Juventus vs. Dynamo Kyiv Takeaways: Federico Chiesa is the answer

Juventus shut down Dynamo Kyiv 3-0 this week in the Champions League, making an important statement before this weekend’s derby match against Torino.

Last weekend, Juventus could not prove that they are capable of winning without Cristiano Ronaldo. The star man received rest at Benevento, and Juve proceeded to draw the newly-promoted Serie A side 1-1.

So they needed the right response in the Champions League on Wednesday night at home, and they got the job done with a 3-0 win over Dynamo Kyiv.

Here are three takeaways for the Bianconeri from their comfortable win.

Federico Chiesa is the answer

The headline says it all. Federico Chiesa was the best player on the pitch for Juventus, and it has been wonderful watching the Fiorentina loanee (though his permanent transfer is a mere formality) shine with his new club.

Chiesa scored the opener with his head after a cross from Alex Sandro, and it was his cross that set up the eventual second from Ronaldo. And finally, Chiesa assisted the third goal for Alvaro Morata in the 66th minute to put the game beyond all doubt in favor of the Old Lady.

The effort Chiesa puts into each match is impressive. He owns the flanks when he plays, and he is capable of playing on the right side or the left. Juve may be a stronger team with him on the left so that Juan Cuadrado can play on the right side, but Chiesa is at his best on the right since he can send cross-field passes or early crosses as he did in each of the last two games.

Chiesa’s rigorous defending makes him a suitable wide midfielder, since he has to play as a bit of a wing back to support the three “central” defenders. The 23-year-old, per WhoScored.com, tied Matthijs de Ligt for the team lead with four tackles vs. Dynamo Kyiv.

He has been the best transfer of the summer for Juventus, and his chance-creation and intensity have made him a weekly staple for Andrea Pirlo.

Alvaro Morata is so much more than the goals

Spanish striker Alvaro Morata tends to play his best football in Turin, and it would be beneficial for all parties if the Atletico Madrid man completed a permanent move to Juventus upon the conclusion of the 2020-2021 season.

Morata is having a career year. He recorded a goal and an assist against Dynamo Kyiv, so he now has nine goals and four assists in all competitions. The goals have been important to give Cristiano Ronaldo some help in the scoring department, especially with Paulo Dybala struggling, but the link-up play has been just as impressive.

Honestly, this is by far the best Morata has looked in terms of his ability to help his teammates. In addition to poking Chiesa’s cross for Ronaldo’s goal, Morata helped create the first by making a great run off the ball before getting the pass to Alex Sandro’s assist.

The way Morata has stepped up for Juventus creatively has been tremendous to watch. He is working hard for the team and has been an excellent addition to the Bianconeri. If Chiesa is the best signing of the summer due to his ability and potential combined, then Morata will likely be the most impressive new signing on the strength of his 2020-2021 season alone.

That was much better from Rodrigo Bentancur

I have been very critical of Rodrigo Bentancur in 2020-2021 thus far, because he started the season quite poorly. Bentancur could not make progressive passes, offered nothing to the attack, and wasn’t definitively better than Adrien Rabiot or Arthur Melo from a defensive standpoint either.

On Wednesday night, Bentancur started with Weston McKennie and Aaron Ramsey in the midfield, and he and McKennie did a good job of keeping Dynamo Kyiv quiet and out of the center of the park.

Bentancur’s passing was accurate and fruitful. He completed 95 percent of his passes with three key passes. If Arthur is his biggest competition for minutes alongside Rabiot, whose place has been pretty much solidified after several months of high-quality play, then Bentancur made an important case vs. Dynamo Kyiv. He played much better this week in the Champions League than Arthur did last week at Ferencvaros.