Juventus 4 - Bayer Leverkusen 0
Thursday 29th November 2001
Juventus produced an impressive attacking display to run away with this twice-postponed Champions' League encounter.
David Trezeguet scored either side of tap-ins by Alex Del Piero and Igor Tudor to give coach Marcello Lippi a welcome win.
The Turin side took control early on when Leverkusen defender Jens Nowotny failed to clear a Del Piero nod-back and Trezeguet reacted quickest to head past Hans-Jorg Butt.
It was no more than the Serie A giants deserved after a powerful start to the match in front of only a handful of fans at the Stadio Delle Alpi.
Trezeguet was brilliantly denied by a Lucio tackle with just 70 seconds on the clock and Butt had to be at his best to keep out a Alessandro Birindelli effort before the first goal came.
Leverkusen reacted well to falling behind and Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon made a fine stop from Yildiray Basturk's close-range shot.
Italy defender Mark Iuliano then did well to prevent a cross reaching the predatory Ulf Kirsten and, a minute later, Zoltan Sebescen headed wide when well placed at a corner.
Oliver Neuville cracked a 25-yard shot fractionally wide of the near post before Lucio, alone at the far post, forced another outstanding Buffon stop.
But the German league leaders went two down on 37 minutes when Del Piero scored following a quick break.
Lilian Thuram charged down the right after a Leverkusen corner was cleared and found Trezeguet unmarked in the centre. The Frenchman waited for Butt to narrow the angle before setting up his fellow striker, who tapped into an empty net.
The visitors seemed dispirited and Juve took complete charge, adding their third goal through Igor Tudor, replacing the dropped Edgar Davids in midfield, just before the break.
Butt did well to deny Trezeguet but, from the resulting corner, Alessio Tacchinardi retrieved a Iuliano mis-hit with an overhead-kick from the by-line and Tudor touched home.
Juventus coasted through the second half, adding to their lead just once more when Trezeguet fired home on the hour - his 14th goal of a fine season.
Pessotto played in Pavel Nedved on the left and his cross was met first time by the France forward, whose volley found the corner of the net via Butt's fingertips.
Following the fourth goal, Juve were happy to concede possession but remained the likelier side to score on the break. Neuville's run and shot on the right of the box was the closest Leverkusen came to a consolation goal.
Juventus: Buffon, Tudor, Pessotto, Thuram, Iuliano, Birindelli, Zambrotta, Tacchinardi, Nedved (Davids 84), Del Piero, Trezeguet (Amoruso 77)
Leverkusen: Butt, Nowotny, Ze Roberto, Basturk (Schneider 52), Ballack, Lucio, Sebescen, Ramelow, Placente (Zivkovic 66), Kirsten (Vranjes 75), Neuville
Booked: Birindelli, Nedved (Juve); Ballack (Leverkusen)
Referee: Urs Meier (Switzerland)
