SERIE A – Rookies Vlahovic and Zakaria win Juventus against Hellas Verona (2-0)

Thanks to its recruits, Juve is back in the top 4. Without being sovereign in the game, the Old Lady relied on its flagship recruits to defeat Hellas Verona (2-0) on Sunday and climb back the qualifying places for the Champions League for the first time this season. Dusan Vlahovic (13th) and Denis Zakaria (61st) ideally celebrated their first, at the Allianz Stadium. Despite interesting sequences, the Veronese were too sterile in the zone of truth, and stagnated in the soft underbelly of the championship (9th, 33 points). The Bianconeri (4th, 45 points), meanwhile, can calmly approach the shock against Atalanta in a week.

Vlahovic and Zakaria score for their first

The excitement was clearly not on the level of that around another Portuguese number 7 multiple Golden Ball, but the tifosi amassed in the Allianz Stadium were eager to appreciate the first flashes of the new bianconero pyrotechnician. Under a low fog, Dusan Vlahovic did not let himself be desired. After less than a quarter of an hour of play, on a perfectly measured serve from Paulo Dybala, the Serb pulled out of his hat a very fine lob in front of a Lorenzo Montipo who came out late (13th). An 18th achievement which allows him to join Ciro Immobile at the top of the league scorer rankings.

Not satisfied for a penny, the new Turin number 7 caused other chills in the audience (26th, 28th, 38th), without finding the target, the fault of a particularly inspired Montipo this Sunday. Like its attack orchestrated with a velvet hand by Dybala, Juventus shone more in sequences, less over time. No doubt because of the high pressing and the ambitious projections of an attractive Verona formation, although not very dangerous in the first period.

Juve for the first time this season in the top 4

Despite well-regarded combinations, the men of Igor Tudor – a former member of the Piedmontese house since he was Andrea Pirlo’s assistant – never managed to convert their highlights. A glaring lack of realism and sanctioned by the second brand rookie, Denis Zakaria. Aligned alongside Arthur and Adrien Rabiot in the midfield, the Swiss international perfectly concluded a movement initiated by Alvaro Morata with a small slightly raised ball (61st).

Not stingy in efforts without a ball, the Spaniard, very close to signing for Barça this winter, made a clean copy. Like the “Joya”, precise and inspired in its transmissions. We even saw the beginnings of a promising connection between the three attackers. Enough to stretch the current series of the Old Lady to ten consecutive meetings without defeat, and to calmly consider her trip to Bergamo in a week (February 13). Finally endowed with a world-class scorer, Juve no longer loses, and does not intend to let go of a fourth place that it occupies for the first time this season.