Juventus vs Cagliari – 3 talking points

Juventus had been off to a dream start this season and on Saturday at the Allianz stadium they were looking to extend their unbeaten run. Allegri decided to go back to the 4-3-3 formation with Ronaldo, Dybala and Douglas Costa as the front three.

Benatia played in a centre back position as Chiellini was yet to recover fully from injury. Juventus could not have asked for a better start as Dybala twisted and turned away from the Cagliari centre-backs and gave Juventus the lead within a minute. But, Cagliari did not give up easily and kept threatening to score and Joao Pedro finally provided the equalizer at the 36th minute.

The happiness did not last for Cagliari as Bradaric tapped into his own net and Juventus had the momentum on their side at the end of 1st half. Finally, Cuadrado scored during stoppage time and Juventus ended up winning 3-1. Here are the major talking points from the game,

#1 Dybala’s performance

There are very few in Italy who can match Dybala’s skills and on Saturday he once again showcased his incredible talent. Owing to his versatility, he has been used in a number of positions by Allegri but the centre-forward position suits him better. In the opening minute of the match, he received a pass few yards out of the box and made a searing run into the heart of Cagliari defence.

Two defenders were waiting to stop him but Dybala showed the whole world why he was compared to Messi as he wrong-footed both the defenders and shot from his right foot to give Juventus the early lead.

What makes Dybala so special is his equal amount of contribution to the midfield and defence. On Saturday too, He dropped back to help the midfielders by pressing hard to get the ball and made a few interceptions as well. In the absence of Chiellini, he wore the captain’s armband and produced a stunning performance.

#2 Juve’s defensive frailties

For so many years now, Chiellini has been at the heart of Juve’s defence. His calmness and discipline is unmatched and Juve missed him sorely on Saturday. Benatia who replaced him did a decent job but there seems to be a problem in Juve’s defensive organization.

Against Cagliari too, Bonucci and co were quite lethargic and gave away the ball easily. On another night against a high-quality opponent, Juve would have been punished hard but they escaped on Saturday. Another problem is the undefined role of Cancelo and Pjanic.

Pjanic is an excellent defensive midfielder with a great eye for danger and he rarely makes an error. But he is very impressive with his passing too, hence he is more of a playmaker these days.

This leaves a lot of space for the opposition forwards to shoot from long range. Cancelo is more of a winger and he is a bit too relaxed on possession sometimes and gives away the ball in dangerous areas near the Juve box. Juventus need to address these concerns soon if they are to win against big teams.

#3 Ronaldo’s growing confidence

Remember those times when Ronaldo was struggling to make an impact for Juventus and people questioned whether he can survive in Serie A. Looks like all those questions have been answered by the man himself. Before this match, he had 7 goals and 4 assists to his name and he made another crucial goal contribution against Cagliari.

At stoppage time, he received the ball in the middle of the pitch and produced a breathtaking run to assist Cuadrado for Juve’s 3rd goal of the night. Throughout the match, he kept threatening to score a goal and almost scored one from a very awkward position inside the penalty box.

At 33, he is not the same physical force he once was but still not many in the world can match his pace in counterattacks. Also, compared to the 2017-18 season he has provided a lot more key passes and has contributed from both the wings. He is settling in nicely and if this form continues, he will surely score more than the 26 league goals he managed for Real Madrid in his final season.

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