THRILLING 3-2: KENAN YILDIZ SPARKS JUVENTUS-BODO/GLIMTTO CRUCIAL UCL WIN
Kenan Yildiz sparks Juventus to a 3-2 comeback win vs Bodo/Glimt. Super-sub leads fightback for Juve's first UCL victory.
Kenan Yildiz came off the bench and changed everything as Juventus secured their first Champions League win this season, a 3-2 victory at Bodo/Glimt.
Before this game, Juventus hadn't won in Europe, with three draws and a loss to Real Madrid. They were also struggling in general. Federico Gatti missed the match due to the flu, joining Bremer, Rugani, and Pinsoglio back home. The coach rotated the squad, giving Fabio Miretti a more attacking role. Bodo/Glimt, playing on their home artificial pitch, have been a tough opponent for many teams. Heavy snow before the game added to the challenge. Bodo/Glimt was without suspended defender Jostein Gundersen and injured Haitam Aleesami. Former AC Milan winger Jens Petter Hauge was also not in top shape because of illness.
In the opening minutes, Francisco Conceicao's quick shot was pushed wide, and Vasilije Adzic also tested the goalie.
Adzic tried a difficult volley from a Conceicao cross, but he didn't realise how much time he had and put it on top of the net.
Ole Didrik Blomberg's shot was deflected just wide after a good play by Bodo/Glimt. Andrea Cambiaso blocked a dangerous shot from Isak Dybvik Maata.
From the resulting corner, Kasper Hogh flicked the ball on, and Blomberg scored at the far post despite Mattia Perin's attempted save.
Juventus tried to answer with Lois Openda setting up Francisco Conceicao for a shot that went just wide. Then, Nikita Haikin saved Adzic's header from a Conceicao cross.
Bodo/Glimt thought they should have had a penalty when Hogh's shot hit Manuel Locatelli's ribs and then his arm, but the referee didn't call it.
Conceição passed to Weston McKennie, but then poked a weak shot right at the goalie.
Kenan Yildiz replaced Adzic at halftime, moving Miretti into midfield, and he quickly made an impact. After a possible foul on Miretti, the play continued, and Yildiz's shot was deflected to Openda, who scored.
Soon after, Juventus had the ball in the net again after a good play involving Yildiz and Miretti, but Openda was offside.
Juventus kept pushing and took the lead when Yildiz sent a great through ball to Miretti, who crossed for McKennie to head in from close range.
Conceicao cut inside and forced Haikin to make a great fingertip save.
But Juventus didn't hold on to their chances, and Juan Cabal gave away a penalty with a late tackle. Sondre Brunstad Fet scored to tie the game.
Cabal blocked another shot from Brunstad Fet, but Juventus regained the lead soon after. Kenan Yildiz controlled a long ball, turned, and forced the goalie to push the ball into the path of Jonathan David, who tapped it in.
Late in the game, Yildiz passed back for David to tap in another goal, but Odin Bjortuft cleared it off the line.
MARTIN ODEGAARD AND KAI HAVERTZ MISS FINAL TRAINING; CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HOPES FADING
Arsenal's Champions League hopes are in doubt as Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz miss final training ahead of the Atletico tie.
Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz didn’t show up for Arsenal’s open training on Monday, just a day before the crucial Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid. Both missed Saturday’s comfortable 3-0 win over Fulham because of injuries: Odegaard with his knee and Havertz with a muscular problem.
Odegaard hurt his knee in last week’s draw with Atletico, while Havertz hasn’t played since picking up an issue against Newcastle. After beating Fulham, Mikel Arteta sounded confident they’d be ready for Atletico, but on Monday neither player was seen with the first team. That’s a big hint they won’t be involved at the Emirates.
Arteta is set to speak to the media soon, though don’t expect him to spill much; he’s known for keeping his cards close to his chest when it comes to team news.
There were a couple more missing faces at London Colney. Jurrien Timber (groin) and Mikel Merino (foot) were also absent. Timber hasn’t featured since before the international break, and it’s unclear when he’ll return, but Arsenal hope it’s before the end of the season. Merino’s been out nearly three months since foot surgery. He might not play again this month.
On the upside, Bukayo Saka was back in training after getting subbed at halftime against Fulham, where he started his first Premier League game since mid-March.
Now, Arsenal really have a headache. Odegaard, who scored 15 goals last season, just hasn’t looked the same. Staff are increasingly worried about him; he’s missed 25 games in all competitions this year, thanks to a pileup of injuries: two freak shoulder issues, two muscular injuries, and the recurring knee problem. When he’s fit, Odegaard can still make magic happen; just look at his four assists across six games in January, but right now, his body keeps letting him down.
Havertz’s story isn’t much brighter. He’s managed only 20 appearances this season, mostly because of a serious knee injury in the summer and more muscle problems afterward. He’s Arsenal’s top earner at £280,000 a week, while Odegaard sits fourth at £240,000. Having two high-paid players sidelined so often is not ideal, and Arsenal need answers.
To try to sort out this ongoing injury crisis, Arteta has reportedly brought in a trusted expert from the medical field to lead an investigation. Arsenal hope this move finally sheds some light on their troubled injury record.
DECLAN RICE ACCUSES REFEREE OF CRUMBLING UNDER PRESSURE IN MADRID PENALTY DRAMA
Arsenal head to the Emirates with a 1-1 draw, but Declan Rice is fuming over the officiating standards in the Champions League.
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Declan Rice didn’t hold back after Arsenal’s 1-1 draw in Madrid, backing Mikel Arteta’s outrage and insisting the team deserved a “clear” penalty. He even went so far as to say that Atlético Madrid’s fans pushed the referee, Danny Makkelie, into changing his mind.
Arteta was livid. Late in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal, Makkelie first pointed to the spot for Arsenal after Eberechi Eze went down. But surrounded by Diego Simeone’s wild sideline antics and the roar of 70,000 Atleti supporters, Makkelie stared at the replay 13 times, then flipped his call and waved play on.
Looking back on it, Rice couldn’t believe it. “It’s a clear penalty,” he said. “I don't know how that's not been given. I think the fans got to him and changed his mind. UEFA is just a different world. In both boxes, you have to be so careful because referees call everything.”
Arsenal ran into trouble with VAR twice. First, the ref ruled Ben White handled a Llorente volley, and Julián Álvarez buried the resulting penalty, cancelling out Viktor Gyökeres’ earlier spot-kick. Rice felt for White. Talking with Stan Sport, he said, “If that happens in the Premier League, it doesn’t get given. The ball’s hardly off the ground, and it’s not even on target. But in the Champions League, the refs make these snap calls and whistle for everything. It’s just more strict. But whatever, we move on. We want to beat them next week.”
Despite the drama, Arsenal is still in a solid spot. They’ll head back to London, hoping the home crowd can push them into their first Champions League final since 2006. Bukayo Saka, freshly back from an Achilles injury, is counting on it. “We’d have liked to win, but we’ll take the draw. It’s halftime, and we’re full of confidence going back to the Emirates,” he said. “I’m sure the atmosphere will be even bigger, and that will give us a real boost.”
Before that return leg, Arsenal face Fulham at home on Saturday. They could put more heat on Manchester City by stretching their Premier League lead, though City still has games in hand and plays Everton next. The race is on.
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