Juventus gave Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic, Simone Zaza, Norberto Neto and Daniele Rugani debuts in a 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
The Bianconeri unveiled new buys Dybala and Mandzukic from the start, but Sami Khedira and Fernando Llorente were ruled out by muscular and ankle problems respectively in the St Gallen friendly. The last time these sides met was in the Champions League quarter-final, when Juve won 5-1 on aggregate.
Juventus gave Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic, Simone Zaza, Norberto Neto and Daniele Rugani debuts in a 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
The Bianconeri unveiled new buys Dybala and Mandzukic from the start, but Sami Khedira and Fernando Llorente were ruled out by muscular and ankle problems respectively in the St Gallen friendly. The last time these sides met was in the Champions League quarter-final, when Juve won 5-1 on aggregate.
Gigi Buffon took under three minutes to make his first save of the season on a Henrikh Mkhitaryan angled drive, then used his legs to parry from Kevin Kampl.
Dybala’s inspired through ball found Alvaro Morata to drill over from a tight angle, while Mandzukic saw a goal ruled offside.
Buffon completed a hat-trick of saves after 27 minutes by fingertipping a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang header over from point-blank range. The veteran goalkeeper also beat away a Kampl counter-attack when Paul Pogba was dispossessed. Dybala curled a set play in for Mandzukic, but the free header was steered over the bar.
Borussia Dortmund eventually did beat Buffon, as Mkhitaryan laid it off to the edge of the box for a powerful low Aubameyang finish on the counter.
There was a clear difference in fitness levels, as it was Juve’s first friendly of the season and Dortmund’s seventh. Norberto Neto and Daniele Rugani made their debuts for the second half, but it was Giorgio Chiellini who nodded a corner just wide.
The ex-Fiorentina goalkeeper stuck out a foot to deny Jonas Hoffman on a rapid counter-attack, while former Sassuolo striker Simone Zaza also made his first appearance in a Bianconeri jersey.
Marco Reus doubled Dortmund’s lead with a wonderful solo effort, slaloming from midfield and nutmegging Leonardo Bonucci to fire past Neto.
Hoffman should’ve made it 3-0 moments later, but aimed straight at Neto. Gonzalo Castro’s audacious lob was off target.
Alberto Cerri came off the bench, though the ex-Parma striker is expected to go out on loan to Cagliari.
Former Boca Juniors striker Guido Vadalá also made his bow for the Bianconeri and Simone Padoin blasted over late on.
Neto kept the scoreline down with two saves in stoppages, palming a pair of Kirch efforts round the post.
Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Juventus
Scorers: Aubameyang 40 (B), Reus 64 (B)
Borussia Dortmund: Bürki (Weidenfeller 46); Piszczek (Ginter 46), Hummels, Sokratis (Stenzel 62), Schmelzer (Kirch 62); Weigl (Castro 46), Gündogan (Bender 46); Kampl (Hoffman 46), Mkhitaryan (Kagawa 46), Reus (Dudziak 66); Aubameyang (Leitner 66)
Juventus: Buffon (Neto 46); Caceres (Lichtsteiner 46), Barzagli (Rugani 46), Bonucci (Parodi 77), Evra (Chiellini 46); Tello (Sturaro 46), Marchisio (Cerri 69), Pogba (Vadalá 79); Dybala (Padoin 46); Mandzukic (Zaza 56), Morata (Clemenza 56)