Juventus Primavera reach Coppa Italia final with late win over Parma
Juventus's under-20 side have reached the final of the Coppa Italia Primavera after a dramatic 2-0 victory over Parma at the club's Vinovo training ground. A stunning 89th-minute strike from central defender Andrea Verde broke the deadlock before a second from Simone Durmisi in stoppage time sealed the win for the Bianconeri.
Managed by former Juventus midfielder Simone Padoin, the team will now face Atalanta in the final at Milan's Arena Civica. The match was a tense, error-strewn affair with few clear chances until Verde's late intervention. The defender, not known for his goalscoring, settled the tie with a spectacular right-footed curler from distance that found the top corner.
The victory continues a strong cup run for Juventus Primavera, who had previously beaten rivals Inter Milan in the quarter-finals. The path to the final was far from straightforward against a resilient Parma side, who saw a first-half free-kick from Mikolajewski crash against the crossbar. Juventus goalkeeper Tudor Radu was also fortunate when a misjudged cross late in the game was cleared by teammate Lucas Grelaud.
Parma, coached by Salvatore Corrent, were forced into an early change when forward Nwajei went off with a muscle problem. Their goalkeeper, Giacomo Astaldi, produced a superb save to deny Samuel Makiobo in the second half to keep the scores level, but he was ultimately powerless to stop Verde's winner. The result ends Parma's own cup ambitions at the semi-final stage.
For Juventus, the run to the final represents a significant achievement for Padoin in his first season in charge of the Primavera. The competition is a key benchmark for the development of the club's most promising young talents, with many past winners having graduated to senior football. The final against Atalanta promises to be a keenly contested derby between two clubs renowned for their youth academies.
The focus for Padoin's squad now shifts to preparing for that final, where they will aim to secure the trophy for the club's youth setup. The performance, particularly the resilience to win a tight game late on, will be seen as a positive step in the players' development, regardless of the outcome in Milan.
