Aston Villa and Newcastle target outshines Erling Haaland with 'monumental' Champions League heroics
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Of all the players at Manchester City and Juventus’ disposal, these were hardly the two players anyone would expect to attempt such an acrobatic finish.
Erling Haaland, as Sparta Prague discovered earlier in the Champions League campaign, is no stranger to engaging in a bit of athleticism.
At the other end of the pitch, one suspects Dusan Vlahovic, the powerhouse Serbian striker who opened the account in Juventus’ eventual 2-0 win, could hit a mean overhead kick himself.
It was not Haaland, however – and not even Vlahovic, Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva or Kenan Yildiz either – who put forward his candidate for the tournament’s Goal of the Season award at the Allianz Arena.
Instead, it was Weston McKennie, Juventus’ hard-running utility man, who doubled the Bianconeri’s lead with a finish most players – especially unfashionable midfielders with a relegation at Leeds United on their CV – could only dream of.
McKennie, however, was not the only Juventus player to try his hand at something a little spectacular against a Man City team who’s recent form – LLLLLDLWDL – could be forgiven for a Welsh train station.
McKennie does, at least, have a history when it comes to this sort of feet-of-the-ground finish. He scored a similarly emphatic volley against Barcelona back in 2020.
Centre-back Federico Gatti, in contrast, is as no-nonsense as they come. A battle-scarred, body-on-the-line, snap-your-granny for a clean sheet sort of defender from the Giorgio Chiellini school of Catenaccio.
Yet, on a night in which Gatti and Juventus kept Man City and Haaland at arms’ length, the 6ft 4ins showed that there’s got a bit of the Del Pieros about him as well.
Newcastle and Aston Villa target Federico Gatti inspires Juventus win
TBR understands that Newcastle United and Aston Villa like Federico Gatti. But, after Chiellini’s heir apparent made key contributions at both ends against Man City, it is no wonder Juventus are stepping up their attempts to tie him down for the long haul.
According to Il Bianconero, Gatti’s new deal is likely to be rubber-stamped early in 2025. The five-time Italy international will be rewarded with a substantial pay-rise.
A very well-deserved pay rise, too.
Gatti’s story is a pretty remarkable one. The late-blooming 26-year-old only became a professional with third-tier Pro Patria back in 2020. Four seasons later, he is leading Juventus past the English champions while helping to maintain the joint-best defensive record in Serie A.
Gatti ‘monumental’ as Erling Haaland ghosts in the Champions League
With four clearances and two blocks, Gatti was imperious as Juventus added another clean sheet to their collection. It was what he did at the other end of the pitch, however, that will live longest in the memory of the Bianconeri faithful.
Trotting forward to join the attack, this stallion of a centre-half contorted his giant limbs and forced Ederson into a save following an unexpectedly impressive overhead kick. Seconds later, with Gatti still in nosebleed territory, Vlahovic converted following Yildiz’s sublime cross.
“It was a perfect evening. Very important,” Juventus legend Claudio Marchisio told Sky Italia following a win which keeps their hopes of a top-eight finish alive. “This is a victory that is worth more than three points.
“Vlahovic, [Manuel] Locatelli and Gatti were the best players on the pitch. For me, the backbone of the team made the difference.”
Calciomercato labelled Gatti’s eerily Chiellini-esque performance as nothing short of ‘monumental’. His 8/10 match rating, meanwhile, was the highest of any Juventus player.
As such, it should no longer by a mystery as to why both Newcastle and Aston Villa are following developments over that new contract so closely. Nor why Juventus are so keen to keep him in Turin.
