Juventus March Into the Coppa Italia Quarter-Finals
So, Juventus have taken another confident step forward in their Coppa Italia campaign, and the way this 2–0 win over Udinese unfolded at the Allianz Stadium really tells the story of a team trying to steady themselves and build momentum.
The match opened with Juventus immediately on the front foot. You could almost feel the urgency in their play as they forced five corners within the first fifteen minutes. Kenan Yildiz, who has become something of a spark for this team lately, tested Udinese keeper Razvan Sava early with one of those trademark curling efforts from the left. Another one just whisked past the far post, setting the tone for a dominant first half.
And then, in the 23rd minute, that pressure finally paid off—though in a slightly unexpected way. Weston McKennie charged down the right flank and whipped in a low cross. Jonathan David looked as though he’d nudged it in, but the replays made it clear: the final touch came off 17-year-old Matteo Palma, turning it into an own goal. Tough moment for the youngster, but Juventus weren’t complaining.
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Udinese did think they’d pulled one back shortly after when Kingsley Ehizibue chipped a lovely finish over Michele Di Gregorio, but the flag went up for offside. Even David had a brilliant attempt ruled out on the other end—an outrageous shot from near the byline smashed into the roof of the net, only for another marginal offside to spoil the celebrations.
Early in the second half, Juventus were forced into a defensive change when Federico Gatti appeared to tweak his hamstring. Manuel Locatelli came on, and that substitution ended up playing a huge role later.
The second goal arrived in the 68th minute, again with Palma unfortunately involved. As Cabal tried to deliver a cross, Palma clipped him, prompting a long VAR check that eventually resulted in a penalty. Locatelli, cool as ever, stepped up and drove it straight down the middle while Sava guessed the wrong way. A clean, decisive finish.
Juventus didn’t sit back after that. They chased a third relentlessly—Francisco Conceição twice saw shots blocked in the area, and Lois Openda even had a sharp late goal disallowed after a lovely one-two with João Mário, undone once more by an offside in the buildup.
But in the end, the job was done. A controlled 2–0 win, a clean sheet, and a quarter-final spot booked. Juventus now move on to face either Atalanta or Genoa on February 4, carrying the confidence of a performance that felt solid, mature, and—above all—needed at this stage of their season.
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