Champions League: Real Madrid stunned by Juventus in semifinal
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Photos: Juventus takes control
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Hopes and dreams —
Juventus, champion of Italy, last reached the semifinal stage of the Champions League in 2003 -- where it faced Real Madrid. Juventus emerged victorious on that occasion before losing to Milan in the final.
Photos: Juventus takes control
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Return of the ex —
Alvaro Morata, the former Real Madrid forward, fired Juventus ahead after eight minutes. Morata, who scored 10 goals in 37 games over four seasons for Real, joined Juventus in July 2014.
Photos: Juventus takes control
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Back in it —
Juventus dominated the opening stages but Real leveled on 27 minutes when Cristiano Ronaldo headed home James Rodriguez's cross to make it 1-1.
Photos: Juventus takes control
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Can't stop scoring —
Ronaldo's goal was his 54th of the season and his 76th in the Champions League.
Photos: Juventus takes control
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Anxious Ancelotti —
Carlo Ancelotti, the Real Madrid manager, watched on as his side began to create chances. Rodriguez should have scored before the interval but somehow sent his header against the crossbar from close range.
Photos: Juventus takes control
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Tevez on target —
Carlos Tevez fired Juventus back in front on 57 minutes from the spot after being sent sprawling inside the penalty area by Dani Carvajal.
CNN
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Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid have swept all before them in this season’s Champions League – but perhaps they didn’t anticipate being schooled by an ‘old lady’ and an ex.
The ‘old lady’ in question wasn’t wielding a walking stick but instead came in the guise of a Juventus side powered by the insatiable Carlos Tevez and the familiar figure of Alvaro Morata.
Juventus, nicknamed ‘La Vecchia Signora’ or ‘old lady’ in English, deserved its win after a pulsating contest against the reigning champion.
It was Morata, once of Real, who punished his former side for its slow start and it was Tevez, who ran and ran all night, who finished off Real from the penalty spot.
In a week loaded with ultra-hyped sporting events, Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich lived up to its billing – thanks mainly to Lionel Messi.
“The most important thing was the win,” Patrice Evra, the Juventus defender, who also played alongside Tevez at Manchester United, told ITV.
“It is never easy against Real and I am very proud of my team mates and staff. We prepared very well and we got the win. We are very confident. Well done, we are 50% of the way there.
“Nobody expected us to get this far, it is 12 years since we got this far.
“Carlos Tevez has United blood like myself. He is a champion. He has had a fantastic year and we want to win the Champions League. He is a massive professional.”
Not since 2003, when it was beaten in the final on penalties by Milan, has Juventus competed at this stage of Europe’s top club competition.
Fresh from winning its fourth consecutive Italian league title at the weekend, it produced a display full of courage, vigor and quality.
In Tevez, the top scorer in Serie A, it had a man seemingly determined to drag his team into the final by straining every possible muscle within his body.
It was Tevez who helped create Juventus’ opening goal in the eighth minute – his effort was only parried by Iker Casillas, the Real goalkeeper, and Morata tapped home from close range.
Morata, who signed a five-year deal with Juventus in July 2014 following a move worth around $24 million, refused to celebrate his goal though his teammates were not so reticent in showcasing their delight.
Real, aiming to become the first team to successfully defend the Champions League crown, appeared stunned as Juventus continued to move the ball around at pace.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side had not conceded a goal away from home in the competition in 444 minutes before Morata’s strike and yet its defense looked hugely vulnerable.
Fortunately for Real, in Ronaldo, it has a player who can conjure something out of nothing and so it proved as the visiting team drew level on 27 minutes.
James Rodriguez, star of last year’s World Cup, found space inside the penalty area and his hooked cross picked out Ronaldo to head home his 76th Champions League goal.
Suddenly, Real began to find its feet and should have taken the lead just before the interval.
Isco, the diminutive midfielder, skipped his way into the penalty area and produced a fine cross for Rodriguez only for the Colombian to head against the crossbar.
It was to prove a turning point in the contest as Juventus moved back ahead just before the hour mark.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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Barcelona star Lionel Messi had quite a season ...
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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Cristiano Ronaldo finished the season as La Liga's top goalscorer but it was Messi who had the last laugh, leading Barcelona to the Spanish league and cup double and a European Champions League triumph.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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May 30, 2015 —
Messi celebrates his stunning opening goal in the 3-1 Copa del Rey final victory over Athletic Bilbao. The Argentine grabbed a second later in the game.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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May 23, 2015 —
Ronaldo scores a first-half hat-trick in Real Madrid's 7-3 win against Getafe, meaning he wins the La Liga goal race by 48-43 over Lionel Messi.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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May 23, 2015 —
Messi scores his second goal in Barcelona's 2-2 draw with Deportivo La Coruna, taking his season tally to 56.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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May 17, 2015 —
Messi's 55th goal of the season -- the Argentine finished off a typically intricate team move -- gave Barcelona a 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid to ensure the Catalan side won its 23rd La Liga crown.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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May 17, 2015 —
Ronaldo netted a hat-trick in Real Madrid's 4-1 win at Espanyol, but his trio of goals must have come with a bittersweet feeling given Barca's title triumph.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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May 13, 2015 —
Ronaldo fires his 55th goal this season, scoring Real Madrid's opener from the penalty spot against Juventus in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal. He joined Messi on a leading 10 goals in the competition, but Real exited 3-2 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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May 6, 2015 —
Messi puts in a virtuoso display, scoring twice as Barcelona crushes Bayern Munich 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal. The Argentine now has a record 77 goals in the competition.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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May 5, 2015 —
Ronaldo netted his 54th goal of the season in his side's 2-1 first-leg defeat by Juventus in the Champions League semifinals. It took his overall tally Europe's top club competition to 76.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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May 2, 2015 —
Ronaldo quickly reclaimed his scoring supremacy with a hat-trick in the 3-2 win at Sevilla which kept Real Madrid in the title race. It took Ronaldo to 42 goals in La Liga and 53 in all competitions.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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May 2, 2015 —
Messi earlier moved ahead of Ronaldo with two goals at Cordoba, giving the Argentine a 51-50 advantage in their duel. Luis Suarez (R) also scored a hat-trick in his side's 8-0 romp against La Liga's bottom team.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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April 28, 2015 —
Messi took his tally for the month of April to six with a double against Getafe as Barcelona triumphed 6-0 to stay top of the league.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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April 25, 2015 —
Messi scores his 47th goal this season as Barcelona extends its league lead to five points with a 2-0 win in the Catalan derby at Espanyol.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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April 18, 2015 —
Messi scores in the final minute to double Barcelona's lead in a 2-0 La Liga win over Valencia. It was his 400th goal in the Catalan club's colors.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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April 18, 2015 —
Ronaldo also had to wait until the last minute to find the target as Real Madrid beat Malaga 3-1 in La Liga. It was his 50th goal this term.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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April 11, 2015 —
Messi scores Barcelona's opening goal of the 2-2 draw at Sevilla. He now has 35 goals in La Liga this season and 46 overall.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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April 11, 2015 —
Ronaldo blasts Real Madrid's opening goal from a free-kick in the preceding 3-0 win at home to Eibar -- his 38th in La Liga this season at the time.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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April 8, 2015 —
300 and counting. Ronaldo scores his 300th goal for Real Madrid against Rayo Vallecano. It took him just 288 matches to reach that mark, and was his 37th in La Liga this season.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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April 8, 2015 —
Messi celebrates his 33rd La Liga goal of the season in typical style as it puts Barcelona on its way to a 4-0 win over Almeria.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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April 5, 2015 —
Ronaldo grabbed a first-half hat-trick against Granada and went on to net five times in a 9-1 demolition job by Real.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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March 22, 2015 —
Ronaldo equalizes for Real in the Clasico at Camp Nou. Messi didn't find the net that day, but Barca won 2-1 to steal a march in the title race.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
David Ramos/Getty Images
March 8, 2015 —
Messi was surrounded by Rayo Vallecano players in this La Liga match, but still managed the 32nd hat-trick of his career as Barca romped to a 6-1 win.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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February 15, 2015 —
Messi's treble against Levante was part of the Argentine's seven-goal month, helping him draw level with Ronaldo on 38 for the season.
Photos: Messi and Ronaldo: Goals, goals and more goals
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January 18, 2015 —
Ronaldo retained his Ballon d'Or award in the first month of the year, but Messi outscored him 8-4 thanks to this hat-trick against Deportivo La Coruna.
Carvajal’s foul sent Tevez hurtling towards the ground inside the penalty area and Martin Atkinson, the referee, had no hesitation in awarding the spot kick.
Tevez, unnerved, stepped up to smash the kick straight down the middle and leave Casillas flailing on the ground.
Real, unbeaten in their previous nine matches in all competitions before arriving in Turin, was then afforded a huge let off in added time.
Andrea Pirlo, the exquisitely bearded midfield maestro, curled a free kick into the Real penalty area where Fernando Llorente rose unopposed, but the forward somehow contrived to head straight at Casillas.
It is a miss which Juventus could yet rue when it arrives in the Spanish capital for next Wednesday’s all important second leg.