Tuesday night got off to a bright start for both Chelsea and Juventus, who were in action in their Champions League last 16 first leg bouts against Lille and Villarreal respectively.
In fact, 'got off to a bright start' is a bit of an understatement as far as Juve are concerned.
January signing Dusan Vlahovic needed just 32 seconds of his Champions League debut to net what will probably go down as the best goal of the round, chesting down a long ball before firing a half-volley on the turn. It was a new competition record.
Vlahovic looks the real deal. #Juventus ⚫️⚪️
— Craig Church (@Churchi79) February 22, 2022
Really, really, cannot overstate how good Vlahovic’s finish is.
— Carlon Carpenter (@CarlonCarpenter) February 22, 2022
To put that in the bottom corner without looking? All about getting the “mental image” of where the goal is prior to receiving so he can focus on connection/contact while under pressure.
No words for just how good Dusan Vlahovic is.
— Jack Gallagher (@calciolovesjack) February 22, 2022
Literally a perfect striker. pic.twitter.com/1mJLaAf5di
Vlahovic is 22 year old, He scored on 22/2/22 which is also his first UCL game with Juventus pic.twitter.com/3uS6KJe8as
— Wayne (@utdChinook) February 22, 2022
Chelsea needed to wait a little longer for their own wonderkid striker to find the back of the net.
Kai Havertz, starting in place of the benched Romelu Lukaku, was electric inside the opening ten minutes and could have easily had a hat-trick, but he had to settle for just his eighth-minute header, which came from a Hakim Ziyech corner.
Havertz justifying his signing & wages in champions league nights. Messi isn’t even doing this by the way.
— David (@Slidetackld) February 22, 2022
Ziyech assist and a Havertz goal —
— Harsh (@SportsHarsh_) February 22, 2022
What a start to the #UCL night#COYB
Any chance you get you play Ziyech and Havertz. These two are just simply in rhythm
— Brock (@brockogami) February 22, 2022
I’ve seen enough in the opening 7 minutes, play Havertz as our striker for the rest of the season.
— Mod (@CFCMod_) February 22, 2022
While Chelsea fans were enjoying watching their side control their lead, the same couldn't be said for Juventus.
Max Allegri's famously cautious tactics didn't sit well with supporters, who watched Juventus sit deep and invite an obscene amount of pressure for the remainder of the first half.
a goal in the first minute for juventus just means allegri can have us sit back and defend even earlier unfortunately
— filip (@filipcabrilo) February 22, 2022
After goal of Juventus seems it’s done they just defend #VillarrealJuve
— Kathy_america (@kathz_07) February 22, 2022
Meanwhile, Havertz was still balling out.
The Havertz vs. Lukaku debate was all over Twitter, and while there were some supportive shouts for the Belgian, this one was a no-contest.
Lukaku should be on the line with Tuchel so he can be watching and learning from Havertz on how to get himself involved with the squad
— ?️etu ? (@iamPetu_) February 22, 2022
Chelsea may have cracked the code, Kai Havertz looks great playing up front, unfortunately they also employ Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner
— SportWatcherPRO (@SportWatcherPRO) February 22, 2022
Whatever reason Tuchel found to drop Lukaku, I am glad he did drop him. Chelsea look much more fluid with Havertz playing up top.
— Sid??⭐️⭐️ #TeamLH (@sidisallin) February 22, 2022
We hit half time, and the moods could hardly have been more different.
allegri, take your hands off the brake man! let us play ball!
— The Party Animal (@TheToluDaniels_) February 22, 2022
Allegri is the devil himself
— Hassan (@Odera_94) February 22, 2022
What a boring game ??
Allegri with a first minute goal just to park the bus for the next 179 minutes of the tie.
— The Z Pack (@SantonsArmy) February 22, 2022
Whereas over at Stamford Bridge...
Great performance from Chelsea so far. The movement and dynamism upfront is causing Lille a lot of problems. And Ziyech should be taking more shots with his right foot in dangerous positions.
— 'Sunkanmi (@SunkyInc) February 22, 2022
If Lukaku was as mobile and had the movement of Havertz, it would be totally different for him in this Chelsea side. How we are playing, is how TT wants us to play. When Lukaku plays, it does seem that the team is asked to play a different way, which obviously doesn’t suit us.
— P ©️ (@CFC_Peeps) February 22, 2022
Juventus' refusal to push for a second goal eventually came back to bite them in the second half.
Despite being tasked solely with defending, Adrien Rabiot forgot to do some defending and allowed Dani Parejo to waltz away from him and slot home the most deserving of equalisers in the 66th minute.
Parejo goal. It was coming. Villarreal have been dominating the second half.
— BenzemasBurner ???? (@BenzemasBurner) February 22, 2022
Deserved goal for Villarreal, we are literally sitting back and inviting opposition to score. Grazzie Allegri.
— Ashish (@ashishjuve17) February 22, 2022
ironic how when juve sit back they get scored on. classic allegri ball
— lucalacopo (@lucalacopo1) February 22, 2022
And at almost exactly the same time, Chelsea were celebrating.
Some outstanding midfield work from the typically brilliant N'Golo Kante saw the ball played through to Christian Pulisic, who made no mistake with his composed finish that bent around Leo Jardim and into the bottom corner of the net.
pulisic’s finish was brilliant but that kanté assist >> #UCL
— kavs⁷ (@kavsFC) February 22, 2022
N'golo Kante when Chelsea play in the Champions League pic.twitter.com/mrmTNKlRDD
— JACKSON CHELSEA ??️? (@JacksonStamford) February 22, 2022
Liquid chels footy on a CL night. Kai havertz playing like prime berbatov. Pulisic moving like the eden hazard regen we’ve always wanted. Thiago and kante doing Thiago and kante things. All whilst Lukaku is in the mud. We have been fully blessed by the footballing gods tonight
— yurinate (@cfcyuriii) February 22, 2022
Pulisic back to his best, Kante doing his thing, Silva classy as ever and Havertz leading the line like a proper forward should ?
— ⚡️ (@29Havertz_) February 22, 2022
Hopefully we see this kind of performance again at the weekend in the cup final ??
Chelsea would see out that victory, although losing Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech to injuries in the second half did put a dampener on things.
Nevertheless, Twitter was a pretty positive place to be if you're a Chelsea fan.
Kai Havertz ??
— Facto's (@gnomeo_daniel) February 22, 2022
Christian Pulisic ??
N'golo Kante ??
Thiago Silva ??
Hakim Ziyech ?
Azpilicueta ?
Rudiii ?
Chelsea was outstanding tonight.
Great Performance
Loved the movements#CHELOSC
Happy hour Chelsea cheers courtesy of Christian Pulisic https://t.co/uTEdEIoR9y
— Eric Esteban (@Eric_Esteban) February 22, 2022
Meanwhile, on Juventus Twitter...
"Juventus must be less Beautiful and more Successful"
— Granit (@Granit54407246) February 22, 2022
- Allegri after Villareal match.
clearly this is my last time watching until this idiot is sacked.#Juventus #VillarrealJuve #Allegri #AllegriOut #BoycottJuventus
Allegri should personally pay me for thepary sessions for the mental damage he is causing me
— Moist Kean AllegriOUT (@MoistKean) February 22, 2022
Allegri fans tryna find bare positives out of this game when it was a game we should have easily buried.
— Abhi ?? (@DYBALAMASK15) February 22, 2022
Allegri deserves every bit of criticism for his extremely negative football
Source : 90min