Juventus claimed the advantage in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 clash with Borussia Dortmund by recording a 2-1 victory in Turin this evening.
Goals from Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata either side of Marco Reus's away goal for Dortmund secured the win for Massimiliano Allegri's side ahead of the second leg on March 18.
Below, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the key talking points from the match.
Match statistics
JUVENTUS
Shots: 10
On target: 3
Possession: 47%
Corners: 8
Fouls: 8
BORUSSIA DORTMUND
Shots: 12
On target: 3
Possession: 53%
Corners: 4
Fouls: 10
Was the result fair?
Dortmund could have probably earned a draw on another night, but their understandable reluctance to take too many risks in the first leg meant that there was only one result after Juventus had taken the lead for a second time. Both enjoyed spells on top, with Juventus looking the more dangerous of the two sides after the break, and they did have chances to add to their advantage. However, Dortmund battled impressively in midfield, and it would have been unfair on the visitors had they lost by a bigger margin.
Juventus's performance
Allegri's side are so strong at home, and they showed in glimpses just how difficult a team they are to face in Turin. In truth, they were not at their best this evening, but the quality of Tevez, Paul Pogba and Claudio Marchisio, in particular, ensured that they were always a threat. It was a blow to lose Andrea Pirlo to injury in the first half, but Marchisio coped well to help his side in the midfield battle. At times the end product was frustrating, but there was some excellent football played, with Tevez at the heart of most attacks. They had chances to secure a bigger victory when they dominated in the second half, but Dortmund held on to disappoint the home fans.
It was an impressive performance from the hosts at the back. Giorgio Chiellini's slip gifted a goal to Reus, but he and Leonardo Bonucci both produced fine performances to keep the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ciro Immobile and Henrikh Mkhitarya quiet. It could be the defensive display which makes the difference in this tie.
Dortmund's performance
Jurgen Klopp is unlikely to be too upset with this performance. A 2-1 defeat away from home in the first leg is not always a terrible result in Europe, and Juventus will be tested as they look to defend their slim lead. It could have been better for Dortmund, but they were unable to capitalise on the frustration from the home side after Reus had levelled the scores. The big problem for the visitors was that their attacking players drifted in and out of the game, and that allowed Juventus to relieve pressure.
It was a fantastic night for the midfield partnership of Nuri Sahin and Ilkay Gundogan, who relished the challenge of facing Pirlo, Marchisio, Pogba and Arturo Vidal. They controlled the game for spells, and provided great support for the defence, which looked nervy for much of the game. Both Tevez and Morata were able to tap in from close range, and the goals were very disappointing from a defensive point of view. However, Klopp will be pretty pleased to still be in the tie, and the away goal leaves the tie delicately poised.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Ilkay Gundogan: Tevez is unlucky not to get this award tonight, but it would have been unfair not to recognise Gundogan, who excelled at both ends of the pitch to stand out against a star-studded Juventus midfield. He dictated the tempo with his passing, and provided good support for the Dortmund attack.
Biggest gaffe
Chiellini was unlucky, but it's his slip which stands out from the match. There appeared to be no threat to the Juventus defence, but the Italian defender lost his footing at the crucial moment to gift the ball to Reus, who sprinted clear to score a vital away goal for the visitors.
Referee performance
Antonio Lahoz was keen to let an exciting game flow, and he avoided making any big mistakes to stay out of the post-match headlines.
What next?
Juventus: The Bianconeri could take another step to a fourth successive Serie A title when they meet second-placed Roma on Sunday.
Dortmund: Klopp's side host local rivals Schalke on Saturday afternoon.
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