Atalanta have ended the Juventus dominance of the Coppa Italia with a 3-0 quarter-final triumph, including Duvan Zapata’s brace.
The Orobici will go on to face Fiorentina in the two-legged semi-finals, after the Viola humiliated Roma 7-1 today.
Atalanta have ended the Juventus dominance of the Coppa Italia with a 3-0 quarter-final triumph, including Duvan Zapata’s brace.
The Orobici will go on to face Fiorentina in the two-legged semi-finals, after the Viola humiliated Roma 7-1 today.
When these sides met here in Serie A on December 26, it ended 2-2, making Bergamo one of only two venues visited by Juve this season where they failed to win (the other being Young Boys in the Champions League). Mario Mandzukic, Leonardo Bonucci, Juan Cuadrado and Andrea Barzagli were injured, with Federico Bernardeschi given the nod rather than Douglas Costa. The Orobici were fired up, having fought back from 3-0 down to hold Roma 3-3 at the weekend.
The hosts pushed forward from the start, Giorgio Chiellini needing a last-ditch tackle on Duvan Zapata and Wojciech Szczesny getting down quickly to palm a Papu Gomez daisy-cutter round the far post.
Both teams lost key players to injury at the same time, as Josip Ilicic and Chiellini limped off at the 27th minute, moving Mattia De Sciglio to centre-back.
Substitute Joao Cancelo was caught in possession by Timothy Castagne, who surged forward and smashed it into the far bottom corner from the edge of the box to give Atalanta the lead.
Moments later, it was 2-0, as Duvan Zapata turned on the edge of the area and hit a ferocious but precise finish between Szczesny and the near post. It was his 16th competitive goal in the last 10 games. Max Allegri was absolutely furious at something in the build-up and was sent off for dissent, having thrown his coat on to the pitch.
Juve had a couple of free kicks from promising positions, but both Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala blasted them into the wall.
The Bianconeri came out fighting for the second half, with Bernardeschi pulling back from the by-line for Ronaldo, while Mario Pasalic had his finish charged down after Cancelo gifted the ball yet again.
Daniele Rugani’s header from a corner skimmed the woodwork and a corner came to Sami Khedira, who stung Etrit Berisha’s gloves with a half-volley.
Atalanta did not seem under much pressure as the clock ticked down, but when De Sciglio stumbled on a back-pass to Szczesny and Duvan Zapata pounced, the job was done.
Atalanta 3-0 Juventus
Castagne 37 (A), Duvan Zapata 39, 86 (A)
Atalanta: Berisha; Toloi, Palomino (Masiello 89), Djimsiti; Hateboer, De Roon (Gosens 91), Freuler, Castagne; Gomez; Ilicic (Pasalic 27), Duvan Zapata
Juventus: Szczesny; De Sciglio, Rugani, Chiellini (Cancelo 27), Alex Sandro; Khedira (Pjanic 71), Bentancur, Matuidi; Dybala (Douglas Costa 61), Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardeschi
Ref: Pasqua