Max Allegri's side made it 15 wins in a row with a fortuitous late strike to help see off Napoli and propelled the champions to the top of the table for the first time this season
If picking up victories when not playing particularly well is the hallmark of champions, Juventus showed why they have won the last four Serie A titles on Saturday evening.
This was not quite a standalone play-off to decide the destination of this year’s Scudetto, but the Bianconeri’s clash with Napoli on Saturday evening was always going to be a pivotal moment in the championship race.
For much of the encounter, it seemed as if Mauricio Sarri’s league leaders would leave Turin with the point they needed to stay on top of the pile as the business end of the campaign approaches.
Max Allegri’s charges simply do not know when they are beaten, however. A 15th consecutive league triumph was secured by Simone Zaza’s late strike, a goal that could prove to be one of the most important to have ever been scored at the Juventus Stadium.
On the balance of play, they probably did not deserve it.
On spirit, character and resilience, though, it is difficult to deny this Juventus side anything.
While such feats are precisely what fans of Italian football have come to expect from the champions, this was far from a foregone conclusion. Things could certainly have been different had Napoli had more of a cutting edge to their positive all-round play.
The visitors certainly began the game the brighter of the two teams, midfield trio Allan, Jorginho and Marek Hamsik helping Napoli to dominate possession in the early stages.
Jose Callejon and Lorenzo Insigne showed flashes of quality out on the flanks, while Gonzalo Higuain – scorer of 24 goals in his previous 24 Serie A appearances – looked typically dangerous with his movement in behind.
Unsurprisingly, the game’s first clear-cut chance fell to the Argentina international, even if he was unable to get a touch on the ball.
Elseid Hysaj, the marauding right-back who is enjoying an excellent campaign, whipped in a dangerous cross towards Higuain, who was just beaten to the ball by the outstretched toe of Leonardo Bonucci.
It was a goal-saving intervention from the Juventus centre-back, who had lost the Napoli No.9 in the build-up but recovered his position just in time.
Gianluigi Buffon may not have had a save to make in the first period, but the hosts did not really threaten at the other end either.
An injury to Giorgio Chiellini had forced Allegri to switch from a 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 formation for the biggest game of Juve’s season, and the effects of the change on his players were clear.
Paul Pogba was isolated and often ineffective out on the left, while full-backs Patrice Evra and Stephan Lichtsteiner were forced to play more conservative roles than usual.
Sami Khedira struggled to exert his authority in the middle of the park, and Napoli seemed the more likely to grab a winning goal as the clock ticked away.
Allegri has developed a reputation as one of the best tacticians and in-game managers around, however, and it was his decision to replace Alvaro Morata with Simone Zaza that ultimately swung the match in Juventus’ favour.
Zaza provided more urgency and aggression at the top of the pitch, with his pressing and running lifting both his team-mates and the home crowd.
Even more importantly, it was he who produced the decisive moment of quality in the 87th minute, collecting Evra’s pass, turning Kalidou Koulibaly and rifling a left-footed effort into the top corner of the net. The shot may have been aided by a slight deflection, but Juventus supporters celebrating their side’s return to the top of the table will not care a jot.
Allegri’s men have turned in better performances this term and will do so again in the coming months.
The bottom line is that Juventus found a way to win at a crucial moment in their season.
It is the hallmark of champions.
- Goal