21 April 2016
Juventus' last 24 results in Serie A read as follows:
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWDWWWWWWWW.
Ever since losing 1-0 away at Sassuolo on 28 October, the champions elect have collected 70 out of a possible 72 available points, winning 23 times in 24 league outings.
Although the Bianconeri's record of consecutive wins came to an end in March against Bologna, no other side in Serie A history has collected as many points in the same number of matches.
Fortress Juventus Stadium. After a shaky start to the campaign that saw Udinese, Chievo and Frosinone all depart with positive results, last night's was Juve's 14th league home victory in a row.
Remarkably, Gianluigi Buffon and co. have conceded just nine goals in that spell, the last of which came way back in December 2015 from the penalty spot against Fiorentina.
Another commanding performance from the hosts saw them complete 85 per cent of their passes on the night, an indication of the control they enjoyed particularly in the second half after the dismissal of Lazio full-back Patric for two bookable offences.
Add to that a total of 15 crosses, 81 per cent of which coming from open play, and a 55 per cent overall share of possession, it is clear that there was only ever going to be one result at Juventus Stadium.
The more of the ball you see, the more chances you make, or so received wisdom goes. The Bianconeri took full advantage of their territorial and numerical advantage, registering a season-high 12 shots on target.
The fact that six would come in either half is indicative of their desire to close out the win in style against a Lazio side that is now winless against Juve in 23 league matches.
A sign of an out-and-out bred centre-forward, Mario Mandzukic now has nine league goals for the season, all of which have come from inside the penalty area. Last night's timely tap-in continues Mario's end of season flourish, three goals and two assists in the last five league outings for the big Croat.
Once again it wasn't just in the opposition box that the number 17's presence was felt as demonstrated by the inch-perfect through pass for Sami Khedira which led to the Bianconeri's third goal on the night.
What a season it has been for Paulo Dybala.
Eight months after scoring on his full Juventus debut against Lazio in Shanghai, the explosive Argentine was at it again yesterday evening to net his 15th and 16th strikes of the season. With a further eight assists to his name, Dybala has provided or scored 24 goals for his team, a total bettered only by Napoli's Gonzalo Higuain.
As it happens, La Joya's second strike of the night was the first this season to be netted with his right foot. Nonetheless Paulo still stands strong as the player to have scored more times with his left foot than any other player in Europe's top five divisions.
While it was Dybala's potent finishing that ultimately took the game beyond Lazio, it was the typically air-tight no-nonsense defending of Daniele Rugani, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli that kept them out of it for the full 90 minutes.
Staggeringly, the Bianconeri backline restricted their visitors to just four touches in the home penalty box. Impenetrable.
Not for the first time this year, the aforementioned Bonucci also contributed his fair share not only to preventing opposition attacks but building ones from the back for his own team: Leo's total of 73 completed passes was more than any other player on the field.
That, plus a semi-assist after being felled in the box for Dybala's penalty, made it more than adequate night's work for one of the Bianconeri's standout performers of the campaign.
Providing natural width down the Juventus right, Stephan Lichtsteiner was the go to man once again last night, the Swiss Express laying on three scoring chances for team-mates, the first of which coming from a superb burst to the byline midway through the first half.
Quite the way to reintroduce yourself to your old employers!
Over on the other side of the field, there was to be a similar story for Alex Sandro, whose seven crosses, nine recoverie and three interceptions saw the Brazilian top the charts in four categories on the night. The pure bred statistician's man of the match?
