Juventus vs. Torino: Winners and Losers from Serie A
Losing vs. Torino for the first time in 20 years last season, Juventus restored order in the most dramatic of fashions in 2015/16's first Derby della Mole.
Paul Pogba's stunning opener was cancelled by a Cesare Bovo lightning bolt, and the cross-town rivals looked poised to split the points, but Juan Cuadrado had different ideas.
The on-loan winger latched on to an Alex Sandro cross in the 93rd minute, and sealed victory for the holders, who are now in Serie A table's top half for the first time in weeks.
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Torino made the game difficult and "deserved" something from their short trip across Turin, but manager Giampiero Ventura's men could not see out their hard-earned 1-1 result.
Loser: Sami Khedira
Were the fate of our universe decided by the fitness levels of Sami Khedira, there would be no hope.
The 28-year-old, after 10 minutes of action, sacrificed himself after suffering an apparent injury—which was confirmed by Juventus' official Twitter page.
Having recently recovered from a thigh injury he suffered in pre-season, the Germany international looked prepared to establish himself with the three-time defending Italian champions, but his body has predictably betrayed him.
Allowed to sign from Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer, were Khedira a more reliable option, he would probably still be plying his trade in Spain, but with a less-than-enviable medical record to contend with, the central-midfield option has another regrettable recovery mountain to climb.
Winner: Juan Cuadrado
Chelsea loanee Cuadrado, after a hot-and-cold performance, popped up with a much-needed winner in the 93rd minute.
Originally starting on the bench, Khedria's injury forced the Colombian winger into the Turin derby, and he rewarded his manager with a timely goal.
Pogba, when most would rush to shoot, calmly slotted in Sandro on the left flank. The Brazilian's cross was low and dangerous, Cuadrado got the last touch, rolling it over the line—ending up on his backside—to earn his club all three points.
According to reports in Italy (via ESPN), Juventus are thinking about making the Colombian's loan move permanent; scoring winning goals in fraught derbies could go a long way in making such transactions happen.
Loser: Alvaro Morata
As a 6'3" centre-forward, Alvaro Morata playing on the touchline is a considerable waste.
In what was a 4-4-2 diamond on paper, Massimiliano Allegri tasked his towering Spanish striker with drifting to wide positions. The ploy was uneventful. Paulo Dybala was used centrally, and while not having the best game, he was at least given the chance to perform in his natural position.
Morata, however, struggled to cope.
Substituted in the 78th minute for Mario Mandzukic, the former Real Madrid youngster was visibly frustrated. He was probably irked more by the Croatian striker heading directly for the centre-forward position, with Dybala moving wide.
While more an indictment of Allegri's tactics than Morata's ability, Allegri did not have to track wing-backs for the better part of 80 minutes.
Winner: Paul Pogba
Proving his world-class label correct, Pogba (other than a petulant outburst/booking) was the best outfield player on the pitch by some distance.
This season, the young Frenchman has struggled to score goals, but his first goal in the month of October was worth the wait. A stunning 22-yard volley in the 19th minute opened the scoring and breathed life into the struggling champions.
In the (permanent) absence of Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez, Pogba has quickly turned into Juve's only talismanic figure. His ability to dominate games is what Allegri is betting the continuance of his managerial post on.
While a one-off, 90-minute performance could never render the champions as "back," a positive display from their French superstar can certainly start the process.
*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase where not noted.
