The Derby d’Italia rematch was a highly anticipated affair, with Juventus hosting Inter at a point when both teams are flying high in Serie A. Juventus went into the match off a third straight victory over Sassuolo, whilst Inter brought their seven consecutive Serie A winning streak to the J Stadium. 

 

Stefano Pioli’s squad have quickly moved up the table in the last two months, starting the game in fourth place and chasing the final Champions League spot. Meanwhile Juventus coach Max Allegri’s new 4-2-3-1 was put to a true test eventually passing the examination with a 1-0 victory thanks to a splendid strike by Juan Cuadrado. 

 

It was a rainy night in Torino with notable spectators Antonio Conte and Giampiero Ventura in attendance. Without some of the entertaining hyperbole of recent past; Inter now without Massimo Moratti and most of the players having now been replaced by a newer generation that were not affected directly by Calciopoli (Buffon, Barzagli the exceptions). The latest instalment of this iconic game may have lacked most of the back biting and aggressive midweek build-up of some of the clashes of the recent past, but on the field it continues to retain its hype.

This weekend was no exception, with both teams playing end to end high tempo football. Pioli rued what he thought were two clear penalties not given, but Juventus could boast the better of the play. The Bianconeri gave a quality performance, their five attacking players all adding their own personal touch to the victory.

 

Mario Mandzukic was superb again, setting up Paulo Dybala for an overhead kick early in the contest. He also tracked back as needed and not surprisingly put his body on the line on multiple occasions. Dybala also played a key role in the Juventus attack and midfield, with a curling effort that left Handanovic a virtual spectator only to see it hit the crossbar in what was his best effort of the night. The Bianconeri’s defensive combination of Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, and Chiellini (a trio that dates to 2012), and Alex Sandro were industrial and effective. Their group effort was enough to see Gigi Buffon only tested on a few occasions. 

 

Inter’s brightest players were Candreva and Icardi, with Joao Mario showing moments of promise as well. Unluckily for Pioli, some of his players were on limited rest after a deflating loss and Coppa Italia elimination to Lazio in midweek. This now marks the second straight loss for Inter, but his team played well and were able to highlight Juventus’ vulnerability at times in defence. Set pieces seemed a possibility for the Nerazzurri, with Gagliardini going close on two occasions.

In the end however, they lacked the spark that could unlock the match. Following the loss and Lazio’s big win over Pescara, Inter fall to fifth place but Pioli will have his team motivated and concentrated for their upcoming home match against Empoli and will be keen to get his team back on track for Champions League qualification next season. 

 

Juventus Stadium continues to be a place of dominance for the Bianconeri. They march on in Serie A and can now begin to turn their attentions to the resumption of the Champions League.


David Baleno