Juventus Player Ratings from a 4-0 Coppa Italia victory over SPAL
Juventus set up a blockbuster semi-final tie in the Coppa Italia with Inter Milan after they brushed aside second-tier SPAL 4-0 in the last eight.
Andrea Pirlo rotated his side heavily from the 2-0 victory over Bologna in Serie A at the weekend, but the Bianconeri nonetheless made light work of the Serie B outfit in Turin.
Goals from Alvaro Morata, Gianluca Frabotta (his first for the club), Dejan Kulusevski and substitute Federico Chiesa sealed a comfortable 4-0 triumph for the Old Lady, meaning they’ll now take on the Nerazzurri over two legs in the semi-finals.
Here are the player ratings for Juventus.
GK – Gianluigi Buffon
A rare appearance for the timeless veteran proved comfortable. SPAL huffed and puffed in stages but rarely threatened Gianluigi Buffon’s goal.
Rating: 5.0 out of 10
RB – Radu Dragusin
It looks like Pirlo has another versatile defender at his disposal. Radu Dragusin performed a similar role to Danilo at right-back on Wednesday night before switching to centre-back late on. The teenager was assured in all phases, contributing impressively to Juve’s build-up, in particular.
Rating: 7.0 out of 10
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CB – Matthijs de Ligt
Matthijs de Ligt’s return is a huge boost for the Bianconeri as they go about chasing the Milanese tandem in the race for the Scudetto during the second half of the campaign. However, this wasn’t the cleanest display from the former Ajax man, with a few positional errors on show in the first half. Nevertheless, de Ligt settled quickly, with his work with the ball composed and progressive.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10
CB – Merih Demiral
It’s a joy to watch this man go about his work because he – like de Ligt – simply loves the art of defending. Merih Demiral’s remarkable strength and impressive ability to sense danger proved pivotal in the opening stages as SPAL probed. The aggressive defender seemed to somewhat lose control, however, before his substitution in the second period.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10
LB – Gianluca Frabotta
This was Gianluca Frabotta’s best display in Bianconeri colours. No question. Tasked with providing width down Juve’s left, the Italian was a thorn in the SPAL side. An energetic, confident, and overlap-heavy showing culminated in a sweet strike to give the hosts a 2-0 lead. Is this the start of something quite brilliant or has he merely found his level?
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
RM – Federico Bernadeschi
Federico Bernadeschi’s second start on the bounce was cut short due to, what appeared, a knee injury. The Italian was bright enough throughout the first-half, developing a healthy understanding with Dejan Kulusevski but wasn’t heavily involved.
Rating: 5.0 out of 10
CM – Nicolo Fagioli
Nicolo Fagioli’s performance was as bright as the Nike’s on his feet (a dazzling pink). The teenage debutant undoubtedly remains raw and certainly has work to do in the first phase – essentially when Juve build-up from the back – but he’s incredibly dynamic and is so cool in tight spaces, wriggling away from tacklers akin to Inter’s majestic Barella. One to watch.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
CM – Adrien Rabiot
Adrien Rabiot returned to the starting XI following his dire display in the recent Derby d’Italia defeat. The Frenchman benefitted massively from not having to endure the wrath of Marcelo Brozovic, Arturo Vidal, and Nicolo Barella in this one as he produced, arguably, his finest performance of the campaign. He played with a distinct swagger, strolling about the turf as if he was on an alternate stratosphere to the mere mortals surrounding him.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
LM – Aaron Ramsey
The Welshman’s movement and ability to manipulate space is up there with the very finest raumdeuters in the game, and that was on full display against SPAL. Whether he was penetrating in-behind, marauding between the lines, or dropping deeper to assist Juve’s build-up, the visitors simply couldn’t cope with Aaron Ramsey’s ghostly maneuvers. However, sub-par decision-making and a lack of technical security in possession somewhat undermined his tremendous work off the ball – despite improving in this regard as the contest wore on.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10
ST – Dejan Kulusevski
It’s Dejan Kulusevski’s maturity that makes him such a special talent. The Swede’s patience and decision-making to set-up Juve’s second was so impressive, while the understanding of his strike partner’s movement ensured the hosts could stretch the SPAL defence. His right-footed effort was a just reward for an impressive evening.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
ST – Alvaro Morata
Alvara Morata kickstarted the rout in Turin with a well-taken penalty in the opening stages and impressed on his return to Pirlo’s XI. The Spaniard varied his movement but often drifted out to the left where he forged a deadly relationship with the surging Frabotta. His work between the lines was good, often facilitating sharp combination play in the final third. Overall, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Morata retain his place for the upcoming trip to Sampdoria based off this display.