Champions League Editorial: Juve Expose Real's Defensive Frailty
Juventus will be lauded for their impressive victory over Real Madrid with a display of attacking football that always had the Spaniards on the back foot.
Juventus will be lauded for their impressive victory over Real Madrid with a display of attacking football that always had the Spaniards on the back foot.
But it was a system that has undone Madrid before and one that many have touted in recent weeks as the way to beat Vicente Del Bosque's side.
Quick, incisive forward thrusts down the left or through the middle leave Real stranded and gave a strong indication where Florentino Perez's money should be spent this summer.
It may seem unfair to single out one man as the reason that Juve were able to wrack up an unassailable lead before Madrid gave themselves a glimmer of hope in the final few minutes.
But it was glaringly obvious to everyone that Fernando Hierro was just not up to the job of shepherding a defence that was forced to withstand wave after wave of attacks from a rampant Italian side.
The 35-year-old veteran was in a position to stop all three goals, but failed on every occasion.
He was the nearest to David Trezeguet for the opener and was turned this way and that before Alessandro Del Piero fired home the second. Then he could only jog back as Pavel Nedved soared away to rifle home the third, decisive goal.
Michel Salgado was not much better, but the Real captain has finally begun to look his age.
The club may be ready to award him another contract and they would be right to do so on the grounds of his influence throughout the club.
But at the same time they must realise that a world class central defender is also necessary.
Having spent a fortune on bolstering what is one of the most impressive attacking line-ups ever, they must now begin to look at the back line.
Juve were well aware of the chink in Madrid's armour and exploited it to great affect. Speed is the name of the game and Marcelo Lippi's side had it in abundance.
The home side's defence was a prime example of what Madrid are missing. If Lilian Thuram had played for the visitors, then it would they who would be travelling to Old Trafford in two weeks and not Juve.
The French international was outstanding again with his strength both on the ground and in the air and showed Real what they are missing.
If the Spaniards do decide to splash out on a play similar to Thuram, instead of the incredible amount they are ready to spend on someone like David Beckham, then they could bag their tenth European Cup in 12 months time.