Buffon Reflects on Juventus Defeat in Madrid: “We Thought We’d Get a Result”
2 October 2014
Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon admitted he was surprised by his team’s 1-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid on Wednesday night, as the Italian champions suffered their first setback of this season’s UEFA Champions League campaign.
The defeat at the Vicente Calderón came courtesy of a second-half goal from Arda Turan, who latched onto a Juanfran cross to sweep the ball past Buffon in the 75th minute. Despite a solid start to the game, Juve failed to respond after conceding.
“We thought we’d come away with at least a point,” said Buffon in a post-match interview. “We were managing the game quite well, but the goal came at a moment we didn’t expect. After that, we couldn’t take control or create clear chances to equalise.”
The Italian side, unbeaten in Serie A so far this season, had travelled to Madrid in good form following a 2-0 win over Malmö on Matchday 1. Atlético, on the other hand, were under pressure to respond after an opening defeat to Olympiacos. Diego Simeone’s men rose to the occasion in front of their home fans, applying consistent pressure in the second half.
Juventus struggled to carve out attacking opportunities and failed to register a single shot on target in the second half. Their defensive shape, which had been solid for much of the game, faltered briefly — enough for Atlético to capitalise.
Buffon, ever the professional, praised the Spanish champions’ resilience. “They’re a very well-organised side with a strong mentality. They don’t give you many chances, and we couldn’t find the right rhythm to break them down,” he said.
Despite the setback, Juventus remain in a strong position in Group A and will aim to bounce back in their next European outing. Atlético’s victory, meanwhile, brings them level on points with the Bianconeri, keeping the group wide open.
