Juventus, the Italian club so domestically dominant over the past five years, reached a modern-day milestone today, qualifying for the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2003.
From the ruins of the Calciopoli scandal that saw the club relegated to Serie B, Juventus emerged as the dominant, domestic force in Italian football.
Securing back to back to back Scudettos, the Old Lady most recently shattered the points tally of any Italian Champion when they reached an astonishing 102 points during the 2013-14 season.
Their nearest rivals Roma managed just 85.
Reviving the 3-5-2 of yesteryear, Juventus has been simply unplayable in the Serie A over the past three years, scoring 80+ goals per season in a league renowned for its defensive durability.
But, the Bianconeri have endured a far more perplexing relationship with the continent’s most coveted club competition over the past decade.
It was a relationship that seemed at the forefront of Massimiliano Allegri’s mind when he took charge at the beginning of the season.
In his first press conference as Juventus manager, Allegri addressed what his predecessor Antonio Conte had failed to accomplish through Juve’s European expeditions.
“There are great clubs in Europe, but with a shrewd transfer policy and organisation we’ll try to enjoy an excellent Champions League campaign, just as Atletico Madrid did last season. Juventus must be among the top eight teams in Europe, it’s our duty.”
Breaking the top eight teams was a milestone passed when the Italian side tactically destroyed a naive Borussia Dortmund in the Round of 16, qualifying for the quarter-finals.
A favourable draw meant it would face Monaco in the quarter-finals, but unlike Arsene Wenger, Allegri would approach the fixtures with the utmost caution.
An Arturo Vidal spot-kick gave the Old Lady a 1-0 lead heading into the second leg away at Monaco and from there, the Italian side would do what Italians do best – defend.
Conceding the lion’s share of possession, they were seldom troubled by the Ligue 1 outfit bar a rare break from young Portuguese starlet Bernardo Silva, the only real chance of levelling the tie.
The match was best summed up by defender Patrice Evra who told BeIN Sport after the match: “We qualified Italian style. It’s ugly but it’s solid and it’s efficient.”
The 1-0 win on aggregate has granted the side a revered spot among Europe’s elite and it is a refreshing sight. Dominated of late by Spanish and German giants, Juventus is this year’s surprise inclusion and pose a real threat, just as Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid side did last year.
The dual Champions League winners are well and truly considered the underdogs at this advanced stage of the tournament.
But there was a time when the storied Italian club was no stranger to European success.
Defensively disciplined, Juventus boasts one of the most combative midfields in European football and is now well-served by the flourishing Carlos Tevez in the front third.
After ending a 12-year wait to play at the pointy end of the Champions League, Juventus will now need to end a 19-year spell if it is to hold the coveted trophy once more.
Allegri and co. find out who their semi-final opponent will be tomorrow when the draw is held in Nyon, Switzerland.
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