Juventus reached their second Champions League final in three seasons with a comfortable aggregate victory over Monaco.

Already leading 2-0 from the first leg, the Italian side extended their advantage when Mario Mandzukic stabbed in after his initial header was saved.

Dani Alves doubled their lead on the night with an instinctive volley from goalkeeper Danijel Subasic’s punched clearance.

Kylian Mbappe turned in Joao Moutinho’s low cross to pull one back in the second half, but the Ligue 1 side could not pull off an unlikely comeback.

Juventus, who have not won this competition since 1996 and lost 3-1 to Barcelona in the 2015 final, will face either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in Cardiff on 3 June.

Atletico host Real today looking to overturn a 3-0 first-leg deficit.

Juventus have endured a turbulent time since beating Ajax in the Champions League final 21 years ago.

They were demoted to Serie B in 2006 for their part in a match-fixing scandal, and were stripped of two of their Serie A titles.

But they have risen to become the most dominant team in Italy, winning the league for each of the past five seasons.

Their focus now is Champions League success – and they look well placed to achieve it.

No side has scored more than a single goal against them in a Champions League game this season, while Mbappe’s goal was the first they have conceded in the knockout stage.

That is down to the excellent form of goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and defensive trio Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli.

Against a free-scoring Monaco side intent on attacking, lesser sides may have relented, but Juve stood firm.

Chiellini, in particular, was outstanding – in the right place to clear a dangerous Benjamin Mendy cross at 0-0 before hooking away from Radamel Falcao at 1-0.

They were two key moments, allowing Juve’s forward players to attack with patience and potency.

Dani Alves

Juventus have three games remaining in Serie A, starting with a trip to Roma on Sunday, 14 May. A draw will seal a sixth consecutive league title.

Monaco, meanwhile, switch their focus to domestic matters as they look to win Ligue 1. They are three points clear of Paris St-Germain with three games left and host Lille on Sunday.

 

BBCSports