Juventus vs. Inter Milan: Winners and Losers from Serie A
Having maintained their narrow advantage at the top of the Serie A table last week, Juventus took on Inter Milan knowing they had a chance to pull even further ahead of closest challengers Napoli.
They would do just that, netting both goals in a match which struggled to match the intensity seen in their more recent meeting, but the Bianconeri will be happy to return to winning ways after being held to draws by Bologna and Bayern Munich.
This of course marked the latest instalment of a fixture known as the “Derby of Italy” and Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri told reporters at his traditional pre-match press conference that recent results would matter little when the game got underway.
“It will be a tough game against a very physical outfit. They’ve had a great start to the season and haven’t lost any of their qualities,” the coach said. “The league table won’t matter tomorrow. For us it represents the first of three remaining games against our nearest rivals.”
Goals from Leonardo Bonucci and Alvaro Morata handed them the victory, and what follows is a look at the winners and losers from the game, highlighting the best and worst performances from the Serie A clash.
Winner: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus)
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After a first half in which the Inter defence held strong, it took a superb strike from Leonardo Bonucci to break the deadlock. The Italy international beat goalkeeper Samir Handanovic with an excellent strike, ensuring his name would once again feature prominently in the postgame analysis.
A former Inter player, Bonucci was lauded by Pep Guardiola just a few days earlier as the Bayern Munich boss told Mediaset Premium (h/t Football Italia) he was “one of my favourite ever players” following their Champions League meeting.
Loser: Danilo D’Ambrosio (Inter)
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While Leonardo Bonucci clearly enjoyed netting against his former club, Danilo D’Ambrosio will be hugely disappointed with his contribution to it. The Inter full-back headed the ball across the face of his own goal to create the opening, a mistake that was severely punished as the Nerazzurri fell behind.
To make matters worse, D’Ambrosio spent four years with Juve’s crosstown rivals Torino, a fact that will only cause him even more anguish.
Winner: Alvaro Morata (Juventus)
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Forced to take a seat on the bench after a string of disappointing performances, Alvaro Morata ensured Juventus took home all three points. The Spanish striker was sent on in place of Paulo Dybala late in the second half, winning and then scoring a penalty to give the Bianconeri a comfortable lead.
It was a strike that marked only his fourth league goal of the campaign, and one which will hopefully catapult the 23-year-old back into his best form.
Loser: Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
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While the match eventually proved to be another good night for the Bianconeri, Giorgio Chiellini was perhaps the one sour note from the home side. Back in the team following an injury, he once again suffered a setback and needed to be substituted in the first half, coach Massimiliano Allegri introducing Daniele Rugani as his replacement.
