This was supposed to be their year. When it came to the final, however, Juventus collapsed and conceded as many goals in 25 minutes as they had in their entire journey to Cardiff
Expected to be the dream conclusion of a Juventus side that had just written themselves into the history books with a sixth consecutive Scudetto, instead it became a nightmare that reminded the world how often the Bianconeri fail at the final hurdle on European football’s main stage.
Since their first European Cup final appearance in 1973 against Ajax, they have reached the showcase finale an impressive nine times, however, they have also only ever taken the trophy back to Turin on two occasions – the last in 1996 against the Dutch giants.
At 39-years-old and appearing in a third final, a lot of talk centred around hopes that legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon would finally get his gloves on the Champions League, but sentiment should not let us forget that the Old Lady went to Cardiff as favourites – albeit only slight.
This was not going to be a smash-and-grab raid of Europe’s greatest prize like Chelsea in 2012 or triumph achieved by defensive resolve and good fortune such as Inter had done in 2010.
In the last two rounds before facing Real Madrid, the Bianconeri had not only conceded just one goal against two of the continent’s most attacking sides, Barcelona and Monaco, but also sliced through them with stunning efficiency and style.
That is what has to be so frustrating for Juventini, even after the few hours reflecting on a 4-1 mauling. Just as in 2003, 1998 and 1997, they were favourites, but never looked as though they thought they were, and froze under the spotlight of the big occasion once more.
It was such a disappointing display by the entire team, that it is hard to pinpoint an area where it went wrong on the night. Yes, two of the four goals took deflections on their way past Buffon, but that is only papering over the cracks of a dour performance.
Unlike two years ago, when a 3-1 scoreline flattered Barcelona, this did not, and unlike when Alvaro Morata levelled in Berlin in 2015, you never quite got the same feeling when Mario Mandzukic looped in his wonderful strike.
Despite three early efforts from Gonzalo Higuain and Miralem Pjanic, Los Blancos had control of the match from start to finish and, most importantly, those 18 or so minutes after the Croatian’s equaliser when Juventus should have seized the momentum that a goal brings.
In the second-half the Bianconeri virtually became spectators as Madrid swept them aside – failing to register a single shot on target – and the man on which the spent €90 million to fire them to European glory, Higuain, was left an isolated figure.
While Buffon and other long-standing members of this Juventus side have at least another 12 months in them and a shot at the Champions League once more, it is hard not to believe that this was their best and last chance of victory.
Despite only the veteran shot-stopper having an association with penalty defeat to AC Milan in 2003, these recent failures against Spanish opposition have attached the mark of European chokers to this group, as it did with those before them.
Stepping onto the podium to collect their runners-up medals, pundits across the world echoed sound bites of ‘failure driving these players to return and succeed’. Well, it hasn’t on the last four occasions, unlike Serie A rivals Milan in 2005, who achieved direct revenge on Liverpool two years after defeat.
Instead, for Juventus, it appears to have the opposite effect. Every loss, regardless of era, gives or has given, an air of expectancy that they are destined to fail on Europe’s biggest stage and the weight of that is too great to carry.
The Old Lady may well reach the final in Kiev in 12 months time, but they appear as though they are already convinced of the outcome.
