Dusan Vlahovic scored in his debut for Juventus, helping his side to a 2-0 victory over Verona.
The striker, who arrived in Turin for €75 million, put on a show in his first match, creating a number of quality chances. Juventus did not overwhelm Verona, but they were largely in control, with the backline providing outstanding defensive play.
Vlahovic and Denis Zakaria both debuted in Juventus’ 4-3-1-2. The Serbian started at forward alongside Alvaro Morata, while the former Gladbach man lined up in the defensive midfield. After returning from international duty, Weston McKennie was left on the bench, and Manuel Locatelli missed the fixture due to suspension.
Verona responded with its usual 3-4-2-1. Kevin Lasagna replaced the suspended Giovanni Simeone at striker, and Gianluca Caprari’s absence saw Adrien Tameze play an advanced position in the midfield. Though two of their best attackers were out, the Gialloblu were ready to shock the hosts.
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— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) February 6, 2022
The First Half
With a thick fog descending upon the pitch, the match began. Verona controlled possession early on, but it was Juventus that created the first chance. Adrien Rabiot sparked a counter attack and played Vlahovic into the attacking third. Then, the Serbian took a long-range shot, but it failed to challenge Lorenzo Montipo.
Later, Vlahovic scored in his debut. Paulo Dybala played a perfect ball over the top, and the striker, bypassing the Verona backline, easily chipped it over Montipo to open his account with the Bianconeri.
In spite of the 23-year-old’s fabulous start, the visitors continued to press. Verona was able to keep the ball in the midfield and looked to work it wide. However, Juventus’ defense, playing deep and compact, proved difficult to beat.
Throughout the first half, Vlahovic continued to torment Igor Tudor’s squad. He twice shouted for a penalty, but Verona’s desperate challenges were deemed legal.
I gialloblù in campo così allo Stadium per #JuveVerona ???#HVFC #SerieATIM #DaiVerona pic.twitter.com/sdLkbFnyIS
— Hellas Verona FC (@HellasVeronaFC) February 6, 2022
The Second Half
After a short break, Verona returned from the locker room with renewed vigor. Daniel Bessa, a halftime substitute, broke past the backline with pace, but he failed to beat Wojciech Szczesny from a tight angle.
Then, an accurate pass from the midfield sprung Lasagna free. The fast Italian appeared to be one-on-one with Szczesny, but the goalkeeper read the play perfectly. He charged out of the box and won the ball, neutralizing another dangerous attack.
However, it took just one sudden counter for Juventus to put the match away. With Verona’s defenders in disarray, Morata played a brilliant through-ball to Zakaria. The midfielder calmly dribbled into the box and slotted the ball into the net, giving his side a two-goal advantage.
The match came to a close with Juventus pushing for another goal. Though Verona did not go down easily, the talent gap was just too much to overcome without Caprari or Simeone.
With the new arrivals already finding their form, Juventus should be a threatening force in the second half of the season. The Bianconeri have now passed Atalanta in the standings, and they will face off with the Bergamo club in a monumental match on Sunday.