12 August 2023
Juventus took to the field the last time before the Serie A campaign starts in a friendly against Atalanta in Cesena. The match finished goalless despite Juve looking the most dangerous of the two sides, especially in a sharp first-half performance.
In the second half, Massimiliano Allegri changed the entire team, allowing Luis Hasa to join the ranks of teenagers given a chance to shine on the big stage by the coach.
THE MATCH
Summer arrivals Tim Weah and Andrea Cambiaso impressed in the opening 45 minutes against Atalanta, with the US international the player that came closest to putting his name on the scoresheet.
With most of Juve's build-up play coming down the left flank in Massimilano Allegri's 3-5-2 set-up, Weah added his support on eight minutes, letting fly from distance. His rasping shot brought out a smart save from Juan Musso. With 10 minutes remaining of the opening half, again Weah almost opened the scoring when he pounced on a loose ball inside the penalty area after some excellent link-up play between Federico Chiesa and Adrien Rabiot. Musso dived at Weah's feet to parry the ball out for a corner.
In the closing stages of the first period, Dusan Vlahovic was determined to put his name on the scoresheet. However, first a shot dipped over the crossbar before a header did likewise - again after Juve had worked another interesting opening down the left wing through the tireless Cambiaso.
Vlahovic was replaced at the interval by Arek Milik, while Rabiot was also given only 45 minutes of action, with Matias Soule replacing the Frenchman in midfield. The two substitutes linked up 10 minutes after the restart, with Milik curling his effort off target. Soule was involved also in Juve's best chance of the second period, when he was denied twice from close range by the Atalanta defence after a piercing move had carved open the Nerazzurri backline.
The first two substitutions were swiftly followed up by a complete makeover that saw teenagers Dean Huijsen, Kenan Yildiz, Samuel Iling-Junior and freshest call-up Luis Hasa lower the average age of the Bianconeri notably.
With the Serie A campaign kicking off next Sunday at Udinese, Juve showed plenty of promise against a direct rival, and after a rewarding pre-season can look ahead with optimism to the campaign on the horizon.
JUVENTUS 0-0 ATALANTA (HT: 0-0)
JUVENTUS: Perin (56′ Pinsoglio); Danilo (71′ Huijsen), Bremer (71′ Rugani), Alex Sandro (66′ Gatti); Weah (66′ Iling), Miretti (66′ Nicolussi Caviglia), Locatelli (81′ Hasa), Rabiot (46′ Soulé), Cambiaso (56′ Kostic); Vlahovic (46′ Milik), Chiesa (71′ Yildiz). Subs not used: Daffara. Coach: Allegri.
ATALANTA: Musso (66′ Carnesecchi); Djimsiti, Scalvini, Kolasinac; Zappacosta (66′ Zortea), De Roon, Ederson, Bakker (55′ Ruggeri); Koopmeiners (83′ Pasalic); Zapata (55′ Scamacca), Lookman (66′ El Bilal-Touré). Subs not used: Rossi, Okoli, Muriel, Bonfanti, Mendicino, Cambiaghi. Coach: Gasperini.
Referee: Feliciani
Bookings: 17′ Scalvini, 43’ Alex Sandro
