Real Madrid-Juventus 2-0, Benzema and Asensio in goal

by our correspondent Fabiana Della Valle

July 31
– PASADENA (USA)

First defeat of the season for Juventus who surrendered 2-0 to Real Madrid: the European champions of Carlo Ancelotti were too strong, delighting the 93,702 fans (it is the football match with the highest number of spectators played in Los Angeles and the all-time record of 2022 in the United States) came almost all for them. A Juve less brilliant than in previous games, which for the first time in this tour fails to find the goal and collects two.

REAL, WHAT A DEPARTURE

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Among the bianconeri there is the seasonal debut of Vlahovic, who plays in the center of the trident with Di Maria and Kean outside, in midfield Fagioli replaces Pogba as left midfielder. In addition to Szczesny, out due to adductor fatigue, McKennie is also missing, suffering from a dislocated shoulder. Real responds with Vinicius-Benzema-Valverde and the usual dream median, Modric-Casemiro-Kroos. Real found the goal after a few seconds with Benzema, but was canceled for offside. Juventus, however, is aggressive and shows up in attack in particular with Di Maria, but the greatest danger comes from Bonucci’s right, who hits the crossbar with a free kick. The whites (who are wearing an unlikely lilac uniform tonight) of Spain take the lead on a penalty (18 ‘) caused by a mess by Danilo, who first loses a bad ball and then lands Vinicius in the area: Perin senses the corner but Benzema’s transformation is flawless. The bianconeri feel the blow and also the fatigue. Vlahovic is not yet at the top and it shows, the only shot of the first half is from Di Maria, deflected by the goalkeeper. The Argentine is also the protagonist of an episode disputed by Juventus, a bad foul by Militao on Di Maria in the area. However, the referee considers that the defender has caught the ball first.

SPANISH DOUBLE

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In the second half out of Di Maria (less on the ball than other times) for Cuadrado while in Real Rudiger enters. Juventus remains closed in its half of the field and the best is Perin, who saves the result three times with his fists (on Mendy), with his foot (on Carvajal) and diving (on Benzema). The Juventus goalkeeper, however, can do nothing about the doubling of Real, which closes an action from PlayStation: Hazard for Vallejo who beautifully fishes Asensio. All this after Ancelotti had practically changed the whole team. Allegri also puts the young players in, but the game remains nailed to 2-0. We’ll need a little more in two weeks, when the season officially begins.