They are 90 minutes from a semi-final now and they will need Pirlo for the second leg in the Stade Louis II next Wednesday to add the necessary composure to the Old Lady. They are closing in on the last four.
Carvalho can count himself unlucky for conceding the 57th minute penalty, booked for protesting that the initial contact with Alvaro Morata was made outside the penalty area.
Beyond that Juve were a touch disappointing, with Carlos Tevez, Robert Pereyra and Morata brilliantly shielded by Monaco defenders Aymen Abdennour and Carvalho. They did not deserve this.
Even with Pirlo patrolling the centre of Juve’s midfield again they failed to find their rhythm against this durable Monaco side.
The conductor has been missing for nearly two months, out of a team who are top of Serie A by 12 points because of an injury to his calf.
He made it here for the first leg, operating in that familiar role inside the centre circle to engineer almost every attack in the first half.
In the end it took a searching ball from the boot of Andrea Pirlo to settle this tie, a 70 yard pass that caught out Monaco defender Ricardo Carvalho.
The former Chelsea player was done for pass, more than a touch unlucky with the decision of Czech referee Pavel Kralovec to award Juventus with a penalty. Pirlo’s work for the night was done.
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Within minutes of Arturo Vidal scoring from the penalty spot, Juve’s coach Massimiliano Allegri gave those 35 year old legs a well-earned rest.
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