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maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 15 APRIL 2015 20 Sport SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL Atletico Madrid - Real Madrid ...............0-0 Juventus - Monaco .............................. 1-0 Today 20:45 FC Porto - Bayern Munich 20:45 Paris Saint Germain - Barcelona UEFA Champions League results and fixtures Arturo Vidal fires Juventus to narrow win over Monaco Atlético and Real Madrid draw a blank ARTURO Vidal, from the spot, scored the only goal of an entertain- ing contest as Juventus established a slender lead to take into the return leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final against AS Monaco FC. The Chile midfielder converted a 57th-minute penalty, awarded after Ricardo Carvalho had tripped Ál- varo Morata just inside the the visi- tors' area. The result puts Juventus in a decent position to reach their first European Cup semi-final since 2002/03. The pattern of play was set from the off – Juventus quickly onto the front foot and Monaco, eyeing an opportunity to counter, content to retain their shape. Making his first appearance since 24 February, And- rea Pirlo was soon looking to dictate play, floating a ball to the far post that was volleyed over by Morata. If a cagey encounter was expected between two teams with the best defensive records in their respec- tive leagues, then the opening ex- changes were anything but tentative. No sooner had Carlos Tévez forced a low save out of Danijel Subašić than Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco, found by Anthony Martial, fired straight at Gianluigi Buffon. With Monaco growing in con- fidence, Ferreira-Carrasco tested Buffon again, his shot taking a de- flection off Leonardo Bonucci. The intensity remained high for much of the half and, as a result, the chances kept coming, the unmarked Tévez displaying a look of disbelief after tamely volleying Claudio Marchisio's diagonal cross into the mid-rift of Subašić. The ebb and flow endured as the match approached half-time, the ever-dangerous Martial showing his pace as he attempted to outstrip Giorgio Chiellini and, from the next attack, former Monaco left-back Pa- trice Evra blazing Roberto Pereyra's cut-back over the crossbar. If Ferreira-Carrasco's earlier failure to score was a let-off for the Serie A leaders then Monaco breathed a sigh of relief on the cusp of half-time when Vidal, found by a sumptuous Tévez pass with the outside of his boot, put his attempt high and wide with only Subašić to beat. The Bianconeri continued to force the issue after the restart, but were almost caught out by a swift Mo- naco break. Subašić, having collected Pirlo's corner, bowled the ball out to Ferreira-Carrasco, who played in Bernardo Silva, just on for the injured Nabil Dirar. Buffon tipped the mid- fielder's near-post effort wide. The breakthrough arrived three minutes later from the spot after Car- valho was penalised for clipping the heels of Morata as the Spain striker looked to get on the end of Pirlo's searching pass. Vidal did the rest, fir- ing high into the net for his first goal in this season's competition. Geoffrey Kondogbia served the hosts a warning with a shot from dis- tance that forced the backpedalling Buffon to tip over. Jardim sent on Dimitar Berbatov for Monaco's Ital- ian right-back Andrea Raggi with 19 minutes remaining, and the striker soon made his presence felt with a header over from Ferreira-Carrasco's corner. A goal was not forthcoming, though Monaco will take comfort from the fact that Juventus have lost away to Club Atlético de Madrid and Olympiacos FC this term. In the other match, Club Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid CF will go into the deciding leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final all square after neither was able to force a breakthrough in an engrossing first leg at the Estadio Vicente Calderón. Madrid, who had not beaten Atléti- co in the teams' previous six meet- ings this season, controlled the first 45 minutes and only a fine display from Jan Oblak in the Atlético goal prevented then turning that into a tangible advantage. Atlético came into the game more after the interval, but with clear chances hard to come by, neither side could establish a first- leg advantage. Real Madrid had famously denied Atlético at the last in last season's UEFA Champions League final yet Carlo Ancelotti's team began as if determined to take control of the tie from the outset. Within three min- utes they could have been ahead as Diego Godín's slip let in Gareth Bale, who bore down on goal; Jan Oblak stood up well and blocked the shot with his right hand. Madrid kept coming, Oblak block- ing Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick and then parrying a fierce Bale effort from range, with no visiting player following up. A corner then found its way to James Rodríguez on the edge of the penalty area; the Colombian steered a shot through the crowd with the outside of his left foot, but Oblak got down to his left smartly to push the ball away. Seconds later, Atlético might have taken the lead. Sergio Ramos' stray pass gave Antoine Griezmann a shooting chance, but Iker Casil- las was equal to the attempt. That proved a brief interlude as Madrid pushed forward once more. Raphaël Varane galloped down the right and his cross eventually found James; yet again Oblak was equal to the shot, low to his left. Atlético now looked the likelier to force a breakthrough, however, Go- din hooking over following a throw- in before Mario Suárez and Marcelo picked up bookings that rule them out of the second leg. The home side continued to press, Casillas pushing away Suárez's overhead effort and Mario Mandžukić having an attempt blocked before Oblak saved from Ro- naldo to leave the tie finely poised. Arturo Vidal converts from the penalty spot Cristiano Ronaldo rises high to meet a cross