Juventus have had a difficult time this season, and that also extends to many of their players, including new signing Angel Di Maria.
The Argentinian star moved to the Bianconeri on a free transfer last summer, but injuries have prevented him from hitting the same heights that propelled him into elite status during his time with Real Madrid and PSG.
There even has been talk that Juventus will look to offload the 35-year-old this summer as the Bianconeri are gearing up for a massive clear-out. However, on Thursday evening, Di Maria, who was part of Argentina's 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2021 Copa America winning squads, rolled back the years with a vintage performance to help fire Juventus into the UEFA Europa League round of 16.
Prior to Thursday's match, Di Maria had scored just four goals for Juventus all season, and none in European competition.
Well, not only did he grab a goal, but actually all three to single-handedly help Massimiliano Allegri's men come back from a one-all draw in the first leg to win the tie 4-1 on aggregate.
In doing so, Di Maria finds himself in some very impressive company, as this stat shows:
3 - Angel #DiMaria is the first Juventus player able to score at least 3 goals in a European Competition match played away from home since Filippo Inzaghi vs Hamburger SV in September 2000 (Champions League). Magic.#NantesJuventus
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) February 23, 2023