Pogba gets the plaudits but it’s this maestro who taught Madrid a lesson

Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo was once again in top form as they rescued a point in a 2-2 draw against Real Madrid in the Champions League last night.

Arturo Vidal gave the hosts the lead at the Juventus Stadium before Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale made it 2-1 to Real, but Fernando Llorente headed home the equaliser shortly after to secure a point.

In the midst of all this, Pirlo gave yet another masterclass in how to pass a football as he fed Juventus’ more advanced midfielders in Paul Pogba and Vidal.

Pirlo Passes v Madrid (92% Pass Accuracy)

Carlo Ancelotti’s men couldn’t stop the Italian playmaker from dictating the play from deep with probing and incisive passes, driving the Old Lady onwards to a well-deserved point.

Pirlo would go on to make 90 of his 98 passes, resulting in a 92% pass completion rate which was the highest of any player on the pitch.

He also recorded a 100% tackle success rate from two tackles, won one of his two headed duels and even beat his man once during the match.

The 34-year-old accomplished all this with his usual assuredness, rarely straying away from the central area of the pitch apart from trekking over to the corner flags for his corner-taking duties.

But it was his most valuable asset that stood out in the statistics, with three key passes played, two from his usual position deep in midfield and another directly from a corner.

The first two is typical Pirlo, a pair of incisive passes to spring a Juventus attack utilising the pace of their attack and forcing Real onto the back foot.

Pirlo Key Passes v Madrid

It’s staggering how a 34-year-old can continue to perform so consistently at this level, but Pirlo has made a niche for himself within Juventus’ quick and powerful midfield.

Team-mates Pogba and Vidal provide all the pace and power the Turin giants need, and Pirlo can be left to his own devices, providing a metronomic beat to the play.

Pirlo has long set high standards of himself as a classic Italian ‘regista’, but he has altered and perfected the role to suit his own needs and also the team’s.

Tuesday evening’s performance was just another example of why the Juventus star is considered one of the world’s best in his position.