Juventus 3 - Venezia 2: Initial reaction and random observations

And now, thankfully, we can exhale.

It was not pretty. It was far, far, faaaaaaaar from anything resembling something good for long periods of time.

But Juventus, with so much riding on their season finale Sunday night, got the one result that ensured they would have Champions League football come the fall.

Manuel Locatelli’s penalty in the 73rd minute — the first-ever PK attempt he’s had since his move from Sassuolo in 2021 — was the difference in an absolute roller coaster of a ride that ended with Juventus recording a 3-2 win over Venezia at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo. It came with so much attached to it — the chances of Juventus actually achieving one of their preseason goals and finally taking the late lead they so desired. Locatelli, with the captain’s armband on full display, was ice cold as can be with his finish, and the subsequent celebration with the traveling fans behind the goal was proof of just that. With the victory — which also ensured the Bianconeri actually finished with more wins than draws in this cursed 2024-25 campaign — Juve secured qualification into the Champions League next season and sent Venezia down to Serie B just one season after getting promoted.

Plenty of times you probably wanted off the roller coaster on this night — especially after Juventus fell behind all of about 75 seconds in against a Venezia side who needed to win to even have a chance of surviving the drop.

Juve had to rally to pull ahead not once but twice along the way against a Venezia squad that showed just about every good and bad characteristic of an Eusebio Di Francesco-managed team.

It was a wild, wild time. It started out as the worst of times. Then it was at least some improved times thanks to Kenan Yildiz and Randal Kolo Muani. Then it was the worst of times again, only for Locatelli to make it a happy yet incredibly nervous time again.

But they did it. Somehow. Some way. They did it.

With Roma easily beating Torino and leading from the 18th minute on, this was the only result that would have gotten Juventus into the Champions League. And they did it.

This is what Igor Tudor was brought in to do when Juventus parted ways with Thiago Motta back in mid-March. It was an admission that their big swing on Motta was a mistake and they simply needed somebody to steady the ship and achieve a top four finish to ensure that Champions League football — and the massive amount of money that comes with it — will be present in Turin next season no matter who the manager is.

The brand of ball didn’t drastically improve under Tudor’s watch. He described Juventus as a squad that was “lost” when he arrived, so it’s not like things were far from completely fixable when he arrived. But in the nine games in which Tudor was in charge, Juventus won five games, drew three and lost one.

Thankfully, that loss to Parma — one of the most frustrating results of the entire season — didn’t come back to completely bite the in the ass.

It feels almost fitting that this Juventus season, one of disappointment and endless frustration, had this kind of finish to it. So many things didn’t make much sense —and you can probably add a crazy season-ending win to qualify for the Champions League to it.

Just be happy the alternative universe didn’t take control and Roma are celebrating leapfrogging Juventus on the final day of the season to get into the Champions League. The Europa League anthem won’t be blaring over the Allianz Stadium next season. For that alone is a reason to be happy.

RANDOM THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS

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