03 August 2023
The Juventus Summer Tour 2023 ended at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida with a match-up against European giants Real Madrid, a highly-anticipated friendly which the Bianconeri won to sign off their Summer Tour in style. Moise Kean opened the scoring less than a minute into the encounter before Timothy Weah registered his first goal in Bianconero to double the lead. Madrid got a goal back through Vinicius Jr., and despite their efforts to find a leveller, it would be Juve to score the final goal of the game, Dušan Vlahović netting from close range to make it 3-1 - the perfect end to a successful Stateside stay.
FANTASTIC START
The Orlando crowd had barely taken their seats for the start of the match when the Bianconeri took the lead. Alex Sandro picked the ball off Modrić to set up a splendid Juve attack, his short pass to Manuel Locatelli then finding Moise Kean, whose first-time pass found Federico Chiesa who then set up Weston McKennie for a shot at goal. The American's brilliant strike hit the post, but Kean was on hand to tap the rebound in and give Juventus the early advantage.
Real Madrid's response came in the 7th minute, as Vinicius Jr brought out a diving save from Wojciech Szczesny. A minute later Juventus came close as Filip Kostić tried his luck, but Courtois was equal to the Serbian's shot. Juventus pressed on in search of the second, which came in the 20th minute following another flowing move: Chiesa's clever pass found an onrushing McKennie, who played a perfect square ball from the left-hand side to his unmarked fellow American Weah who slotted the ball in for his first goal in a Juventus shirt.
Real, desperate to get back into the game, shifted gear, Bellingham's fierce strike stinging the hands of Szczesny, who could do nothing six minutes from time as Vinicius Jr. was played into space and stroked home to make it 2-1. Los Blancos upped the ante as they peppered Tek's goal, the Polish keeper producing a fine save from Nacho Fernandez's attempt from the edge of the area. At the end of the first half, Juventus were still on top, and took their 2-1 lead into the locker room.
DUŠAN DECIDES IT
At the start of the second period, Coach Massimiliano Allegri made five changes, while Real Madrid returned with the same eleven that started the match. The first chance of the half fell to Fran Garcìa, whose shot was wide and failed to trouble substitute goalkeeper Carlo Pinsoglio, who would however be kept busy as first Bellingham and then Joselu teed up shots which went narrowly wide.
There was work for Pinsoglio to do as the half wore on, denying Bellingham from close range as the Spanish side became increasingly desperate to level the match. With ten minute to go, it was Juve who almost added another, with substitute Vlahović exchanging passes with Samuel Iling-Junior before playing a sumptious ball into the box, which failed to find a teammate.
Vlahović would have the last laugh however, as a perfect counter-attack in stoppage time ended with the Serbian tucking the ball home at the back post to make it 3-1, the Bianconeri earning a solid victory in their preparations ahead of the 2023/24 season.
Juventus 3-1 Real Madrid
Scorers: 1' Kean (J); 20' Weah (J); 39' Vinicius Jr. (R); 90'+5 Vlahović (J)
Juventus: Szczesny (46' Pinsoglio); Danilo (72' Huijsen), Bremer (67' Rugani), Alex Sandro (46' Gatti); Weah, McKennie (67' Nicolussi C.), Locatelli (72' Barrenechea), Miretti (46' Iling-Junior), Kostić (46' Cambiaso); Chiesa (77' Vlahović), Kean (46' Milik). Unused substitutes: Daffara, De Winter, Nonge, Yildiz. Coach: Allegri
Real Madrid: Courtois, Bellingham, Nacho (64' Militao) , Vinicius Jr (78' Brahim), Kroos (81' Nico Paz), Modric (64' Valverde), Camavinga (64' Alaba), Joselu (64' Rodrygo), Lucas V. (64' Carvajal), Fran Garcia (78' Odriozola), Rudiger (64' Tchouameni). Unused substitutes: Lunin, Diego Pineiro, Fran. Coach: Ancelotti
Cautions: 3' Bremer (J); 54' Gatti (J); 57' Locatelli (J); 89' Barrenechea (J); 90'+4 Milik (J)
