TURIN, Italy: Dani Alves inspired Juventus to a 2-1 win over Monaco on Tuesday to send the Italian club to its second Champions League final in three years.
Alves set up Mario Mandzukic’s opener in the 33rd minute and got on the scoresheet himself on the stroke of halftime with a fantastic volley as Juventus swept to a 4-1 victory on aggregate.
It was a fantastic performance from the 34-year-old wing back, who many described as being past his best when he joined from Barcelona on a free transfer in the offseason.
“Three months ago, some people wanted to strangle Dani Alves,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said with a smile. “But when a player is good, he’s good in June, September and the following June... he hasn’t turned mediocre.
“Anyways, Alves is not someone we’ve discovered in the past three months. He’s won 29 titles ... I’m proud to coach all these lads because they are extraordinary, both on a technical and human level.”
Kylian Mbappe scored a consolation goal in the 69th minute for Monaco, as Juventus remained on course for the treble. Allegri’s side is likely to secure an unprecedented sixth Serie A title on Sunday at Roma, while it is also in the Italian Cup final.
Two years ago, Juventus was in a similar position but it lost the final 3-1 to Barcelona. This time, it could be Juve’s year, especially after it eased past the Catalan team 3-0 on aggregate in the quarterfinals.
It will face another Spanish side in the final in Cardiff on June 3, as Real Madrid leads Atletico Madrid 3-0 ahead of Wednesday’s second leg match.
Juventus will be attempting to end a 21-year wait for a European trophy.
“It’s a path that started a long time ago,” Allegri said. “Everyone has grown: the club, the players, myself. Have to compliment everyone. From tomorrow we have to think about what we can do in these in 20 days.
“It’s right to be enthusiastic, but we’ll take it one step at a time. We have to improve certain things, because this squad is capable of improving.”
Needing to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit, Monaco got off to an aggressive start. Juventus survived an early scare when Mbappe’s shot from a tight angle came off the inside of the far post, although the teenager had been flagged offside.
Radamel Falcao then blasted over the crossbar two minutes later.
Juventus soaked up the early pressure before stepping up a gear midway through the half.
Gonzalo Higuain burst into the area and chipped Monaco goalkeeper Danijel Subasic, but defender Kamil Glik hooked the ball clear.
Subasic then did well to deny Mandzukic, who also sent a header wide shortly afterward as Juventus pushed for the goal which would effectively end the contest.
That came shortly after the half hour as a long throw by goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon sparked a counter which culminated in an Alves cross. Subasic parried Mandzukic’s header but the Croatia forward prodded home the rebound.
Juventus doubled its tally just before halftime. Subasic punched clear a corner but it fell to Alves, who volleyed it into the back of the net from outside the area.
Monaco scored when a corner was played short and Joao Moutinho put in a low cross for Mbappe to fire home from close range.
Juventus downs Monaco 2-1 to reach Champions League final
Juventus downs Monaco 2-1 to reach Champions League final
Sabalenka powers past Osaka into Indian Wells quarter-finals
- Sabalenka wrapped up the first set with two breaks of serve before Osaka began to find her rhythm
INDIAN WELLS, United States: World number one Aryna Sabalenka powered into the Indian Wells quarter-finals on Tuesday, beating former champion Naomi Osaka 6-2, 6-4 in a battle of Grand Slam winners.
It was another straightforward, straight-sets victory for Sabalenka, who fired 31 winners with eight aces.
“Overall I’m happy that I put so much pressure on her, that I brought variety today on the court,” said Sabalenka, who mixed her booming groundstrokes with effective forays to the net.
“I think she was a little confused in the key moments, and I’m happy to see that,” Sabalenka said. “I’m happy that my serve worked well, on the return I played really great tennis.”
Sabalenka wrapped up the first set with two breaks of serve before Osaka began to find her rhythm.
But the Japanese star was unable to crack the serve of Sabalenka, who saved both break points she faced in the second set and grabbed a break for 4-3 with a pair of forehand winners.
It was just the second meeting between the two, both four-time Grand Slam champions.
Osaka won the first back in 2018 on the way to her first major title at the US Open.
“That’s actually crazy,” Sabalenka said of the fact they haven’t met more often. But she predicted there were more clashes in their future as Osaka, now ranked 16th, regains her momentum on the WTA Tour after taking off all of 2023 and having daughter, Shai, in July of that year.
Sabalenka, runner-up at Indian Wells in 2023 and 2025, will continue her pursuit of a first title in the prestigious ATP and WTA Masters 1000 event against either sixth-seeded American Amanda Anisimova or 10th-seeded Canadian teen Victoria Mboko.
Australian qualifier Talia Gibson’s dream run in the California desert continued with a 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 victory over seventh-ranked Italian Jasmine Paolini.
The 21-year-old’s first victory over a top-10 player propelled her into her first WTA quarter-final, where she’ll face either Czech Linda Noskova or Alexandra Eala of the Philippines.
Gibson, ranked 112th, used a late break to pocket the first set, closing it out with her 18th winner of the opening frame.
Paolini sped to a 3-0 lead in the second as Gibson’s errors mounted and it looked as if the experienced Italian, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, had seized control.
But Gibson unleashed a barrage of winners in the third, including a stinging forehand service return on match point.
“Honestly, just completely speechless,” said Gibson, who beat top-20 players Ekaterina Alexandrova and Clara Tauson on the way to the fourth round.
