Juventus vs. Palermo: Winners and Losers from Serie A Game

After a run of poor performances, Juventus hosted Palermo on Sunday afternoon knowing their recent form left much room for improvement. Losses to Atletico Madrid and Olympiacos in the Champions League sandwiched Serie A encounters with Roma and Sassuolo that were little better.

Despite taking four points from those matches, the Bianconeri had struggled to impress in almost a month but knew the struggling Sicilians would provide a much less arduous test. The Rosanero had won just once in the opening seven rounds of the campaign, with Beppe Iachini’s newly promoted side struggling to adjust to life in the top flight.

Massimiliano Allegri was still without injured defenders Andrea Barzagli and Martin Caceres, forcing him to rely on some lesser-used members of his squad. They did not disappoint, helping Juve to a 2-0 victory that extends their lead atop the standings to three points and should strengthen the belief within the camp.

Over the following pages, we'll take a look at the winners and the losers from the win, looking closely at those whose impact upon the game was most keenly felt.

Winner: Fernando Llorente (Juventus)

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After a barren start to 2014-15, Fernando Llorente finally netted for the first time this season, scoring the second Bianconeri strike of the day. Heading home an Andrea Pirlo corner, the Spanish striker ended a run of poor showings in front of goal, with his finishing touch returning after a prolonged absence.

The Basque star had come in for much criticism recently, with his troubles discussed last week in this column. Allegri restored him to the starting line-up and discussed Llorente’s performance with Sky Italia shortly after the final whistle, telling the outlet (h/t Football Italia):

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Llorente wasn’t depressed at not scoring yet this season, but it’s normal that a goal is important for a striker, even if he likes to play for the team. This was the right game for him, both for his physical characteristics and to let Morata rest.

I am happy he scored, as he repaid the faith we have in him and above all his own self-confidence.

"

Winner: Roberto Pereyra (Juventus)

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This summer, the signing of Roberto Pereyra was seen as underwhelming, with this column openly questioning if he was good enough to play for Juventus. Since arriving in Turin, however, the Argentinian has excelled, turning in yet another excellent display against Palermo.

Playing at wing-back in order to allow Stephan Lichtsteiner to take a well-earned break, the 23-year-old was vital in helping the Bianconeri secure victory. He stole the ball from Zouhair Feddal to spark the move which led to the home side’s opening goal, and he deserves much credit for his value to the squad.

Loser: Beppe Iachini (Palermo)

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While there is no denying the positive impact Iachini has had since arriving at Palermo in September last year, winning the Serie B title and guiding the Rosanero back to the top flight, the 50-year-old is finding retaining that status a much more difficult task.

They currently sit outside the relegation zone with just six points, and only Parma have conceded more goals so far this term. With 17 goals against them already, Palermo need to improve quickly if they are to arrest their poor run of form.

“We made a few too many mistakes,” the coach told RAI Sport after the match (h/t Football Italia), and he must hope he can eradicate those errors quickly. With club President Maurizio Zamparini notoriously short on patience, Iachini could soon find his job under threat.

The fixture list has been kind, however, with their matches in November and December looking much easier than those they have already played. Chievo, Udinese, Parma and Sassuolo visit Sicily in that time, and Palermo should see their form improve as a result.