Alessio Tacchinardi liked what he saw from Juventus at Atletico Madrid and backs the team’s strength in the Champions League.
The Bianconeri were frustrated in the Spanish capital and came away with a 1-0 defeat from the second round of Champions League group stage action last night.
Alessio Tacchinardi liked what he saw from Juventus at Atletico Madrid and backs the team’s strength in the Champions League.
The Bianconeri were frustrated in the Spanish capital and came away with a 1-0 defeat from the second round of Champions League group stage action last night.
Whilst scrutiny has fallen on the fact the team were defeated, one of their former midfield men sees the positive.
“I am on Allegri’s side, as I liked the team that I saw at the Calderon,” Tacchinardi, who won the 1996 Champions League with the Old Lady, has told Tuttomercatoweb.
“Atletico are very good at not allowing their opponents to play, instead making the most of their defensive strength.
“Criticism is often determined by the result, but I think that the development of the game itself has to be taken into account.
“Atletico are a team that have stopped even Barcelona and Real Madrid, have won La Liga and reached the final of the Champions League.
“The victory of Simeone’s men came from their only offensive move up the field. The Argentine Coach was good to realise that in an open game they would have lost.
“A drew would have been fairer? Yes. Juve have played as usual, but in front of them was not Cesena, Udinese, Atalanta or Milan.”
Fernando Llorente’s goalless start to the season has come in for questioning too.
“To date, the only striker to score is Tevez, if we exclude the goal from Morata in the 3-0 at Atalanta. Llorente last year proved to have a slow start at an athletic level, but is nevertheless working for the team. In any case, yesterday was awfully difficult to break that defence.
“Can Tevez, Morata and Llorente co-exist? I believe that with a diamond midfield in a 3-4-1-2 that it is feasible, because Morata has characteristics that are different to those of Llorente and Tevez.”
Tacchinardi reflected on where this Juventus side really are in Europe this term.
“Yesterday, Simeone said something important, that Juventus are the strongest team in the group.
“This is not a lie, he’s an old fox, but is aware that this Atletico is not the same as last year, but that Juventus are also not the same as the one eliminated by Galatasaray last year.
“To not advance from the group would be a failure for this Juventus.”