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

Juventus Stadium welcomed newly promoted Frosinone on Wednesday evening, with the hosts looking to maintain their recent winning run and put their poor start to the campaign behind them. They would fail to do so, drawing 1-1 in a match they should have comfortably won after dominating for almost the entire 90 minutes.

They came into this fixture with serious injury concerns, with coach Max Allegri losing yet more players as the bad luck continued for the reigning champions. Already without long-term absentees Martin Caceres, Sami Khedira and Kwadwo Asamoah, Sunday’s meeting with Genoa saw two more names added to the list.

Having left the field looking troubled at the weekend, Mario Mandzukic was ruled out for three weeks with a torn thigh muscle, according to the club’s official website. Fellow striker Alvaro Morata also picked up a knock at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, with that same source noting that the Spaniard was troubled by an unidentified issue.

That saw Simone Zaza start up top, making his first competitive start for the Bianconeri after a difficult start to life in Turin. Allegri also opted to give captain Gigi Buffon a rest, with former Fiorentina goalkeeper Neto taking his place between the posts for the first time.

What follows is a look at the winners and losers from this encounter, taking a closer look at the best and worst performances from this Serie A clash.

Winner: Simone Zaza (Juventus)

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Had his 50th minute shot not been deflected into the Frosinone goal, Simone Zaza could arguably have been viewed as the biggest disappointment here.

The striker appeared to struggle throughout the match, constantly appearing in the wrong position or just a moment too late, working hard but failing to take advantage of the opportunities that came his way.

Loser: Andrea Barzagli (Juventus)

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If the veteran defender had maintained his concentration just two minutes longer, the Bianconeri would have emerged from this clash with all three points.

A moment of hesitation shortly before the final whistle proved immensely damaging, however, allowing Leonardo Blanchard to head home an unlikely equaliser.

Winner: Leonardo Blanchard (Frosinone)

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While Juventus should have secured three points long before Barzagli’s lapse, this match gave Leonardo Blanchard a moment he will surely remember for years to come.

His goal just moments before the final whistle secured an unlikely point for Frosinone, an incredible result for the small club.

Loser: Massimiliano Allegri (Juventus)

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Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri opted to rotate his team heavily, which appeared the correct decision on the surface, with huge matches with Napoli and Sevilla looming on the horizon.

However, the fact that Frosinone managed to hold the Bianconeri to a 1-1 draw increases the pressure on the reigning champions, who now have just five points in the opening five rounds of the campaign.

Winner: Juan Cuadrado (Juventus)

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While this match was a poor display from Juventus, Juan Cuadrado enjoyed another excellent outing, shining in both halves despite a formation change. Playing behind the strikers in the opening 45 minutes, the Colombian was a constant source of creativity, and had Simone Zaza made better decisions, Cuadrado could have helped secured a victory with ease.

After the break, Cuadrado was pressed into service as a wing-back, marshalling the right flank well and providing an outlet for the Juventus midfield.