Napoli 1-2 Juventus: Five talking points | Serie A 2018/19

#3 What's the debate about? Pjanic is Juve's best free-kick taker!

Pjanic must shoulder most of Juve's free-kick duties

Miralem Pjanic has executed some of the most beautiful free-kicks in modern Serie A, and yet there was speculation about who was going to take them after the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo intensified the contest.

But the Bosnian has shown why he should be trusted with the free-kick duties more than anyone. Cristiano Ronaldo was clattered just outside the area by Merek, who was sent off and also conceded a free-kick. Pjanic and Ronaldo both lined up to take it, but the former Roma midfielder took a crack at it and sent a curler whizzing through the Napoli wall and into the far post.

It isn't the first time he's done it, but it was as beautiful as ever; and for the record, that was his 19th goal from a direct free-kick in the Italian top-flight, and an eighth for the Bianconeris.

He has the best record at free-kicks in Serie A since he arrived at the shores back in 2011, and has drawn comparisons with Italian legend Andrea Pirlo, another dead-ball specialist of his time. Pjanic now just reaffirmed why he should be the undisputed free-kick taker of his side, or at least from such good positions.