Juve had been eradicated from the Coppa Italia in painful style, as they misplaced on penalties towards Empoli after a 1-1 attract regulation time (by which Empoli went forward by way of Youssef Maleh earlier than Khephren Thuram equalised within the second half for the Bianconeri).
FIRST HALF
Empoli started the match aggressively and appeared to hit Juve on the counter-attack. After a few flurries ahead from Juventus, within the sixth minute Nico Gonzalez discovered house on the left and delivered a harmful ball into the field, however Devis Vasquez was alert to the hazard and handled it. Within the eighth minute, Randal Kolo Muani broke free down the best and fired in a threatening cross, which none of his team-mates had been capable of get on the tip of. Within the seventeenth minute, Juventus created a superb opportunity: Kolo Muani linked up with Dusan Vlahovic, who in flip discovered Gonzalez, however the Argentine delayed his effort and was unable to capitalise on the chance. Within the twentieth minute Ismael Konate tried a shot from distance, in an try to catch Mattia Perin off guard, however the ball flew broad of the goal.
Empoli took the lead within the twenty fourth minute: Gonzalez misplaced possession in a harmful space, Maleh latched onto Jacopo Bacci’s cross and unleashed a exact right-footed strike from exterior the field which nestled into the underside nook to Perin’s proper. It was 1-0 to the Tuscan facet. Juventus tried to react with a free-kick from the sting of the field within the twenty sixth minute, however Teun Koopmeiners’ shot smashed towards the wall.
Within the thirty eighth minute, Kolo Muani created one other probability, getting in behind down the best flank and delivering a teasing ball into the center, however the Empoli defence cleared because of some final ditch defending. Within the first minute added time on the finish of the half, Empoli went near doubling their lead: after a protracted clearance by Vasquez, Konate slotted in between the Bianconeri centre-backs and fired left-footed effort goalwards which took a deflection on its means hitting the publish to Perin’s left.
The groups went into the break with Empoli forward 1-0.
SECOND HALF
The second half began with an important probability for the Tuscan facet: as after only a minute, Maleh struck a left-footed shot from exterior the field, however Perin was available to disclaim him. Within the 52nd minute, Juventus got here shut from a free-kick by Vlahovic: the Serbian’s left-footed effort was highly effective, however Vasquez saved at full stretch. Within the 57th minute, Kenan Yildiz went near equalising: the Bianconeri’s quantity 10 acquired the ball on the sting of the field, managed properly and let off a proper footed shot, however his effort went simply broad.
The Bianconeri’s strain was rewarded within the 66th minute, when Juventus discovered the equaliser by way of Thuram. The Frenchman acquired the ball within the field, beat Liam Henderson with a implausible piece of talent and completed with a strong right-footed strike in the direction of the close to publish that left Vasquez with no probability.
Juventus pressed on and, within the 79th minute, went near taking the lead by way of Vlahovic, who linked with a header from a Yildiz cross, however the effort was too central and landed safely in Vasquez’s arms.
Within the closing phases the Bianconeri upped the strain: within the eighty fifth minute Vlahovic broke free within the field and struck a right-footed effort over the crossbar. A minute later, Yildiz tried a shot from the sting of the world within the aftermath of a nook, however the ball once more sailed over the bar.
They had been unable to discover a winner, and it went to penalties.
Within the ensuing shoot-out Juve had been punished for misses by Vlahovic and Yildiz, as Empoli made no mistake with their spot kicks and progress to the semi-final towards Bologna.
JUVENTUS 1-1 EMPOLI (PENALTIES: JUVENTUS 4-2 EMPOLI)
Allianz Stadium, Wednesday 26 February, 2025 at 21:00 (CET)Coppa Italia – Quarter-Finals
Targets: 24’ Maleh (E), 66’ Thuram (J)
Juventus: Perin, Weah, Gatti, Kelly (54’ Locatelli), Cambiaso (86’ Alberto Costa), Thuram, Kolo Muani, McKennie, Koopmeiners (54’ Yildiz), Nico Gonzalez (60’ Conceicao), Vlahovic.Unused Substitutes: Adzic, Pinsoglio, Di Gregorio, Rouhi, Gil, Pietrelli, Mbangula.Coach: Thiago Motta.
Empoli: Vasquez, Marianucci, Ismajli (46’ Goglichidze), Tosto (61’ Pezzella), Sambia, Henderson, Bacci (73’ Gyasi), Maleh, Cacace, Konate (60’ Esposito), Colombo (60’ Kouame).Unused Substitutes: Grassi, Seghetti, Kovalenko, De Sciglio, Bembnista, Asmussen, Campaniello, Brancolini.Coach: Roberto D’Aversa.
Referee: Francesco FourneauAssistants: Alessio Berti, Damiano Di lorioFourth Official: Ermanno Feliciani
Bookings: 65’ Henderson (E), 74’ Goglichidze (E), 79’ Esposito (E), 81’ Locatelli (J)
Subsequent Match:
Juventus-VeronaSerie A – Matchday 27Monday, 3 March, 2025 at 20:45 (CET)Allianz Stadium
