After drawing Madrid, Juventus see hope of advancing

"It’s a positive result and seeing how much the players put into this game against a team like Real Madrid really satisfies me." said manager Antonio Conte following a 2-2 Champions League draw with Real Madrid on Tuesday night.

Arturo Vidal, following his spot-kick goal against Madrid on Tuesday night. Massimo Pinca / AP

TURIN, Italy // Juventus gave fresh hope to their Champions League campaign with a thrilling 2-2 draw against Real Madrid after Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale had put the Spaniards within sight of a fourth consecutive group win in Turin on Tuesday.

With 10 points and games at home to Galatasaray and away to FC Copenhagen remaining, Real have reinforced top spot in Group B and are virtually qualified for the last 16.

Juventus dropped to last but Copenhagen’s 1-0 home win over Galatasaray means Antonio Conte’s men now trail the Turks and the Danes by just one point ahead of hosting the Danes and travelling to Istanbul.

Despite the Italians still without a win so far, Conte was buoyed by a performance which has left their knockout phase destiny in their own hands.

“It’s a positive result and seeing how much the players put into this game against a team like Real Madrid really satisfies me,” said the Italian, who led his side into the quarters last season prior to elimination by champions Bayern Munich.

“We were well organised, well prepared and we showed a lot of intensity. We drew, but we could have won this match.”

Conte sent out a similar set-up to the one deployed in the 2-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Fernando Llorente partnering Carlos Tevez at the head of a 4-3-3 – a change from the Italians’ preferred 3-5-2 formation.

After a shaky start the Italian champions finally found their feet and held a 1-0 lead at the interval after Arturo Vidal’s 42nd minute spot kick following a foul on Paul Pogba by fellow Frenchman Raphael Varane.

However Real turned the match in eight second-half minutes with Ronaldo chipping Gianluigi Buffon to level and then Bale beating the Italian ‘keeper with a clinical shot after sidestepping Kwadwo Asamoah, deployed as a left-back instead of his usual position on the wing, on the hour mark.

Real coach Carlo Ancelotti had spoken of the need for his side to rebalance recent defensive lapses but he applauded his side’s improved performance after the break.

“We’ve progressed but we’re still having problems finding the right balance, as we did at the end of the first half,” said Ancelotti, who sent a welcome boost to his former club.

Referee Howard Webb looked unimpressed when waving away two soft penalty claims by the hosts in the first half.

But the Englishman finally pointed to the spot, amid protests from Real, after Varane made contact with Pogba, who tumbled to the left of goal to hand juve a lifeline.

Vidal gave Iker Casillas no chance, smashing the ball into the top right-hand corner.

Juve endured a nervous end to the half, a Bale corner causing a scare and a first-time effort from Ronaldo following Marcelo’s weighted cut-back going high over the bar.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men continued as they had left off, pressing Juve from the restart and being rewarded when Martin Caceres blundered with a missed backpass which Ronaldo, following Karim Benzema’s lay-off, deftly chipped over onrushing Buffon.

Ronaldo’s eighth goal of the campaign knocked the wind from Juve’s sails, and the visitors were unlucky when Xabi Alonso smashed a drive off the crossbar minutes later.

Just as belief began creeping back among the Bianconeri fans, following a dangerous Pogba pass across goal which Casillas blocked, Real took the lead in clinical fashion.

Bale picked up Ronaldo’s pass and turned Asamoah to send a smart left-foot strike inside the Buffon’s near post.

Juve, however, were back on level terms minutes later, Caceres making amends for his earlier blunder with a curling cross which Llorente headed past Casillas.

Real remained a constant threat, however, and despite Juventus creating chances late on the Italians did well to take a share of the points.