Juventus win Coppa Italia to end a disappointing season
Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 20.05.21. | 00:31
Even though he won two trophies with the squad, Andrea Pirlo's future is uncertain with the Bianconeri
Atalanta got the better of Juventus in their most recent meeting, winning 1-0 last month. They played to a 1-1 draw in their previous Serie A match, which came back in December.
Now Juventus had to win against the Bergamo Goddess if they wanted to end the season with a comfort trophy. And the Old Lady succeeded. Final score 1-2 to beat Atalanta in the Coppa Italia final.
Match started with much intensity - heavy tackles all over the pitch with few chances on both sides.
In the 3rd minute Jose Palomino came close to scoring - he connected with a pass inside the box and perhaps should have done better than direct his shot straight at Gianluigi Buffon.
And even though Atalanta looked more confident and less chaotic, it was Juve who took the lead just after the half-hour mark.
A precise cut back on the goal line from Weston McKennie found ex-Atalanta player Dejan Kulusevski and he elegantly buried the ball inside the left post.
Kulusevski (21 years, 24 days) is the youngest player to have scored in a Coppa Italia Final since May 2011.
The conceded goal did not crash Atalanta's hopes of returning this match and potentially winning their first Italian Cup trophy since season 1962-63.
And they managed to level the score less than 10 minutes later. Hans Hateboer pulled the ball back for Ruslan Malinovsky on the edge of the box, and he smashed it past Buffon with a fine strike inside the right post.
Malinovskiy is the first Atalanta's player to have scored in a Coppa Italia Final since the above-mentioned final in 1963.
A lot of talk with the referee Davide Massa from both sides closed the first half, pretty standard in Italy.
Second half was a mirrored image of the first, energy-wise.
Juventus had the first opportunity to take the lead. In the 58th minute, Pierluigi Gollini pulled off a great save to deny Kulusevski to score his second. Swede unleashed a quick low drive to the bottom left corner but Atalanta keeper was ready.
Federico Chiesa had a massive opportunity just after the hour mark as his shot crashed against the right post.
But what he failed to do then, he managed in the 73rd minute - Kulusevski slipped a clever pass through to Chiesa who moved inside the box and sent a measured shot beyond the keeper and low into the middle of the goal.
Since Cristiano Ronaldo was invisible, others stepped in. Chiesa has scored five goals against Atalanta in all competitions, the most he scored against any team.
And after that second lead, it looked like Juve played just as much as it was needed to bring the game to a close and to win that second trophy after an abysmal campaign (Italian Super Cup and Coppa Italia).
Even with this defeat, Atalanta can be satisfied with their season as they clinched another Champions League season.
What is in store for the Bianconeri and their next campaign, we will just have to wait and see.
COPPA ITALIA - Final
Atalanta - Juventus 1-2 (1-1)
/Malinovsky 41' - Kulusevski 31', Chiesa 73'/
