Juventus will take a narrow lead to Monaco for their Champions League last-eight second leg after Arturo Vidal’s penalty split the sides in Turin.
Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco wasted a clear opening for the visitors before Carlos Tevez fluffed a volley for Juve.
Vidal, who had blazed over just before the break, then blasted home an emphatic penalty following Ricardo Carvalho’s trip on Alvaro Morata.
Dimitar Berbatov headed just over but Monaco were mostly kept at bay.
Leonardo Jardim, the Principality side’s manager, claimed that the result was a “big injustice” with the decisive spot-kick “inexistent”.
Repeated viewings suggested Carvalho tripped Morata fractionally outside the penalty area, but it would be hard to blame referee Pavel Kralovec on such a marginal call.
Juventus might also have argued that as the last defender, Carvalho was fortunate to see only yellow for the foul.
Monaco had enough chances to return home level, regardless of the official’s decision.
In the first 10 minutes Ferreira-Carrasco was put through by Anthony Martial but contrived to shot straight at Gianluigi Buffon with space yawning on either side of the Juventus goalkeeper.
Likewise, Buffon would have been helpless had Berbatov kept his late header down and the Italy keeper had to be alert to turn over the impressive Geoffrey Kondogbia’s stinging drive.
However, Juventus also missed chances to build a bigger advantage with Vidal, Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata all wasteful in front of goal.
Monaco have conceded only eight goals in their nine Champions League matches so far this season, but they will need more than stout defence to wrest the tie back in their favour when the teams meet again on 22 April.
Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri: “It was a good result. Not conceding a goal at home gives us a small advantage. Monaco are a very-well organised team.”
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Source: BBC