Thiago Motta showered praise over the power of Juventus of the bank after the deceased winner of Samuel Mbangula against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.
The opener of Weston McKennie was canceled by the 56th minute Leveler of Ivan Perisic, with the side of Motta looking for a 17th draw of the season over all competitions.
With eight minutes left, Mbangula, however, stabbed the winner home for Kenan Yildiz during the break after Walter Benitez had spilled the cross of Francisco Conukicao.
Mbangula was indeed the youngest player who scored for Juventus in a knockout round of the UEFA Champions League / European Cup (21 years and 26 days old).
Juventus also became the first team to win two home games against the same team in one season in the Champions League since Barcelona against Paris Saint-Germain in 2014-15, and the first Italian side to do this in the competition.
Their winner on Tuesday followed another dramatic end in the Serie A last week, with the late penalty from Randal Kolo Muani who earned Juventus a 2-1 victory at Como.
“We are a young team that has to inject a lot of pace in the game to cause problems for teams,” Motta told a press conference.
“Again, today, the players who came from the bank raised the level of the team,” Motta said a press conference.
“I am very happy with Mbangula. He prints, he dribbles, he scores goals. He always has a fantastic attitude, he always gives everything.”
3 – For the first time, #Juventus has won three games in a row in all competitions under Thiago Motta. Journey. #Juventenspsv #ucl pic.twitter.com/fet3yabe0s
– OPTAPAOLO (@OPTAPAOLO) 11 February 2025
Motta also took the time to promote midfielder McKennie for his display at the Eredivisie side.
McKennie scored his third goal of the season in the Champions League and his seventh general. Only the Christian Pulisic of AC Milan has scored more in the competition in general (12) and in a single campaign (four in 2024-25) among American players.
All three of the Champions League goals of the midfielder for Juventus have come home this season. The last Bianmaneri player with more home goals in one campaign was Cristiano Ronaldo (five) in 2018-19.
“McKennie is a great player and an important figure in the group, he is a top player and that is why he plays everywhere and often,” Motta said.
“It was an even match against a team that wants to play good football and it does well.
“This victory is only the first step. In the second stage we have to do a great achievement to continue to the round of 16.”
Juventus will be confronted with PSV in the Philips Stadium next Wednesday in the second stage, but I have a huge Series A collision in advance this weekend against Scudetto Hopefuls Inter.
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