Juventus began the new Serie A season by demonstrating that, despite a change in coach, they’re still heavy favorites to lift the scudetto. The 1-0 scoreline suggests a close game, but Chievo can thank the woodwork for that, as the visitors were dominant and could well have scored four or five.
Chievo Verona vs Juventus: Final score 0-1, Flying Donkeys fail to make it hard for Bianconeri
The scoreline might suggest it was a close game, but really, Juventus were more than comfortable. Chievo can consider themselves lucky to have conceded just one goal.
Massimiliano Allegri decided to play it safe by not making many changes to the formation played during Antonio Conte's reign. Juventus set out in their regular 3-5-2, but Allegri did hand a chance to 18-year-old Kingsley Coman, signed this summer from Paris-Saint Germain. Coman had played only 40 minutes of professional football in his career before this match, but you couldn't tell that from this match, with the youngster one of the best on the pitch.
Chievo Verona have changed over the summer -- for the worse. Eugenio Corini's team looks as boring as we remember them, but without the "being a tough nut to crack" part.
It took the bianconeri only six minutes to open the scoring. Chievo's keeper, Francesco Bardi, miscalculated Carlos Tévez's cross, Martín Cáceres headed the ball to the far post, and the goal was eventually credited to Cristiano Biraghi after the shot deflected off the Chievo defender.
Juve continued piling on the pressure, creating many chances, but failed to convert any of them. The ruling champions hit the woodwork no less then three times, and the Flying Donkeys can thank Lady Luck for still being in the game by at halftime.
Corini tried to react. His answer to Juve's absolute domination was bringing on Ivan Radovanović and Alberto Paloschi. They were supposed to make the hosts more dangerous, but that more or less failed. Radovanovic, meant to protect the back line, wound up colliding with defender Dario Dainelli, and was carried off with a suspected head injury a few minutes later.
Juventus took their foot off the gas, yet they still had the upper hand. The Old Lady created chance after chance, but couldn’t put the game beyond doubt despite coming oh so close. Chievo very nearly made them pay for their failure to convert their chances when, with 13 minutes to go, Maxi López had a chance from close range. Gianluigi Buffon, who’d spent most of the match sipping a cappuccino and reading a novel, was up to the challenge, fired as it was straight at him. That was the first and really only opportunity for the home team.
Chievo: Bardi; Frey, Dainelli, Cesar, Biraghi; Izco, Mangani (Radovanovic 46’, Cofie 70’), Hetemaj; Birsa, Schelotto (Paloschi 46’); Maxi Lopez
Juventus: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Ogbonna; Lichtsteiner, Marchisio, Pogba, Vidal (Pereyra 86’), Asamoah; Tevez, Coman (Llorente 68’)
Goal: Biraghi 6’
See More:
