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Juventus recorded a commanding 4-1 win in the Serie A tonight as they emerged victorious in the 176th Derby della Mole against local rivals Torino to make it seven wins in a row in the Italian top-flight.
A 42-year-old Gianluigi Buffon started between the sticks for the hosts to make a historic 648th appearance in the Italian top-flight, breaking the erstwhile record held by AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini.
A goal apiece from Paulo Dybala and Juan Cuadrado in the first half gave Juventus a 2-0 halftime lead. Andrea Belotti of Torino scored a penalty, albeit awarded controversially in the dying moments of the first half after a VAR check. However, Juventus put the game to bed courtesy a Cristiano Ronaldo masterpiece followed by a late own goal from Torino.
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The hosts got off the mark with barely three minutes gone when Paolo Dybala made a neat run and finish, and Juventus never looked back from there.
Torino, on their part, did show glimpses of flair going forward through Giovanni Simeone, Simone Verdi and Andrea Bellotti, but the chances were few and far between. Their sloppy defence and inability to close down Juventus attackers were the main reasons for yet another defeat at the hands of their mighty rivals.
So, as Maurizio Sarri's men continued their red hot form in the Serie A with a derby win, here are the five major talking points from the game.
Five talking points from Juventus' 4-1 win over Torino
#5: Gianluigi Buffon marks his landmark appearance with a solid performance
Despite being 42 years of age, Gianluigi Buffon continues to perform at the highest level, and it is this longevity that has seen him become the player with the highest number of appearances in the Serie A.
The game against Torino was Buffon's 648th appearance in the Italian top-flight, one more than AC Milan icon and his Italy compatriot Paolo Maldini. If not for the penalty call in the first half, the legendary goalkeeper could've managed to keep a shutout on his special day.
Nonetheless, in the game where he was rarely called into action, he still managed to make five saves and showed that he has still got it.
If not for his one campaign in the Serie B in the 2006-07 season following the Calciopoli Scandal, he would've marched ahead of Maldini a long time ago.
#4: Juventus' early onslaught and high-press caught Torino off-guard
Juventus got the lead in just the third minute of the game, and that was a sign of the things to come. They tightened the screws around the Torino defence from the get-go, and for the first quarter of the game, the ball virtually stayed inside the Torino half only.
Juventus played a high-press game, especially in the first half when they were relatively fresh as their midfielders and full-backs joined the front three in attack. There were moments when the majority of Il Toro squad was pushed into their box with as many as nine Juventus players at the edge of the box.
Torino failed to find the spaces between the Juventus players and thus could not build enough momentum to catch the league leaders on a quick counter-attack.
#3: VAR awards yet another controversial penalty
Since the inclusion of VAR in top-flight football across European leagues, it has received a mixed response from fans and pundits alike. One of the most controversial decision that technology helps resolve is handball and subsequently penalty calls.
In tonight's fixture, a delayed VAR check on Matthijs de Ligt's clearance inside the Juventus box led to a penalty being awarded to the visitors. Torino captain and striker, Bellotti stepped up and halved the deficit right at the stroke of half-time.
Interestingly, the judgment went against the IFAB rules for the 2019-20 season, in which it is mentioned that handball will not be awarded if the ball touches a player’s hand/arm directly from their own head/body/foot or the head/body/foot of another player who is close/nearby.
The ball had deflected from the defender's thigh onto his arm, which was not extended in any way. Though it did not affect the outcome of the game, controversial handball decisions due to VAR continue to raise eyebrows.
#2: Cristiano Ronaldo creates even more history
When Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 25th goal of the current campaign, doing so in the 61st minute of the game from a direct free-kick, he reached not one but two incredible landmarks.
He became the first Juventus player to reach a quarter of a century of goals in the top-flight since 1961. and he is now the only player with 25 or more goals in a single season across the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A.
He scored the landmark goal in an equally impressive way, from a direct free-kick, his first in Juventus colours in the Serie A. It took him almost two years and 43 attempts to achieve this feat.
#1: Ronaldo and Dybala continue to flourish together, but finding the right third attacker remains a problem for Sarri
Another day and another goal-scoring return for Juventus' deadly duo of Ronaldo and Dybala. Dybala's third-minute opener in the game and Ronaldo's delightful free-kick were their fourth goals in as many games since the resumption of Serie A.
They have found the back of the net in every game since the return of top-flight action in Italy, and have been key to Juventus' exploits in front of goal. Though the synergy of the duo is a piece of good news for manager Sarri, it has been difficult for the third attacker to shine thus far.
Federico Bernardeschi started on the right flank tonight and put in a mediocre shift in the final third. He tried too hard to run with the ball, got dispossessed often and was not sharp in front of goal. In comparison, Juan Cuadrado, who started at right-back, had a very impressive game and bagged a goal and an assist.
Sarri has struggled with finding a balance in the final third throughout the season, and it seems he has not yet found the solution even this late in the campaign.
