06 December 2016
Just like Massimiliano Allegri’s first team, Fabio Grosso’s Primavera go into their final group game against Dinamo Zagreb, already certain of qualifying to the knockout stages of their own European competition, namely the UEFA Youth League.
Victory in Wednesday’s Matchday Six encounter in Vinovo (kick-off 15.00 CET) would also see the Primavera wrap up top spot in Group H, which in turn guarantees a place in the quarter-finals, by avoiding a play-off among the second-placed sides.
In any case, this has so far been a Youth League campaign to savour thanks to the three special wins retold below.
14/09/2016: Juve 2-1 Sevilla
Matchday One in the Youth League saw the Primavera host Sevilla’s renowned ‘Cantera’ in Vinovo for what would be an exciting and closely fought match.
The Bianconeri took the lead after 35 minutes when Grigoris Kastanos picked out Moise Kean with a perfect through pass, the striker driving home with a classy finish from an acute angle.
The visitors drew level after the interval, but Juve kept pushing for a winner right up until the very last minute. Kastanos won a free-kick on the edge of the area. Up stepped Gabriele Bove, who could not have caught the ball any better, as it sailed into net, sealing Youth League victory number one at the first time of asking.
18/10/2016: Lyon 0-3 Juve
After suffering a last-minute reverse away in Zagreb on 27 September, Grosso’s young guns knew they needed a win on Matchday Three in France in order to stay on track in terms of qualification for the knockout stages; and that’s exactly what they did thanks to a superlative performance at the Groupama Academy Stadium.
Upon taking a 34th-minute lead through Fabrizio Caligara’s unstoppable left-footed strike from distance, the Bianconeri never looked back and doubled their advantage just after the hour-mark courtesy of Mehdi Leris’ acrobatic effort from Pietro Beruatto’s cross.
Then the cherry on the cake arrived in the 73rd minute, when Luca Clemenza, back in the fold after recovering from a lengthy injury, capped off an excellent afternoon with his team’s third goal.
22/11/2016: Sevilla 0-2 Juve
Defeat to Lyon on 2 November in Vinovo meant that their Matchday Five outing to Seville took on added importance with their Spanish hosts leading them in the standings before kick-off.
With all sights set on a strong start, Juve raced out of the traps and took a fourth-minute lead thanks to Clemenza’s fine solo strike: mazy dribbling past his marker into the area before unleashing a thunderbolt between the legs of the helpless Sevilla stopper.
Grosso’s boys then finished off the job in the second period with a lovely team goal that started with Kastanos releasing Caligara down the wing, the midfielder then whipping in a cross for Andi Zeqiri to slam home a second.
Game, set, match and a guaranteed place in the Youth League knockout stages.
