Full-Time 12th Edition - Juventus vs. Verona

                       

                                       (Paramount+)

Match Recap

Juventus fans headed into this Saturday matchday with the utmost confidence in their squad and rightfully so, as the Bianconeri had found a run of good form just prior to the international break. Securing a vital win over bitter rivals Inter in the infamous Derby d’Italia had propelled Juventus even further up the Serie A standings, where they came into today sitting at 7th on the ladder. This matchup against Verona, a team desperately trying to stave off relegation, provided The Old Lady with another prime chance to earn 3 easy points and continue their ascent towards the top 4. However, the performance that was served over the course of 90 minutes in Turin was anything but dominant. In fact, it was rather concerning for Juventus fans, like myself, who have perhaps been fooled with a recent sense of false security given Juve’s run of play. Today was a major wake up call that there are truly no easy games in this league and that one bad day on the field can lead to catastrophic circumstances at the end of the season. A game that many expected Juventus to be able to walk away with a relatively easy win, ended up being a tightly contested battle that resulted in a win by the narrow margin of 1-0. The deciding goal came from Italian striker Moise Kean, who was just praised by head coach Max Allegrin in the press conference the morning prior. The attacking build-up that preceded the goal was just as classy as the finish itself. Midfielder Fabio Miretti served a no-look pass to fellow Italian Manuel Locatelli, who then finessed a pass through two Verona defenders to find Kean. Kean then controlled the pass and thumped home the game’s only goal into the bottom left corner of the opposing net. Aside from that short glimpse of brilliance, Juventus’ performance was a display that lacked structure, confidence or creativity. That being said, that was exactly the type of game that Verona wished to compete in. The relegation threatened side clearly wanted to make this game physical, scrappy and hectic and they did just that. Surprisingly enough, Juventus managed to obtain the majority of possession in this match, however it was Verona who landed more shots on target (3) when compared to Juventus (2). If the total of 5 shots on goal from both teams combined isn’t enough to paint the picture of this game, then I yield. Thankfully Juve’s lack of attacking presence today did not come back to hurt them, like it did so many times last season. These are examples of games that top-level clubs can simply not afford to drop points, whether it is a loss or a draw. Today Juventus saw the match through and secured all three points, now surging and just 4 points out of a Champions League spot for next season. 

              

                                        (beIN Sports)

Standout Players

On days like today when the game is scrappy and not the most graceful match, it may be hard to pinpoint players who are worthy of making the standout list. Despite the fact that today’s match against Verona was a tightly contested, gritty affair, there are still a few players who deserve to be highlighted, as they contributed something of substance in the 1-0 victory. First and foremost, Italian striker Moise Kean needs to be mentioned as he scored not only the winning goal, but the only goal in the entire 90 minutes of the contest. Kean succeeded in making coach Allegri look smart, as Allegri praised the striker in the Friday morning press conference. Kean isn’t always known for having the best control of the ball when he first receives a pass, however in this instance he calmly secured the ball and fired a strike into the back of the Verona goal. The next player on this list is midfielder Manuel Locatelli, who seems to finally be finding a consistent run of form in black and white. Since being acquired from Sassuolo, Locatelli has shown a glimpse of brilliance, however they have seemed to be sporadic and inconsistent at times. On some days the Italian looks like a top-10 midfielder in the sport, while others he seems to be average and simply going through the motions. If he can continue this string of excellent performances, it will be a great sight for Juventus fans around the globe. Lastly, the final player who stood out is…you guessed it, another Italian. Rounding out the list is center back Federico Gatti, a player who made the list last week as well. Gatti is still a young defender who is gaining valuable experience with every minute he spends on the field, but make no mistake, he is quickly becoming a must-play component of this Juventus team. His unrivaled passion shines through in every match he plays and today was no exception. Making heroic tackles in his own penalty area, shouting and cheering for teammates and even making the occasional forward attacking run up the field, Gatti has taken advantage of the opportunities coach Allegri has gifted him and has earned respect from not only the club, but the fans of the Bianconeri as well.

Outside Sources:

https://www.sofascore.com/hellas-verona-juventus/Mdbsbeb

https://cultofcalcio.com/juventus-vs-hellas-verona-1-0-kean-to-the-rescue/

https://www.espn.com/soccer/report/_/gameId/644894