Pirlo survives an early release from the club with an important 2-1 win over Napoli, following 5 points lost against Torino and Benevento. Ronaldo opens up the scoreline and Dybala scores a comeback goal in his first match since January.
STARTING XI
4-4-2
#77- Buffon
#13- Danilo
#4- De Ligt
#3- Chiellini
#12- Alex Sandro
#16- Cuadrado
#30- Bentancur
#25- Rabiot
#22- Chiesa
#9- Morata
#7- Ronaldo
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Both teams looked lively right off the bat, without a big chance missed from each side. The Bianconeri came close to opening up the scoreline when Danilo sent a cross into the box in front of Ronaldo. However, Ronaldo does not get a solid header touch on the ball and the score remains 0-0.
It didn’t take long for Juve to take the lead, however, as Chiesa provides a beautiful assist for CR7 in the 13th minute. Chiesa dribbles past Napoli’s defenders on the right, sends the ball to a well-positioned Ronaldo, and scores. Juve could have seen more goals in the first half, but the first half ends 1-0. The team looks sharp, putting up a convincing performance.
The second half continued to be a match of intensity, with Buffon making multiple important saves throughout the game. Cuadrado also had a good opportunity for a goal but it goes wide. In the 68th minute, the first substitutions are made when Morata and Cuadrado are subbed off for Dybala and McKennie. This is the #10’s first appearance on the pitch since January.
Pirlo’s substitutions pay off! Within five minutes of his comeback, Dybala makes it 2-0 with a classic goal. Bentancur feeds the ball to Paulo, who curls the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal. The team is ecstatic for his return and celebrates all together.
In the last minutes of the game, Chiellini commits a foul inside the box and Napoli is awarded a penalty. Insigne scores, but Juve hold on to the 2-1 score. 3 points!
AFTER-MATCH THOUGHTS
Pirlo:
“We've dropped lots of points along the way because we've lacked a cutting edge at times, especially in matches which look easier on paper. You can't afford to do that in a league where all the teams are so well prepared… When we play with the spirit we showed today, this desire to win and to put in a shift for the team, that's when you get results.”
Rabiot:
“It was important to win this one. We've been struggling a bit lately but we played well today against a great team. We were good in both halves but in the second we all dug in together… I'm happy for Dybala. It hasn't been an easy season for him so far but now he can help us and hopefully score lots of goals.”
JUVENTINA'S THOUGHTS
This was a decisive match that gave hope. Not for the Championship as that no longer is a likely possibility, but for the belief in the club’s identity. The last two matches against Torino and Benevento have been painful to watch, seeing a soulless 11 on the pitch. They finally put up a performance that was worthy of a win, and this saved Pirlo from getting sacked for now. Obviously, considering Juve’s inconsistency, one good match means nothing. The team will have to keep this up to get a Champions League spot and their respect. Morata was very mediocre and did not make too much impact on the pitch. However, it was beautiful to see Dybala back, with a great performance and goal to prove that he still has a place at the club. His career from this point on is still very much up in the air, but at the moment still shows magic potential. Chiesa was amazing as he has been consistently this season, creating attacking plays. Cuadrado played well upfront in this match’s lineup, and Buffon was solid all throughout the game. Fino alla fine, forza juve.
MOTM: Chiesa
