Juventus 2-1 Hellas Verona: Three talking points | Serie A 2019/20

#2 Defensive frailties creep up once again

Merih Demiral was not convincing at the back.

It might seem a tad strange to associate defensive shortcomings with Juventus, as, over the years, the Bianconeri have earned a reputation of being astute at the back.

However, they have been less than stellar in their defensive performances so far this season, and this was once ore brought to the fore in the game against Verona.

Miguel Veloso's goal means that Juventus have now conceded six goals from just five matches, while they also threw away three-goal and two-goal margins in the games against Napoli and Atletico Madrid respectively.

Furthermore, the Serie A champions have allowed a whopping 70 shots at their goal so far this campaign, which is shocking to say the least.

New signing Matthijs de Ligt has not looked entirely convincing alongside Leonardo Bonucci, and Maurizio Sarri replaced the 19-year-old with Merih Demiral in the starting lineup.

However, the Turkish international failed to cover himself in glory, and was the culprit for the penalty after bringing down Samuel Di Carmine in the box.

Moreover, the 21-year-old was caught out of possession on a number of occasions, and while Juventus fans were interested in aesthetically pleasing football, they would not have bargained for it coming at the cost of their defensive solidity and, in the continued absence of captain Giorgio Chiellini, Maurizio Sarri must find a way to solve this conundrum fast.

#1 Ronaldo the difference maker

Ronaldo scored a penalty to put Juventus 2-1 up.

This has been a subdued campaign by Cristiano Ronaldo's high standards, as heading into the clash with Verona, the 34-year-old had scored just one goal and registered one assist from four matches in all competitions.

However, despite that, the Portuguese international remains a man who can be counted upon to deliver when it matters most.

When Federico La Penna pointed to the spot in the 48th minute for a Juventus penalty, the game was still tied at one apiece, with the next goal in the match being absolutely crucial.

Such scenarios are where Ronaldo thrives best, and when he made his run up to the spot, there was only going to be one outcome, with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner blasting the ball through the middle to put Juventus 2-1 up.

As it happened, Ronaldo's calmly-dispatched spot-kick was enough to give Juventus all three points as they continue their march towards a record extending ninth Scudetti in a row.

Maurizio Sarri.