Business accomplished. Indeed, a mission, to use Allegri's words, because a team that has ambitions to win shouldn't get too excited about a success in the group stage. However, the feeling of having made an important coup remains, the first in this edition of the Champions League, capable, perhaps, of giving courage in view of a path that still has to reserve the most difficult obstacles.
The victory in Seville means two things: qualification for the round of XNUMX and first place in the standings, albeit to be confirmed on the last day. In short, a lot of stuff, above all by virtue of the many absentees with whom Juve faced the Andalusian away game. Of course, all that glitters is not gold: victory, rather than a clear imposition on the opponents, is the result of some decisive episodes.
Above all the expulsion of Vazquez, foolish in remedying two yellow cards in the space of 5 minutes, but also the ingenuity of Mercado, author of an absurd penalty foul on Bonucci just when the first half was ending at 1-0 Seville (Pareja in the 9th minute).
And so Juve, almost without realizing it, found themselves from being down and in difficulty to being able to face the second half on 1-1 (Marchisio from the penalty spot in the 47th minute), moreover in numerical superiority.
Not that we saw a transcendental dominance, on the contrary: the black and whites suffered from the closed spaces designed by Sampaoli (expelled for protests) and almost never gave the feeling of being able to win.
Until the 84th minute, when Bonucci, one who only scores heavy goals, found the right left foot from distance to beat Rico and give his 3 platinum points. Mandzukic's final stone (94') only served to put the exclamation point on victory and qualification, which has finally become a mathematical certainty.
“I'm happy because winning in Seville isn't easy at all – commented Allegri. – We have achieved the first of the three objectives we had until Christmas: now we have to stay at the top of the championship and win the Super Cup against Milan".
This evening, however, it's the turn of Napoli, engaged at the San Paolo against Dinamo Kiev. A match to be won at all costs, otherwise the qualification issue would risk becoming hopelessly complicated. The Azzurri will be able to exploit the other match in the group in their favor, that Besiktas-Benfica which will be played earlier (18.45 pm) and which will give, in any case, the possibility of depending only on themselves. Provided, however, that we do not make the mistakes we have already seen in other challenges, because this time they would risk being irreparable.
“I want my team to focus only on the performance, not on the result – explained Sarri. – The risk is that we get too nervous, we just have to think about playing and being calm. Woe to making a commitment superficially: they are strong and if they are last it is only because they have had bad luck”.
In reality, the Ukrainians do not seem to represent a major obstacle: so far they have collected only one point and scored just 2 goals, which is why Napoli have no excuses and must necessarily take the stake.
Sarri will rely on the usual 4-3-3 with Reina in goal, Hysaj, Albiol, Koulibaly and Ghoulam in defense, Allan, Jorginho and Hamsik in midfield, Callejon, Gabbiadini (ballot with Mertens) and Insigne in attack. Rebrov will respond with a very compact 4-1-4-1 with Rudko between the posts, Morozyuk, Vida, Kacheridi and Makarenko in the back, Rybalka "dam" to support the halfbacks Yarmolenko, Buyalski, Sydorchuk and Derlis Gonzalez, with Junior Moraes single tip.
