By SCM Staff Writer in Turin
TURIN, ITALY – The old lady of Turin, Juventus, waltzed into the Coppa Italia quarter-finals last night, treating their devoted fans at the Allianz Stadium to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Udinese.
While the scoreline may hint at a simple affair, the true winner on the night was the magnificent Allianz Stadium itself. Under the Tuesday night lights, this modern fortress of football proved once again why it is such a brutal hunting ground for any visiting side.
From the first whistle, the atmosphere was typically electric. The deafening roar of the Curva Sud provided a relentless, swirling wall of sound that visibly rattled the visitors. Udinese, looking to spring a cup shock, were almost swallowed whole by the sheer volume and aggressive geometry of Juve’s magnificent home.
Juventus took the lead in the 23rd minute, courtesy of a freak own goal. But the opener was born from the unrelenting pressure that is now a trademark of playing at the Allianz. A fierce low cross from Weston McKennie led to 17-year-old Udinese defender Matteo Palma turning the ball into his own net.
The eruption from the stands was immediate, a seismic tremor that seemed to shake the very foundations of the ground.
Udinese had a few brief moments of defiance, but the home advantage proved too much.
Chances for the visitors were snuffed out, not just by the formidable Juve defence, but by the sense of crushing inevitability that the Allianz Stadium imposes.
The decisive blow came in the 67th minute, and it was a moment of utter redemption for young Palma, who committed a foul in the box. Manuel Locatelli stepped up and coolly slotted the resulting penalty home, sending the black and white faithful into raptures. It was a goal that sealed the win and confirmed Juventus’s place in the last eight.
The last 20 minutes saw the Allianz turn into a celebratory carnival, a cauldron of cheers and waving flags, as Juve coasted to victory. This ground is more than just a stadium; it’s a terrifying 41,507-seat monument to the club’s dominance in the cup competition, a fact Udinese found out the hard way.
Juve now boast an incredible 26-game unbeaten home run in the Coppa Italia – a testament to the power of their home.
The journey to an unprecedented 16th Coppa Italia title is firmly underway, and with the Allianz Stadium in their corner, who would bet against them?
