Alvaro Morata and Mario Mandzukic fought back to earn a fantastic 2-1 Champions League win away to Manchester City.
See how it all unfolded on our LIVEBLOG.
Alvaro Morata and Mario Mandzukic fought back to earn a fantastic 2-1 Champions League win away to Manchester City.
See how it all unfolded on our LIVEBLOG.
The Bianconeri had their worst ever Serie A start to a season and dived into a very tough Champions League opener at the Etihad. Claudio Marchisio joined Sami Khedira on the treatment table, so Hernanes moved into a deeper role in a 4-3-3, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado completing the trident attack. Sergio Aguero was only fit for the bench after an ankle injury, while £55m signing Kevin de Bruyne was on the bench.
Within 90 seconds Stefano Sturaro lost possession and Gigi Buffon used his legs to deny Raheem Sterling’s angled drive at the near post.
Paul Pogba had the ball in the back of the net with a diving header, but Alvaro Morata was offside and interfering with play as he failed to reach Cuadrado’s cross.
Hernanes curled a free kick just wide, while Fernandinho, Aleksandar Kolarov and Cuadrado were off target from distance. Wilfried Bony should’ve done better when ballooning wide from the edge of the box.
A dangerous Kolarov ball was pulled back, but Giorgio Chiellini did brilliantly to stop Bony tapping in from six yards. Fernandinho’s snapshot swerved just past the far post from a poor Stephan Lichtsteiner clearance.
Mario Mandzukic was flagged inches offside when he would’ve been clear on goal after the restart, but Manchester City took the lead in controversial circumstances.
A corner was accidentally knocked into his own net by Chiellini, who was being held down by Kompany. The midfielder was all over Chiellini, leaning heavily on his shoulders, so the goal should’ve been disallowed.
Moments later it was almost 2-0, but Buffon performed a remarkable double save, one-handed on a low Sterling angled drive and getting back up to palm the David Silva follow-up over the bar.
At the other end, Joe Hart performed a decisive save on Sturaro from close range on a Morata knock-down.
Juventus drew level with summer signing Mandzukic, who dived on to a Pogba curling cross to volley in with the inside of his right boot, in off the upright.
The Croatian went off with cramp, making way for Paulo Dybala. It was Morata who turned the game around completely with an absolutely extraordinary goal. Out of nowhere, the Spaniard cut in past two defenders and unleashed a fierce left-foot curler that bounced in off the inside of the far post, giving Hart no chance.
Late on Buffon flew to palm a Yaya Toure strike out of the far top corner, but other than that the Bianconeri comfortably saw out the victory at the Etihad.
It was their first win on English soil since beating Manchester United 1-0 in 1996.
Man City 1-2 Juventus
Scorers: Chiellini og 57 (M), Mandzukic 70 (J), Morata 81 (J)
Manchester City: Hart; Sagna, Kompany (Otamendi 74), Mangala, Kolarov; Toure, Fernandinho; Nasri (Aguero 84), Silva, Sterling (De Bruyne 71); Bony
Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Sturaro, Hernanes, Pogba; Cuadrado, Mandzukic (Dybala 78), Morata (Barzagli 85)
Ref: Skomina (SLV)