While warming up in the stadium of Atlético Madrid, the stars around Cristiano Ronaldo in pink-black petticoat training baskets on the court. You do not see it that way every day, but Juventus is programmed for culture shock this season.
Or what do you call what new coach Maurizio Sarri proclaimed on the eve of this Champions League top game, which ended in 2-2? "We have to have fun, we have to rid ourselves of an illogical phobia, in Italy a clean sheet means a week of drama, in other countries it means shooting one more goal."
Sarri actually represented the Juve - Italy's club par excellence, who founded his rise to the country's number one on disciplined results football, proudly viewing the values of the Fiat owner. However, President Andrea Agnelli would also like to win again the Champions League, in which his club only triumphed twice, but lost his last five finals.
Juventus wants to give itself a new mentality
The reforming dynasty sprout, driving force behind the aspirations of a European super league, has located a mentality problem. Juventus is in the Champions League no longer just durchwurschteln, but approaching the issue offensively. Dominate and win, in every place. In the free-spirited chain smoker Sarri, who was once re-coached by bank managers and coached Chelsea to the Europa League, he sees the ideal allies.
In an exciting game at Atlético, Sarri almost landed the first Big Point. Juventus went through the fantastic Juan Cuadrado (48th) and Blaise Matuidi (65th) clearly in the lead, but each allowed by standards still a 2-2 by Stefan Savic (70th) and Hector Herrera (90th) to. It had not been consistently "Sarriball", as the smooth passing game was baptized during his first successes with Empoli and Napoli, and the goals fell after counterattack.
AFP
Maurizio Sarri wants to breathe new life into the old lady
But after all, they were of impressive elegance, the Juve did not brick up even with the lead in the back, and it was she who struck in stoppage courageously the victory and almost achieved by a brilliant solo by Cristiano Ronaldo. For once, the Portuguese world footballer failed to torment Atlético as he always did with Real Madrid, and most recently in March with his hat-trick in the first knockout round in Turin. His past was always present in infernal whistles and ugly insults.
At the moment Sarri is still on a compromise course
Ronaldo is also one of the reasons why Sarri has not yet used his pure teaching. Just as he has adapted himself externally to the new employer - he was wearing blue trousers and a blue polo shirt instead of the formerly radically tracksuit - he also keeps the team on a compromise course footballing. In Madrid there was only one new signing in the starting eleven, defender Matthijs De Ligt, and possibly only because Giorgio Chiellini was missing injured. Piano piano wants to bring Sarri his handwriting, it is said, and no one overloaded, certainly not his star. Instead of his classic 4-3-3 he has arranged a hybrid in which Gonzalo Higuaín is to play the center-forward as played once at Real's beloved Karim Benzema. So Ronaldo can situational oscillate between his left wing and the attack center.
The birth pangs of "Sarriball" were still to be seen at the zeternden captain Leonardo Bonucci, whose debates with colleagues on the well-groomed opening game ("We try to implement the idea of the Mister") had real workshop character. On the other hand, one suspects that Juventus will not be allowed to pour in two more goals in the decisive season phase according to standards. "A clear title candidate", called Atlético coach Diego Simeone the opponent.
Bernat Armangue DPA
Juve - a title candidate again this year
It would never say that to his team, little has changed in his love for the underdog role. Otherwise, Atlético is also in transition. The star is new - João Félix instead of Antoine Griezmann - and almost the full defense. Two goals conceded to defeat Eibar, San Sebastián and now Turin in Europe's defensive champions in the last three games.
Before the 0: 1 Atlético ran so unconditionally forward, as had been seen under Simeone not even in final offensives. "Of course there is still much to improve," said the coach. "We need time, hopefully we will make as few mistakes as possible in the time that does not give football one."
Atlético also discovered the offensive
But at Atlético, too, there is a magic inherent in change. As porous as the heavily rejuvenated Elf still defended, so clearly she showed fresh aggressiveness and also benefited from the greater depth in the squad. It was not Félix or pale Diego Costa, but substitutes Ángel Correa and Vitolo, with their dribbles, and Porto-born Mexican Herrera, who immediately became Atlético's hero of the evening in his first minutes.
For its part, Juventus has the strongest squad of the nine-year era of Andrea Agnelli. Players like Emre Can and Mario Mandzukic did not even make it to the Champions League entry list - the German used the free day to a surprise visit to his old school in Frankfurt - and in the closing stages Sarri could still pros such as Paulo Dybala or Aaron Ramsay replacement.
It was not enough to win, but Sarri was satisfied anyway, as he casually analyzed the game with his glasses casually over his eyes. "The things we practice were on display." What is a start?
