UEFA Technical Observer Jarmo Matikainen analyses how Juventus' counterattacks propelled them into a 3-0 half-time lead before OL Lyonnes fought back for a 3-3 draw on UEFA Women's Champions League Matchday 4.
Juventus delivered an exceptional first-half display, scoring three goals in the first 37 minutes against a formidable OL side by absorbing pressure and seeing every turnover as a counterattacking opportunity.
As it happened: Juventus 3-3 OL Lyonnes
"It was a really beautiful match, played openly, and I believe the fans who came to watch enjoyed the action and the chances,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Canzi told UEFA. "OL are a team you have to face the way we did, and then you also need to be good at finishing your chances – which we did very well in the first half."
Women's Champions League tactical analysis: Juventus on the counterattack
For Matikainen, the effectiveness of the transitions stemmed from Juve's "compact structure and readiness to win the ball". He explained: "The first goal [by Chiara Beccari] was a very good example; the lone striker stayed close to a tightly-organised midfield five, allowing the team to regain possession twice in advanced areas and exploit OL's unbalance.
"Once possession was secured, the speed and acceleration of the counterattack, combined with the players' willingness and ability to break forward quickly, prevented OL from recovering their defensive shape and created decisive attacking opportunities,” said the UEFA Technical Observer.
Supporting runs were also key for Matikainen: "Players made under-the-ball movements from deeper positions, with the midfield five consistently ready to break forward in numbers, as seen in the second and third goals. These runs were high-quality: full speed and directed into different channels to stretch the opposition."
Beccari embodied this approach particularly well. "She consistently drove forward at high speed while maintaining the awareness needed to read the opponent and connect with supporting teammates; a quality clearly visible in the second and third goals," observed Matikainen. "The off-the-ball runners also showed outstanding speed, endurance and game intelligence, selecting the right channels to target and stretching OL's defensive structure."
Tatiana Pinto (centre) after scoring Juventus' third against OL Lyonnes
Tatiana Pinto (centre) after scoring Juventus' third against OL LyonnesJuventus FC via Getty Images
Coaching observation: Focus areas for the game plan
"From a coaching perspective, it is important to emphasise the link between effective defending and effective attacking," says Matikainen. "Juventus demonstrated this clearly, with players showing strong positional awareness, clear understanding of their roles in winning possession, and a high level of connection across the team. That collective awareness translated into readiness to exploit transitions and moments when the opposition were unbalanced. Their preparation was evident, as they had carefully analysed OL's attacking structure and were primed to use the space available.
"One thing that has impressed is how well OL Lyonnes have been accelerating the speed of attacks in previous games. Here, the team accelerating immediately after winning possession in first half was Juventus. In the second half, OL increased the ball tempo, speed of runs and dribbles and took momentum.”
Jarmo Matikainen is a former Finland international whose long playing career led to over 20 years of coaching and technical leadership in Finland, Wales, Canada and Estonia, including roles with men's clubs and women's national teams. He has served as technical director of the Football Association of Finland and coached Wales and Estonia women's teams.