One company has succeeded, now we wait for the other. The two days of the Champions League began with a Giallorossi triumph and who knows if it could end with a Juventus one: it would be one of the highest peaks ever and perhaps, objectively, that is asking too much, but dreaming costs nothing and then, after what happened last night, nothing seems to be really impossible anymore.
Few, very few, believed that Roma could overturn the 4-1 suffered in Barcelona, but fortunately among them was Di Francesco and the whole team with him. The result was a match destined to remain not only in the history of the Giallorossi but in all of Italian football, decidedly refreshed after a week spent licking his wounds.
The 3-0 at the Olimpico (Dzeko 6', De Rossi on a penalty 58', Manolas 82') is well deserved, because Roma didn't just beat Barça, they even crushed them: and Messi's performance, one of the worst ever in the Champions League, photographs the whole thing more than a thousand words.
"It is right to celebrate, after all we have always believed in it - explained Di Francesco proudly - It was a great undertaking, but now we must continue like this: why on earth should we not believe in the final in Kiev?".
A legitimate question, especially since Guardiola's City has also been added to the list of illustrious eliminations, after Psg and Manchester United, eliminated by another great company from Klopp's Liverpool. The maximum would be to complete the list with Real Madrid and who knows what Roma have done can give Juventus further boost.
Of course, if scoring 3 goals against Barcelona at home was almost impossible to score 4 against Madrid, what's more at the Bernabeu, it seems even more prohibitive. Suffice it to say that in the history of cups no one has ever succeeded, furthermore the blancos play the Champions League with the self-esteem of those who have won two in a row and have a Cristiano Ronaldo in great shape.
Put like this it would seem really impossible and yet Juve, deep down, want to at least try. "We have a duty to erase the 3-0 from the first leg, we know there are few chances but then, during the matches, you never know what can happen - commented Allegri - Our goal is to get results, that's why we have to play as if it were a one-off match, without calculations of any kind. We want to have a great race, then we'll see…”.
"Sometimes football has given us unthinkable comebacks – echoed Buffon – It's only by attempting the impossible that you can then achieve something possible". In short, Juventus, while avoiding proclamations that could become counterproductive, still does not want to raise the white flag and is ready to land at the Bernabeu with the best eleven possible, obviously net of injuries (Barzagli and Bernardeschi) and suspensions (Dybala).
Allegri will play with the usual 4-3-3 with Buffon in goal, De Sciglio, Benatia, Chiellini and Alex Sandro in defense, Khedira, Pjanic and Matuidi in midfield, Douglas Costa, Higuain and Mandzukic in attack.
“We did well in the first leg but this is another game, qualification is still 50% open”. Zidane's words sounded almost mocking, but then Roma's feat arrived and their truthfulness, if nothing else, earned them a few points. It is useless to deny that Madrid are super favourites, but Zizou knows very well that Juve die hard and therefore will face the match at their best, net of the disqualified Sergio Ramos.
The 4-3-1-2 blanco will thus see Keylor Navas in goal, Carvajal, Vallejo, Varane and Marcelo in defense, Kroos, Casemiro and Modric in midfield, Isco on the trocar to support the attacking duo Ronaldo-Benzema.
