No business, just a lot, a lot, bitterness. The Juventus Champions League ends at the Allianz Arena but the elimination, never like this time, burns enormously. In fact, in the 90th minute the bianconeri were leading 2-1 and were defending a qualification as clamorous as it was deserved tooth and nail. For at least 70' Guardiola's super Bayern, main candidate for the cup together with Barcelona, had been overwhelmed by the tactical organization of the Italian champions, almost perfect despite the many absences.
Almost though, because not having scored the 3-0 (even if Morata had done it and we'll talk about it in a moment) turned out to be a mortal sin. At the last gasp Muller found the 2-2 and, consequently, extra time: injection of total confidence for the Germans, incredible blow for the bianconeri. And so, in the following half hour, the final 4-2 materialized, which leaves Juve with a bad taste in the mouth of a company that was only touched upon, touched by hand for almost the whole evening.
However, it is impossible not to mention the referee Eriksson, another great protagonist (negative of course) of the evening: Morata's goal was very regular, Kimmich had to be sent off for an elbow on the Spaniard himself, Coman's goal was spoiled by a foul on Pogba . Very serious mistakes, especially if added to those of the first leg (Bayern's two goals both had to be canceled and there was a penalty by Vidal), which ended up weighing heavily on qualification.
“It's useless to talk about the referee, by now what's done is done – Allegri sighed with his usual enviable self-control. – We are sorry because we played a great game, especially in the first half. We could have ended it with Cuadrado but Neuer made a spectacular save, then we had other chances throughout the match, even at 4-2 with 5' left in extra time. Unfortunately it went badly but we come out with our heads held high: now we have to focus immediately on the championship, on Sunday we will have an equally important derby".
Indeed, it is difficult to find flaws in yesterday's Juve. Thinking of playing more than equal despite the heavy absences (Dybala, Marchisio, Chiellini and a Mandzukic in half service) was almost utopian on the eve, despite Allegri and Buffon having said the opposite. But their words, evidently, were much more than motivational: the bianconeri were ready to sell their skin dearly and they showed it right from the start.
The Tuscan coach chose an atypical 4-3-3 with Hernanes in the control room and the Cuadrado-Morata-Alex Sandro trident up front, an almost obligatory but still intelligent move. In fact, Bayern's defense, just like in Turin, showed all its tactical and presumptuous limits, children of an elegant but very risky football. In the 6th minute Alaba made enough effort and Pogba took advantage of it to score the opening goal.
A slap that, in the 31st minute, almost turned into a knockout hook: Morata dribbled halfway through Bayern, then served Cuadrado face to face with Neuer and the Colombian found the 0-2 goal. Sensational at the Allianz Arena, even more considering that Morata himself, a few minutes earlier, had only been stopped by the linesman's flag, who got up to cancel the goal due to a non-existent offside.
The 0-3 could still arrive in the 44th minute but Cuadrado, this time, was blocked by an amazing intervention by Neuer, decisive for keeping his team alive. Because at these levels, you know, one episode can be enough to call everything into question and this arrived in the 73rd minute: an assist from Douglas Costa and a winning gore from Lewandowski to reopen the games. The final quarter of an hour turned into a Bavarian siege that not even Allegri's substitutions (Khedira, Morata and Cuadrado out, Sturaro, Mandzukic and Pereyra in) were unable to contain.
Not for long though, because Muller found the 2-2 only in full recovery, condemning a lady now in pieces to half an hour of extra effort. All the black and white pride came out there, capable of prolonging hopes for another 18'. Because in the 108th minute, moreover after a chance from Lichtsteiner, Thiago Alcantara's goal arrived and, 2' later, that of Coman, ironically a former Juventus player.
What happened afterwards (mandzukic-Sturaro's crazy opportunity) only fuels regrets: this Juve, in fact, could really have gone through. Despite the strength of the opponent, the injuries and an arbitration that is anything but friendly.
