Vidal PK gives Juventus 1-0 win over Monaco in Champions League

TURIN, Italy (AP) — A controversial penalty handed Juventus a narrow 1-0 win over Monaco in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday,

TURIN, Italy (AP) — A controversial penalty handed Juventus a narrow 1-0 win over Monaco in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday, leaving everything to play for in next week's return match in the principality.

Arturo Vidal scored his first goal of this season's competition in the 57th minute of an entertaining match after Ricardo Carvalho was judged to have fouled Alvaro Morata in the penalty box.

Monaco had been denied a penalty of its own in the first half when Anthony Martial tangled with Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini.

Juventus, which leads Serie A by 12 points and is in the Italian Cup final, remained on course for a treble under new coach Massimiliano Allegri.

In the night's other match, Real Madrid drew 0-0 at Atletico Madrid.

The home side was looking to preserve an impressive home record which had seen it lose just one of 16 European matches at the Juventus Stadium, winning three out of four matches in Turin this season.

The two-time Italian champion was slight favorite but knew it would be tough against a Monaco side which had conceded just two goals in four away games in the Champions League this season, as well as winning 3-1 at Arsenal in the first leg of its last-16 tie.

The match got off to a frantic start and it was end-to-end action for the opening 15 minutes.

Juventus was boosted by the return of Andrea Pirlo from injury after a three-week absence and the playmaker set up the first chance of the match with a delightful ball over the top which Morata volleyed over — although the lineseman's flag was up for offside, sparing the Spaniard's blushes.

Carlos Tevez went close to scoring the opener in the seventh minute but Monaco goalkeeper Danijel Subasic dived smartly to his right to deny the Italian league's leading goalscorer.

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Monaco, which was without key midfielder Jeremy Toulalan through injury, had its first opportunity moments later when Layvin Kurzawa sent a long-range effort narrowly over the crossbar.

Monaco appeared content to sit back and hit Juventus on the counter and it should have taken the lead in the 10th minute when Martial's pace took him past Leonardo Bonucci on the left flank and he picked out an unmarked Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco. But the midfielder fired straight at Gianluigi Buffon, allowing the Italy goalkeeper to make a crucial save.

Buffon was called into action again moments later to fingertip Ferreira-Carrasco's deflected effort around the left post.

Juve began to up the intensity again after a spell of Monaco pressure and Tevez wasted a golden opportunity when Claudio Marchisio found him unmarked with a delightful cross but the Argentine's effort was weak and straight at Subasic.

Vidal also wasted good chances, including right on the stroke of halftime when he beat the offside trap to go through one-on-one but blasted over from close range.

Patrice Evra had also blazed over the bar from just outside the area after good work from Roberto Pereyra to cut it back from the far byline.

Moments earlier Monaco had appealed furiously for a penalty but it was Juventus which broke the deadlock with a spot-kick of its own 12 minutes after the break as Morata beat the offside trap but was brought down by Carvalho. The foul appeared to be outside the area and Monaco again protested in vain.

Vidal, who had missed two penalties this season, calmly fired it into the top left corner.

Monaco almost equalized immediately but Buffon finger-tipped Geoffrey Kondogbia's attempt over the bar.

Juventus also went close with a snapshot from Morata which flew just past the left upright.

Former Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov came off the bench and almost had an instant impact but headed narrowly over with his first touch.