Copenhagen - Juventus 1-1

Quagliarella spares Bianconeri's blushes

Juventus had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Copenhagen after dominating much of their opening UEFA Champions League encounter in Denmark.
Nicolai Jorgensen gave the hosts the lead in the 15th minute in the Group B clash before Fabio Quagliarella levelled the scores 10 minutes into the second half.
It was scant reward for a Juventus side that enjoyed much more of the ball and created far better chances, only for wasteful finishing to deny Antonio Conte's side.

Stale Solbakken made one change from the side that drew 1-1 with Esbjerg at the weekend, Igor Vetokele making way for Daniel Braaten.
Conte made three changes from Saturday's 1-1 draw with Inter, with Angelo Ogbonna, Federico Peluso and Quagliarella coming in for Andrea Barzagli, Kwadwo Asamoah and Mirko Vucinic.
The Italian champions had the first effort of note in the fifth minute, Carlos Tevez meeting Andrea Pirlo's cleverly-taken corner but firing wide of the right-hand post from an angle.

Copenhagen took the lead after Juventus failed to deal with Pierre Bengtsson's deep free-kick from the right-hand side.

As a crowd of players jumped to challenge for the ball inside the six-yard box, it fell kindly forJorgensen, who took a touch and slotted home beyond a helpless Gianluigi Buffon.
Juventus' response was immediate as Johan Wiland made two outstanding saves in a minute to keep his side in front midway through the half, keeping out efforts from Giorgio Chiellini and Paul Pogba when both players looked certain to score.
Tevez then curled his shot a yard over the crossbar in the 32nd minute as Juventus continued to pen their opponents back in search of an equaliser.

The second half began much as the first had ended, with the visitors in the ascendancy, and in the 52nd minute Tevez wasted a golden opportunity to level the scores
Pirlo's first-time ball over the top caught the home defence square, but the Argentine forward, clean through on goal, saw his effort saved by the legs of Wiland.
Two minutes later, however, Juventus finally got the goal their dominance had warranted as Tevez stepped over Peluso's cross from the left and Quagliarella swept the ball high past Wiland from 10 yards.

Quagliarella was then inches away from a second in the 65th minute, his header from Lichsteiner's cross flicking the top of the bar and bouncing away to safety.
With 20 minutes to go, Jorgensen went close in a rare Copenhagen attack, driving forward before unleashing a shot from 20 yards that flew narrowly over Buffon's crossbar.
Arturo Vidal could have put Juventus in front with 15 minutes remaining after collecting Tevez's headed flick, but his weak effort rebounded away off Wiland's chest.
Moments later, Tevez was again denied by Wiland before Pogba's header bounced just wide of the post with the goalkeeper stranded.
With 10 minutes to go, substitute Sebastian Giovinco was the next man to be denied by the inspired Wiland as Juventus were left searching in vain for a winner.

Wiland hoping København can restore harmony

Goalkeeper Johan Wiland recalled happier times for FC København in the UEFA Champions League as he assessed their chances of a timely return to form against Juventus.

Johan Wiland has happy memories of FC København's last appearance in the UEFA Champions League and rightly so. It was the 2010/11 season, when they won three of their six group games and also earned a famous home draw with champions-elect FC Barcelona en route to the last 16.
It was the best of times for the Danish club – and, as Wiland freely admits, quite unlike their current plight. "Back then there were different types of players in the squad," recalls FCK's Swedish goalkeeper. "We had a lot of players who knew how to perform in huge competitions like the Champions League. We upped our level a lot in those matches and the team peaked that season. At the same time we performed very well in the Danish league and won the title."
Today, by contrast, as they prepare to return to the competition with a Group B home fixture against Juventus, things are rather different. "We are struggling in the league," says Wiland, 32, of a team with just one win from their opening eight Danish Superliga outings. "The problem this season is not that we don't have good players. We have great players and a strong team but the problem is that nobody in the squad has performed at the same time. We've not really performed as a group. Until now, when one player has been playing well, the rest have been struggling."
Their poor start meant that coach Ariël Jacobs was sacked in August, with Ståle Solbakken brought back to the club where he won five league titles. The question now is whether Solbakken can restore harmony to the Danish title holders. Wiland, now in his sixth season with the club, does not rule it out. "If we play at 110%, we have a small chance against Juventus," he says.
"The Champions League is something completely different. Something happens inside your head when you step on to the pitch surrounded by thousands of fans with the Champions League anthem playing in the background." Whether the evening ends on a high note, though, remains to be seen

Buffon: Winning the Champions League would be exceptional

 The 35-year-old has never won the Champions League, but believes his team have the talent to change that this season

The Bianconeri kick off their European campaign against defending Superliga champions Copenhagen on Tuesday in Denmark, a side they have never previously met in the competition.

The Juve shot-stopper believes the club have improved over the summer with the signings of Angelo Ogbonna, Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente, and is hoping that will translate into results on the pitch for the two-time European champions.

“We’ve got two important years behind us and the club have strengthened the team in the transfer market,” he told reporters.

“But proof of this can only come from what happens on the pitch and it will be our enthusiasm and desire to keep surprising that will confirm this feeling.

“Winning the Champions League is an exceptional achievement, and something that hasn’t happened too often for us and other great teams.

“Managing to lift the trophy would be hugely satisfying, not only from a personal point of view, but for the whole environment here: fans, club and team-mates.”

Juventus will face their first test when they travel to the Parken Stadium, a venue they failed to win at in last year’s competition, drawing 1-1 with Superliga outfit Nordsjaelland.

Antonio Conte’s side were drawn in Group B with Real Madrid, Galatasaray and Copenhagen, and Buffon is excited to test himself against some of Europe’s top teams.

He added: “I’m intrigued to see if we’re able to follow up the good things we did last year and improve the results we managed to gain. On paper you could say we’ve developed since then.”