17 February 2022
From Atalanta to Atalanta. Danilo’s 92nd minute equaliser stretched Juve’s unbeaten run to 11 matches, from the Dea’s visit to Turin to the return fixture in Bergamo.
The resilience that Juventus showed in stoppage time to grab a dramatic equaliser will again be a fundamental element when Torino arrive at the Stadium on Friday night.
The Derby della Mole has never been a match for the faint hearted.
The clock was ticking towards the last of the three minutes of time added on by the match official. Atalanta had pulled their players back into defensive positions in an attempt to reduce the space in which Juventus could manoeuvre. Yet, an exchange between Paulo Dybala and Juan Cuadrado won the Bianconeri a corner. Dybala’s delivery was met majestically by Danilo.
The celebrations that ensued, both among the travelling support and the players, reflected the importance of that goal. An explosion of joy mixed with relief that demonstrated the never-say-die spirit now instilled among Massimiliano Allegri’s ranks.
Now, everyone that has experienced the Turin derby, either in the stands or on the pitch, knows that nothing less than the same level of intensity and concentration will suffice against Torino.
The first signs of the battling spirit that is now coursing through the team emerged during a four-game cycle that concluded with this season’s first match against Torino. In the final week of September, a five-goal thriller against Spezia was backed up by another 3-2 win, against Sampdoria. The first league wins of the season were followed by two 1-0 victories, in the Champions League against Chelsea, and in Serie A against the Granata.
At the Olimpico Grande Torino, time was running out when Manuel Locatelli played a one-two with Federico Chiesa that took him to the edge of the penalty area. The midfielder’s powerful shot struck the inside of the post before nestling into the bottom corner.
Becoming a derby winner in his first season with the Bianconeri completed a dream come true for life-long Juve supporter Locatelli. In the centre of the park, the Italy international is still waiting for his chance to start a game with an even more recent new signing, Denis Zakaria, rested versus Atalanta after two consecutive appearances since his arrival.
In the three-man attack line there is no questioning the impact made by the other January reinforcement Dušan Vlahović. The striker has struck up an immediate understanding with fellow forwards, Alvaro Morata and Paulo Dybala. In Bergamo, Vlahovic was unable to add to his debut goal despite matching his Serie A best over 90 minutes with seven attempts on goal.
After Marco Sportiello’s heroics denied DV7, the next goalkeeper tasked with keeping out the Serbian hotshot is international teammate Vanja Milinković-Savić, an ever-present element in Torino’s resurgence this season.
After 24 match days under the guidance of Ivan Jurić, Torino have collected 32 points, 12 more than at the same stage 12 months ago. The Granata's strength stems from their collective defensive displays: 25 goals conceded, 20 fewer than last season and only 69 shots allowed on target, the lowest in Serie A.
Furthermore, no team has done as well as Torino with only eight goals conceded in the opening period of play, two fewer than Juventus.
However, back-to-back defeats, against Udinese and Venezia, have tempered enthusiasm but fired up the desire to get back on track in the Toro camp.
Rolando Mandragora, who sat out last week’s home defeat after being sent off in stoppage time in Udine, will be back in contention for a starter’s place in midfield, as will Saša Lukić, also suspended against Venezia. Meanwhile, the return of club captain Andrea Belotti will add to their threat in attack. The striker made his first appearance after 76 days on the sidelines as a substitute against Venezia last weekend but was denied the joy of a late equaliser after the match official in consultation with VAR disallowed his header.
Belotti is in contention for a starter’s place with Antonio Sanabria for the lone striker’s role in the Torino tactical set-up.
It was a Sanabria brace that in April 2021 last gave Torino a point in the derby. On either side of that draw was Locatelli’s late decider in October last year and a 2-1 win in December 2020, decided in the 89th minute by Leonardo Bonucci.
Further back in time, Juan Cuadrado’s 93rd minute winner has become iconic. It was 31st October 2015, an Alex Sandro cross found Cuadrado at the far post for a close-range finish that set Juventus on a 15-match winning streak and the second scudetto of Allegri's first reign.
Derbies are never for the faint hearted but when Juventus and Torino meet, it often goes down to the wire.
