old Trafford tonight.
5 min: But this is a bright start for United, and now Shaw’s tripped up by Cancelo on the left wing. Another set piece in a promising position. Rashford takes this one, but it’s a poor effort and doesn’t beat the first man Pjanic.
4 min: Before Mata can take the free kick, an eejit romps onto the field of play, and evades a couple of stewards to the amusement of both the crowd and Mourinho on the touchline. Eventually Mata swings the set piece long, and Szczesny plucks the ball from the sky at the far post.
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3 min: Rashford has been in the thick of it from the get-go, and he’s brought down by Pjanic as he dribbles down the right. A free kick in a dangerous position, with United able to load the box. Mata stands over the set piece.
2 min: Juventus, having taken possession of the ball, don’t give it back. Sandro has a probe down the left, but this time Rashford wins the duel, shepherding him back upfield.
And we’re off! The hosts get the ball rolling amid bedlam at Old Trafford. Rashford has a drive down the right, but he clumsily barges into Sandro and that’s the first free kick of the evening.
The teams are out! United are in their famous red shirts, Juve sport their storied black and white stripes. A huge reception for the two teams, though of course all eyes are on the return of the prodigal son Ronaldo. Easy to forget that Pogba is playing against his old side for the first time tonight. Meanwhile here’s Ian Burch: “As Eamon Dunphy relates in his brilliant book Only A Game, Gordon Hill was once pranked into playing an imaginary game of tennis in a hotel lobby with Millwall teammate and legendary hardman Harry Cripps, he was also keen on impersonating Norman Wisdom and shouting ‘Mr Grimsdale’ on TV every now and then. For all his accomplishments, I doubt Ronaldo can boast about anything like that on his CV.” It’s also not certain that Ronaldo is as big a star in Albania as Wisdom. Anyway, we’ll be off in a minute!
Great news for United, and indeed Juventus, in the other Group H match tonight. Valencia have been held 1-1 at Young Boys. Whatever happens at Old Trafford tonight, Juve and United will occupy the top two spots in the group at the halfway stage.
More from Jose, who is now off the traffic-news beat. “We played really well in the last match. We had no new injuries in that starting line-up. We don’t have many other options, with lots of players injured from their national teams. And we believed the way we played was really positive and is the way we want to try to play today. I don’t think we can stop Ronaldo individually, because his movement is huge and it is very difficult to do it. You have to try to do it in a collective way. So if we manage to have the ball, and manage to be offensive, and manage to scare them too, they will have less chances to make Ronaldo play. But you know if Cristiano touches the ball twice, he can score a hat-trick!” A sparkle in his eye as he made that last quip. He’s in the mood for this.
♫ Memories light the corners of my mind / Misty water-coloured memories of the way we werrrrrrre ... ♬ “I was in the crowd in 1977 when Juventus could have been 4-0 up in the first 20 minutes at Old Trafford, before a volley from Gordon Hill gave United a 1-0 first-leg lead,” writes Duncan Edwards. “I doubt Ronaldo can be kept off the scoresheet tonight but hope springs and all that jazz!” For those not in attendance that night, here’s the match Duncan’s talking about, including a fine Alex Stepney save that the legendary Barry Davies compares to the one made in the 1968 European Cup final from Eusebio.
Panic over. Both team buses have finally arrived. It’s on! Hold on, though ... Mourinho walking to the game in a hoodie ... is this a self-aware riff on the work of David Squires?
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United rocked up late for the game against Valencia, and they appear to be cutting it fine again tonight. The manager’s in situ, though, and here he is explaining what’s going on. They’re stuck in traffic again! “We change hotel, it’s just around the corner. The players are in the bus for 45 minutes. I walked, with a hoodie, in the middle of the fans, nobody recognised me. I took two minutes! What I do in two minutes walking, the players cannot do in 45 minutes on the bus. But Juventus is having the same kind of problem. I have informed the Uefa delegate about the situation, because we don’t want to be punished again.”
If it ain’t broke, etc. Manchester United name the same XI who were seconds away from a fine victory at Stamford Bridge last weekend. The 18-year-old Dutch winger Tahith Chong is named in the matchday squad for the first time.
As for Juve, they make two changes to the team that drew 1-1 at home to Genoa on Saturday. The captain Giorgio Chiellini returns, as does Paulo Dybala. Mario Mandzukic is injured, while Medhi Benatia drops to the bench. Oh, and someone’s completed his European suspension ...
The teams
Manchester United: de Gea, Young, Lindelof, Smalling, Shaw, Pogba, Matic, Rashford, Mata, Martial, Lukaku.
Subs: Romero, Bailly, Andreas Pereira, Fred, Ander Herrera, Darmian, Chong.
Juventus: Szczesny, Joao Cancelo, Bonucci, Chiellini, Alex Sandro, Bentancur, Pjanic, Matuidi, Cuadrado, Dybala, Ronaldo.
Subs: Perin, De Sciglio, Benatia, Douglas Costa, Barzagli, Kean, Bernardeschi.
Referee: Milorad Mazic (Serbia).
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Juve have a very good Champions League record against English sides of late. They dispatched Tottenham Hotspur from last year’s Champions League in the Round of 16; beat Manchester City home and away in the 2015-16 groups; and knocked reigning champs Chelsea out at the group stage in 2012-13. In the Europa League, however, they’ve been not so great: Manchester City saw them off in the group stage in 2010-11, while the season before saw their famous evisceration at the hands of Roy Hodgson’s Fulham in the Round of 16 of the same competition. So the champions of Italy may be arriving in Blighty with mixed emotions. Or they may not give two hoots about history, who knows.
Preamble
Never mind Cristiano Ronaldo or Paul Pogba; Manchester United versus Juventus can only mean one thing. That night in Turin, the second leg of the 1998-99 semi-final. Juve looked for all the world to be heading to Barcelona when Pippo Inzaghi put them two up after 11 minutes. But then Roy Keane decided to take a grip on proceedings, and his performance of a generation drove United to a 3-2 comeback win that might just be the most famous result in this grand old club’s history.
These famous clubs have met just twice since then, in the second group stage of the 2002-03 tournament. United prevailed both home and away, Wes Brown and Ruud van Nistelrooy setting up a 2-1 win at Old Trafford; van Nistelrooy and two-goal Ryan Giggs doing the damage in a 3-0 trashing of the Old Lady’s house. So United are three wins on the bounce against the Bianconeri.
That’s not the whole picture historically, though. Juve knocked United out of the 1976-77 Uefa Cup, 3-1 on aggregate, two-goal Roberto Boninsegna their hero. And they defeated them 3-2 on aggregate in the semi-finals of the 1983-84 Cup Winners’ Cup, Paolo Rossi scoring a last-minute heartbreaker. Both teams can take some succour from history.
As for today ... well, Juve will consider themselves favourites. They’ve reached the final in two of the last four seasons. They’re top of Serie A, having made their best start since 1930-31. They’ve won both of their matches in Group H so far. And Ronaldo has just become the first player to score 400 goals in the top five European leagues: 84 for United, 311 for Real Madrid, and five so far for his new club.
United by contrast are struggling in mid-table in the Premier League, and were deeply unimpressive while drawing at home to Valencia three weeks ago. However, there are signs that a corner is being turned, after that victory over Newcastle and that near-win at Chelsea last weekend. Paul Pogba is showing intermittent signs of his undoubted quality, Juan Mata is scheming again, and Anthony Martial has awoken from his recent slumber in spectacular style. Momentum and renewed belief could inspire them to a victory tonight that would change the look of their entire season, and send out a message to Europe that they’re back, baby. Defeat however ... well, we’ll get a good press conference out of it. So this is perfectly poised. It’s a visit from the Italian champions! Against last season’s Premier League runners-up! It’s on!
Kick off: 8pm BST (9pm in Turin).
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