On Sunday, Juventus celebrated a much-needed victory over Bologna with a commanding 3-0 display.
Bologna’s visit to Turin on Sunday gave Juventus their first opportunity to truly respond to the criticism and vitriol that had been directed at them over the previous two weeks. The pressure on the Bianconeri had been mounting throughout the international break.
Prior to the most recent break in domestic football, Max Allegri’s team had suffered a defeat to Monza of the Serie A, which resulted in criticism from both the media and their own fans. In the first seven rounds of league play, they had only won twice, and for the first time in the club’s history, they had also lost both of their UEFA Champions League games.
But it was evident from the first kickoff against Bologna that the team was committed to making things better on the field, playing with a positivity and a resolve that had been conspicuously lacking in earlier matches.
A quick counterattack in the 24th minute, which saw Dusan Vlahovic set up compatriot Filip Kostic for his first Juventus goal, capped off a lively first half and gave Juventus a 1-0 lead. Just 15 minutes into the second half, Juve doubled their lead thanks to some outstanding play this time from Kostic, Manuel Locatelli, and Weston McKennie, giving Vlahovic the chance to return home.
A few minutes later, Arkadiusz Milik made it 3-0, but the Bianconeri continued to press forward, refusing to accept defeat at any time. That marked a significant shift in the attitude they have displayed since Allegri returned just over 18 months ago, and it demonstrated the potential of this team when they play with purpose and ferocity.
These qualities have been so conspicuously lacking in this team for such a long time that seeing them so firmly in control, even in the absence of crucial players like Paul Pogba, Federico Chiesa, and Angel Di Maria, is encouraging for the future.
It is important to keep in mind that this was only Bologna, a team that is one point above the relegation zone and had a long history of appalling play prior to this most recent loss. But Juve desperately needed a win after being held to draws by Salernitana and Sampdoria before losing to Monza, and manager Max Allegri was not getting carried away.
They can do this by playing Maccabi Haifa in a midweek match, which must be viewed as a must-win game after PSG and Benfica losses. The much tougher test is next Saturday when Juve travels to San Siro to face Serie A champions AC Milan.
That contest will demonstrate whether the Juventus we saw on Sunday represented a genuine and noticeable improvement or whether it was simply a case of an excellent team disposing of a significantly inferior foe. The Old Lady has a big week coming up; it’s time to see if she’s prepared for the spotlight.
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