12 April 2025
Juve were victorious as they claimed their seventh point and second win under Igor Tudor, the club’s two hundredth Serie A victory at the Allianz Stadium. The result means that the team that will spend Saturday evening in third place in the league standings, ahead of the rest of the weekend’s matches. Juventus won 2-1 in a match in which they looked comfortable up until a nervy ending to proceedings.
A first half of attacking quality and defensive solidity
Juventus started strongly, as they did at the Stadio Olimpico a few days ago. In the 2nd minute, Teun Koopmeiners latched onto Dusan Vlahovic’s pass and drilled the ball past Wladimiro Falcone with a precise left-footed finish to give Juve a 1-0 lead. The Bianconeri continued to push forward, putting in a dynamic and well-orchestrated peformance, but Lecce responded shortly afterwards, with Nikola Krstovic's strike clattering off the post in the 5th minute. Two minutes later Vlahovic had the chance to double Juve’s lead but skied his effort from an excellent position, and in the 20th minute it was Dusan again who went close to scoring after a clever piece of play from Manuel Locatelli, but Tiago Gabriel was alert to the danger. Koopmeiners, Renato Veiga and Kenan Yildiz all had chances in the minutes that followed, but the Lecce defence held firm.
In the 34th minute Juve took a deserved 2-0 lead, and it was a splendid flowing attack by the Bianconeri: Khpehren Thuram brought the ball under his spell in midfield before picking out Vlahovic who, with a clever touch, found Yildiz. The Turkish forward opened up his body and guided his effort inside the far post with great composure to double the advantage.
Towards the end of the first half, Vlahovic came close to scoring a third but Falcone kept Lecce's hopes alive. The teams went into half-time with the Bianconeri in control of the match.
A second half with a few nervy moments and a thrilling finale
In the second half, Lecce came out fighting, immediately pressing higher up the pitch. Juve tried to control the tempo of the match but lost a bit of fluidity and in the 61st minute Lecce came close to taking advantage of some confusion in the penalty area, but the Bianconeri defence were able to turn the ball behind for a corner. Juve had the chance to put the game to bed in the 75th minute when Andrea Cambiaso came close with a left-footed strike, but Falcone thwarted his effort.
The Bianconeri began to struggle in the closing stages and Lecce took the initiative. In the 84th minute Thuram lost possession, Ante Rebic pounced and shot at goal but Michele Di Gregorio did magnificently to deny him. However, that would turn out to be the prelude to the visitors' goal: in the 87th minute, Federico Baschirotto broke free from a set-piece delivery and connected with a great header to get his side back in the game. However, the Bianconeri showed great defensive organisation in the dying minutes, despite Lecce throwing everything they had at them.
And so it ended: another three important points for the Bianconeri, and the race for the Champions League places remains more alive than ever.
JUVENTUS 2-1 LECCE
Allianz Stadium, Saturday 12 April, 2025 at 20:45 (CEST)
Serie A – Matchday 32
Goals: 2’ Koopmeiners(J), 33’ Yildiz (J), 87’ Baschirotto (L)
Juventus: Di Gregorio, Kelly, Veiga, Kalulu, Nico Gonzalez (76’ Conceicao), Locatelli, Thuram, McKennie (67’ Cambiaso), Koopmeiners (67’ Weah), Yildiz (90’ Savona), Vlahovic (67’ Kolo Muani).
Unused Substitutes: Costa, Pinsoglio, Douglas Luiz, Daffara, Rouhi.
Coach: Igor Tudor.
Lecce: Falcone, Baschirotto, Gaspar, Jean (11’ Gabriel), Veiga (77’ Helgason), Coulibaly, Pierret, Gallo (46’ Sala), Pierotti (56’ N’Dri), Morente, Krstovic (46’ Rebic).
Unused Substitutes: Fruchtl, Berisha, Rafia, Guilbert, Ramadani, Banda, Burnete Samooja, Karlsson, Kaba.
Coach: Marco Giampaolo.
Referee: Luca Zufferli
Assistants: Valerio Vecchi, Filippo Bercigli
Fourth Official: Alberto Ruben
Bookings: 52’ Morente (L)
Next Match:
Parma-Juventus
Serie A – Matchday 33
Monday, 21 April 2025 at 20:45 (CEST)
Stadio Ennio Tardini
