Ángel Di María Delivers In Yet Another Big Game As Juventus Advance In Europa League

With a 15-point deduction making domestic success an impossibility for Juventus this season, the UEFAEFA
Europa League has taken on even greater significance for the Turin giants.

That punishment – discussed in this previous column – has left the Bianconeri 12 points away from the top four spot, making winning the Europa League arguably their best way of securing a Champions League berth for the 2023/24 campaign.

Yet after drawing the first leg of their round-of-32 clash with Nantes 1-1 at home, Juve headed to France with much work to do if they wanted to continue their progress in the competition.

As it has all season, a lengthy injury list would add an extra layer of difficulty to their chances, with Federico Chiesa, Arkadiusz Milik, Paul Pogba and Fabio Miretti all missing the trip with a variety of issues.

Enter Ángel Di María.

There were just four minutes of the second leg gone when Nicolò Fagioli won possession deep in Nantes’ half, took a couple of touches and then picked out Di María on the edge of the box.

The Argentina international showed no hesitation, immediately dispatching the ball with a powerful, curling effort that found the top corner of the net and left former Fiorentina goalkeeper Alban Lafont grasping at thin air.

Just over 10 minutes later, Di María effectively settled the tie, collecting the ball in an almost identical position but this time electing to drive towards goal, rounding the keeper and a defender before attempting a shot which defender Nicolas Pallois blocked with his arm as he lay on the ground.

The referee sent him off and awarded a penalty, which was promptly slotted home by Di María. With an extra man, Juve made their advantage count and poured on the pressure, with a number of chances to add a third before the half time whistle was blown.

A long range effort from Di María forced a fine save from Lafont, Adrien Rabiot put a header over the bar from close range and Filip Kostic hit the post with a powerful shot of his own.

More chances came after the break, before a goalmouth scramble finally saw Juve grab another. Di María’s clever pass put Alex Sandro through on goal only to see his effort denied by Lafont and Dusan Vlahovic’s follow up ballooned into the air.

Di María met it with a header that Lafont palmed away, but as Vlahovic drilled a final effort wide, the referee indicated that the ball had crossed the line on Di María’s attempt.

From there it was simply a matter of seeing out the final fifteen minutes, but there was little doubt that the Argentina star had been the difference between the two sides, once again showing that he delivers when it matters most.

“I am truly happy to have been able to finish off the good work of the team and turn it into goals,” he told Sky Italia after the match. “We wanted to get through to the next round, the Europa League is very important for us.

“I had been waiting a long time for an opportunity like this with the Juve jersey and I have been able to raise the bar. I try to help the team, we won and are in the Round of 16.

“This result means a great deal for our season, winning here with the entire stadium cheering against us, but we got what we wanted.”

Max Allegri was clearly pleased too, using his own post-match interview with the same broadcaster to underline the fact that Di María truly is a special talent.

“He is a champion and different to the others,” the Coach told Sky Italia. “Everything comes easily to him, he raises the overall level of the squad and the others all feel more relaxed in his presence.

“He sees things that others cannot. Di María is in the category of real champions.”

That is undoubtedly true, as he proved once again at the Stade de la Beaujoire.