12-time Champions League winners Real Madrid put in a stunning performance at Turin to all but seal their place in the semi-finals. Cristiano Ronaldo was the star of the show as he scored 2 amazing goals and even grabbed an assist to hand Juventus their first defeat at home in over a year.
While the Old Lady showed glimpses of what they are capable of after going behind to Ronaldo’s opener, a piece of individual brilliance by the Portuguese superstar followed by a red card to talisman Paulo Dybala knocked the stuffing out of them. Without much ado, let us take a look at the player ratings for both Juventus and Real Madrid.
Juventus
Gianluigi Buffon - 6/10
Although the veteran shot-stopper did pull out a couple of good saves, his and Chiellini’s moment of indecision led to Ronaldo’s miraculous second goal. It looks like the Champions League will elude Buffon once again this season.
Mattia De Sciglio - 4/10
De Sciglio was directly at fault for Madrid’s first goal, affording Isco too much space and time to pick out a pass. He did get into good attacking positions, but often, his final ball failed to make an impact.
Andrea Barzagli - 5.5/10
Barzagli was pretty decent on the night although he was outpaced by Real Madrid players on certain occasions. The 36-year-old could do nothing to stop either of the 3 goals.
Giorgio Chiellini - 4/10
Ronaldo vs Chiellini was touted to be a battle to watch out for. There was only one winner last night. The Italian centre-back had an uncharacteristically poor game as he struggled to deal with the pace and movement of Ronaldo, Benzema and Isco.
Not a game Chiellini will remember fondly.
Kwado Asamoah - 5/10
Playing in the left-back position, Asamoah tried hard and was full of running. However, he struggled to have any real impact on the game and often relinquished possession with mishit passes and crosses.
He was replaced by Mandzukic in the 69th minute.
Rodrigo Bentancur - 4/10
The 20-year-old talented Uruguayan midfielder struggled to keep up with the pace and physicality of the game. Starting ahead of the likes of Marchisio and Matuidi, Bentancur was outclassed by the likes of Casemiro, Kroos and Modric and he struggled to make any meaningful contribution.
Sami Khedira - 7/10
The former Real Madrid midfielder put in an energetic performance last night and was undoubtedly Juventus’ best player. Making some intelligent runs into the box and pressing the opposition players, the German was a constant threat to Los Blancos last night.
Alex Sandro - 5/10
Played as a winger last night, Alex Sandro could not use his pace or crossing effectively to trouble the likes of Marcelo and Ramos. Although the Brazilian ran up and down the flanks gamely, the quality was definitely missing from his passing and crosses.
Douglas Costa - 5.5/10
The pacy winger got into some excellent positions last night, but his decision making let him down badly. He made some excellent runs but his touch, finishing and passing left a lot to be desired.
Paulo Dybala - 4/10
The Argentine superstar was expected to rise to the occasion. However, the 24-year-old was sent off in the 66th minute for getting two yellows (one for diving). Although Dybala played some brilliant one-twos with his teammates, he failed to really cause the Madrid defence any real problems.
He also could not make the most of two excellent free-kick opportunities, striking the wall on both occasions. All in all a night to forget for the talented youngster.
Gonzalo Higuain - 6/10
Higuain was one of Juventus’ better players last night as he pressed, harried and hassled the Madrid defenders throughout the night. He was denied brilliantly by Keylor Navas on 2 occasions.
Substitutes
Mario Mandzukic - 5/10
He was brought on in the 69th minutes, but he could hardly make an impact. Saw very little of the ball in the latter stages of the game.
Blaise Matuidi - 5/10
Tried to add solidity to the Juventus midfield after Dybala’s dismissal. Did not do anything of note in the game.
Juan Cuadrado - 4/10
Missed an absolute sitter in the dying parts of the game. He also misplaced a lot of passes.
Real Madrid
Keylor Navas - 8/10
The unsung hero of last night, Keylor Navas pulled off a couple of stunning saves to help keep a clean sheet. His save in the first half from a point-blank Higuain header was simply superb.
Daniel Carvajal - 7/10
The Spanish right-back was full of running and contributed massively both in attack and defence. He also sent in the cross for Ronaldo’s spectacular second goal.
Raphael Varane - 7/10
Varane showed impressive pace and physicality throughout the night as he largely handled the threat by the Juventus attack effectively. He also played some lovely passes to start off attacks.
Sergio Ramos - 7/10
The Real Madrid captain will be missing the next leg because of a yellow card, but Ramos and Madrid will not be fretting too much about it. He once again put in an assured display on a big occasion and shackled the likes of Dybala and Alex Sandro effectively.
Marcelo - 8/10
The Brazilian was assured at the back and dangerous while going forward even prodding in the third goal to completely put the tie out of Juventus’ reach. He combined with Ronaldo excellently on the left flank.
Casemiro - 7/10
The Brazilian snapped into tackles and did all the dirty work in midfield. He completely outclassed Bentancur and made some important interceptions. He did misplace some passes but was pretty good on the night.
Luka Modric - 7.5/10
The Croatian maestro was in cruise control throughout the night as he played some excellent balls and kept possession effortlessly. Modric, Kroos and Casemiro completely dominated the midfield battle.
Toni Kroos - 8/10
The German midfielder showed his class last night with a superb performance. He completely ran the show for Madrid playing some brilliant passes and taking up excellent positions.
He was unlucky to not get on to the scoresheet as his thunderous shot in the first half struck the bar.
Isco - 7.5/10
Picked to start ahead of Gareth Bale by Zinedine Zidane, Isco repaid his manager’s faith by putting on a superb performance in the first half. Isco got the ball rolling by playing in a superb ball to Ronaldo in the 3rd minute.
Although he did not have the same impact in the second half, Zidane will be pleased with the Spaniard’s performance.
Karim Benzema - 5.5/10
The Frenchman made some intelligent runs and combined well with the likes of Isco and Ronaldo. However, Benzema failed to do anything of note and was taken off by Zidane in the 59th minute.
Cristiano Ronaldo - 9.5/10
What more can we say about the great man! Cristiano Ronaldo last night showed why he will go down as one of the greatest players of all time by putting in an almost perfect performance to completely take the tie away from Juventus.
While his first goal was pretty good, his second was simply sensational. The bicycle goal he scored was so brilliant that even the Juventus fans could not resist giving the Portuguese star a standing ovation.
When opposition fans applaud you, you know you have done something special. Take a bow, Cristiano Ronaldo.
P.S. - He was given 9.5 and not 10 because he missed a sitter at the end of the game and proved to us all he is only human.
What a performance by Ronaldo!
Substitutes
Lucas Vasquez - 7/10
Came on in the 59th minute for Benzema. He looked busy and combined well with Cristiano Ronaldo. Got into some good attacking positions.
Marco Asensio - N/A
Came on in the 75th minute for Isco. Did not get enough time and opportunity to make an impact.
Mateo Kovacic - 6.5/10
Although he only came on in the 82nd minute for Luka Modric, Kovacic saw quite a bit of the ball in the closing stages of the game. He hit the bar with a well taken shot and was unlucky not to score. He also received a yellow card for a silly foul late on in the game,
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title: “Juventus 0 3 Real Madrid Player Ratings” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-05” author: “Ann Swarey”
The Portuguese converted Isco’s square pass after just 2 minutes to score in his 10th consecutive Champions League game - breaking Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record in the process.
Although Juventus pressed hard since, their job was made even harder when Ronaldo measured the weight of Lucas Vazquez’s cross before setting himself up to acrobatically dispatch the ball past a rooted Gigi Buffon to receive a standing ovation from both sets of fans.
The tie was effectively over when Paulo Dybala was shown a second yellow card for a dangerous challenge on Dani Carvajal before Marcelo ensured that the second leg would be almost academic with an easy finish after initially chipping Buffon.
Here are the player ratings from a pulsating game at Turin.
Juventus
Gianluigi Buffon - 6/10
The veteran keeper saved well on many occasions, but he was often caught in indecision between himself and his centre-halves, one such instance being in the build-up to Ronaldo’s show-stopping goal.
Mattia de Sciglio - 6/10
De Sciglio could be held accountable for the first goal, failing to track the run of Marcelo down the wing, allowing him the space to run and locate Isco. He pressed forward many times and got close with a shot from the edge of the box.
Giorgio Chiellini - 6/10
Although his positioning was good, Chiellini was unusually error-prone in the game, getting involved in mix-ups and fluffed clearances to literally hand the tie over to Real Madrid.
Andrea Barzagli - 5.5/10
Barzagli struggled in the game, unable to track his marker during set-pieces and crumbling under pressure from Real Madrid’s attacking players while trying to play from the back. It was always going to be a long night for the Old Lady when their usually reliable defence make mistakes.
Kwadwo Asamoah - 6.5/10
The winger, playing at full-back, had to risk going forward as Juventus were chasing the tie from the outset. He linked well with Alex Sandro and got into promising positions without being able to produce the final product.
Douglas Costa - 6/10
Costa was quick and a treat to watch when on the ball, but his decision making left a lot to be desired. His crosses were disappointing, so was his inability to decide whether to run goal-side or across the defender when the ball was played to him in the box.
Rodrigo Bentancur - 6/10
The young midfielder - deputizing for the suspended Miralem Pjanic - made a few robust tackles, but is nowhere near the drive and attacking threat that Pjanic brings to the Juventus side. His shots were well off target and he clearly lacked the confidence to take the game to Real Madrid’s midfield.
Sami Khedira - 7/10
The German was one of Juventus’ better players on a highly frustrating night for them, going forward and getting himself involved in most attacks. He was part of quick one-touch passes with Dybala, Asamoah and Higuain at the edge of the box to unsettle Real Madrid’s defence, while he fed the fullbacks as well.
Alex Sandro - 6/10
Naturally a full-back, the Brazilian was given the license to surge up the pitch and deliver crosses for the likes of Higuain to capitalise upon. Though the intent and desire were there, the quality of ball delivery and movement into the box didn’t match what Marcelo was able to produce for the opposition. He lost possession in key areas, losing opportunities in the process.
Paulo Dybala - 6/10
Dybala tried his hardest to get Juventus back in the tie - he got into pockets of space only to be thwarted by last-ditch tackles by Ramos and Varane.
He took up set-piece duty in the absence of Pjanic and he took desperate measures by throwing himself to the ground under challenges to ultimately receive a yellow card for diving. His second booking - effectively a red card for a high challenge on Carvajal - ended his and effectively Juventus’ hopes of mustering a fightback.
Gonzalo Higuain - 7/10
Higuain was a busy player, picking up the loose ball to get Juventus to go forward and holding up play in the vicinity of the box. He had two strikes at goal, both saved brilliantly by Navas. He created an excellent chance early in the game, only for Bentancur to scuff his shot for Ramos to easily clear the danger.
Substitutes:
Mario Mandzukic - 5/10
Mandzukic was brought on as a second striker after Juventus went down to 10 men and had to sacrifice a winger. He was hardly able to make an impact as Real Madrid professionally saw the game out.
Blaise Matuidi - 5/10
Matuidi replaced Khedira with 20 minutes left but was unable to push a visibly deflated Juventus side.
Juan Cuadrado - 5/10
Cuadrado had a chance with the last kick of the game, which went narrowly wide. Apart from that, he was shut down by Marcelo on the flank with ease.
Real Madrid
Keylor Navas - 7.5/10
The Costa Rican made two brilliant saves from Higuain and hardly put a foot wrong in goal.
Dani Carvajal - 7/10
Carvajal was impressive going forward, getting beyond Isco at times to be considered as a passing option. He did well to thwart the likes of Asamoah and Alex Sandro when on defensive duty.
Sergio Ramos - 7/10
Ramos was his usual self, giving nothing away and leading his defence against a hungry Juventus attack. His challenges were mostly well-timed but for one on Dybala close to the edge of the penalty area, earning him a yellow card and a suspension for the second leg.
Raphael Varane - 7/10
The French defender had an excellent game, putting in tackles at the right moments to frustrate Dybala and Higuain in the box. He had a free header from a Real Madrid corner, but couldn’t direct his header on target.
Marcelo - 7.5/10
Marcelo continues to show why he is amongst the top fullbacks in modern football, showing the desire to go forward and track back if possession was lost. He had a hand in the first goal, feeding Isco on the run before the latter squared to Ronaldo.
The Brazilian turned into a scorer later on, playing neat one-twos before Ronaldo’s pass sent him clear and allowed him to poke the ball into the net after chipping Buffon. It was a praiseworthy performance from the left-back.
Casemiro - 7/10
The Brazilian was unspectacular when doing his business, running after Juventus bodies and trying to close them down in order to win back possession. He is a well-established defensive midfielder in Real Madrid’s set-up.
Toni Kroos - 6.5/10
The German didn’t see much of the ball but never wasted possession whenever he had it. He passed well in midfield and got the wide men up the flanks with releasing balls. He had a fierce attempt at goal, whacking the top of the crossbar with Buffon unmoved.
Luka Modric - 7/10
The Croatian dominated the right side of midfield, stringing passes with Isco and getting Carvajal to go up the pitch when free-role Isco was in a different position.
Isco - 7.5/10
One could argue that the free role played by Isco at Turin may well have been the X-factor in the game. He helped overload the midfield and made it difficult for Juventus to mark or track him on his runs, especially when the focus was on the attack after conceding an away goal so early on.
Isco was himself influential in the first goal, drifting unmarked into the box and latching on to Marcelo’s pass before playing a square ball to Ronaldo, who made no mistake.
Karim Benzema - 5.5/10
Benzema was unable to have any impact on the game, failing to get a shot at goal. He was well marshalled by Juventus’ centre-halves.
Cristiano Ronaldo - 9/10
Ronaldo may not have the pace to do stepovers and drive past multiple defenders anymore, but any doubts of his goal-scoring capability can be laughed off after the performance. Since shifting to a more direct striker’s role, his major focus is to be at the right place to meet a pass and use the striker’s instinct to take advantage of a loose ball.
Tuesday night was all about that for the Portuguese, first converting Isco’s pass first time to give the visitors a crucial away goal, before stunning the Juventus Stadium with a barely believable overhead kick to double his and his side’s tally on the night and attract applause from both sets of fans.
He turned provider for Marcelo for the third goal before going agonizingly close to grabbing a Hat-trick but for under-par finishes. He netted in his 10th consecutive Champions League game to break Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record on a memorable night for the defending champions.
Substitutes:
Lucas Vazquez - 7/10
Vazquez provided the perfectly weighted pass for Ronaldo to execute the overhead kick and got into promising positions on a handful of occasions to give Real Madrid the clear upper hand.
Mateo Kovacic - 6.5/10
Kovacic replaced compatriot Modric in midfield and strung together a set of passes before going close himself with a strike synonymous to Kroos’ earlier in the game, hitting the top of the crossbar.
Marco Asensio - 6/10
Asensio replaced an impressive Isco with minutes remaining and contributed to seeing the game out.
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