Juventus 1-0 Valencia: 5 Hits and Flops

4 Hit: Francis Coquelin

Coquelin embraced his role in midfield and did well against a tough Juventus side

Francis Coquelin stood out as Valencia's best player on a frustrating evening for the visitors. Having always been criticised during his spell at Arsenal for being too defensive-minded and not good enough in possession, his display here suggested otherwise.

Helping the team transition from defence to attack within an instant is something that Granit Xhaka and summer acquisition Lucas Torreira both do well. Francis meanwhile, has always had a label that he's not good enough with the ball at his feet.

He outperformed Miralem Pjanic and teammate Daniel Parejo to work well alongside Geoffrey Kondogbia as part of Valencia's midfield duo. Tenacious in the tackle, stubborn and unafraid to challenge for every loose ball - you could tell he was unhappy at the lack of attacking support options available as time wore on in the second-half.

Not the reckless, error-prone player that fans are used to criticising, it just highlights what the move to Spain has done for his confidence - his eagerness to go forward and actively looking for the ball, trying to make things happen. He has a formidable partner in there, a reassuring presence and one that combines to frustrate opposition midfielders during tricky fixtures like these.

With 65 touches, one key pass and a game-high 93.6% pass accuracy, the Frenchman certainly impressed. Three tackles, five interceptions, one clearance and two fouls committed, he embraced the challenge and past the test with flying colours.