Pirlo: Juve looked scared after nightmare start at Porto

Andrea Pirlo felt a nightmare start left Juventus “a little bit scared” but Federico Chiesa’s away goal at Porto got them “back on track” in the Champions League last-16 tie. 

Porto will travel to Turin for the second leg with a 2-1 lead after catching the Serie A champions cold twice at Estadio do Dragao on Wednesday. 

Rodrigo Bentancur gifted Mehdi Taremi a Champions League goal with a terrible pass to goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny after just over a minute, while Moussa Marega doubled Porto’s advantage just after the break. 

Juve rarely posed a threat in a flat display before Chiesa gave them hope when he struck eight minutes from time, with Cristiano Ronaldo denied a penalty right at the death in a miserable return to his homeland. 

Pirlo thought Juve, who lost captain Giorgio Chiellini to a calf injury in the first half, struggled to recover after such an early setback in proceedings. 

“The approach became wrong after the first minute. When you have conceded a goal like this it is normal to be a little scared, you lack the certainties that should never be lacking [at this stage of the competition],” the former Italy international told Sky Sport Italia. 

“The boys are a little down, we conceded a strange goal, then the match they wanted to play was set up and it became much more difficult.” 

Pirlo added: “The tiredness after so many challenging matches is there, it is not easy to keep the same pace, but it shouldn’t have happened. Fortunately, we got back on track, now we will focus on the return [leg].”

FT | | The hosts win it on the night, but we take an important away goal back to Turin! #FCPJuve #JuveUCL #ForzaJuve pic.twitter.com/d8fvlQDeXD

— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) February 17, 2021

Alvaro Morata has been struggling with illness and although he came on midway through the second half, Pirlo revealed the striker still felt unwell after the game. 

He said: “Morata was not well, he has not been at his best for a few days. He came on when he needed to, but after the game he felt faint, he was a bit on the edge.” 

Danilo will be suspended for the second leg next month after the full-back was shown a yellow card.