They’d come to see Cristiano Ronaldo, but in the end it was someone else who delivered the moment of brilliance to decide this game. As fans went through the gates, up the hill and entered Juventus Stadium, all the chatter was of course about Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of this game with Lazio that would represent his home debut.
Just it had been for his first appearance in a friendly at Villar Perosa (discussed in this previous post) or indeed in his maiden Serie A outing last week against Chievo (more on that here), the attention of the world seemed focussed on the Portuguese megastar. The press section was as full as the stands themselves, the ground cheering loudly as the announcer reached number seven in the Bianconeri starting lineup.
That was in stark contrast to the reception received by Leonardo Bonucci, the Italy international whistled by the hardcore Juve fans in the Curva Sud who also insulted him with some derogatory chanting. Meanwhile, Lazio had earned a sensational victory in Turin last season and were ready to cause another upset, their Sporting Director Igli Tare telling Sky Italia that his team “have nothing to lose and everything to gain here.”
Simone Inzaghi’s men – who lost to Napoli last weekend after taking the lead – certainly started with a much more positive attitude, Senad Lulic going close after 11 minutes but seeing his effort turned round the post by Wojciech Szczesny. From the resulting corner, former Liverpool man Luis Alberto almost picked out Wallace at the far post, while Adam Marusic forced another save from the Juve goalkeeper.
Ronaldo wasted one chance before Sami Khedira hit the post and, slowly but surely, the home side began to work their way back into the match. Max Allegri had shifted formation slightly, abandoning the 4-2-3-1 formation he had used seven days earlier in favour of a 4-3-3 framework, the Coach dropping Paolo Dybala to accommodate an extra midfielder in Blaise Matuidi.
Allegri also started Ronaldo on the left and Mario Mandzukic through the middle, and it was a header by the Croatian that created the first goal. A cross found him near the edge of the area and Lazio failed to clear the ball after he won it in the air, eventually falling to Miralem Pjanic around 20 yards from goal. Meeting it on the half-volley, he struck a low, swerving effort into the bottom corner, goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha powerless to prevent the shot from finding the back of the net as the sold out stadium erupted.
It has been a good week for Pjanic, who signed a new five-year contract that will keep him tied to the Old Lady until 2023. It also puts him among the top tier of earners behind Ronaldo, an annual salary of €6.5 million after tax lifting the Bosnia international’s earnings close to those of Dybala and Douglas Costa.
Following a summer of speculation surrounding his future, the deal shows how important he has become to Juve, links to Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester City highlighting his standing across Europe. Able to play a variety of midfield roles, his passing, vision and deadly accuracy at dead ball situations has marked him out as a special player, one who is essential to Allegri’s game plan as his attributes are so different to the club’s other options in that department.
Last season he weighed in with seven goals and nine assists, the 28-year-old clearly pleased to get off the mark in what would end as a 2-0 triumph for the home side. "I’m pleased to be staying at this wonderful club," Pjanic said in an interview with DAZN shortly after the final whistle. "I’ve grown as a player since I’ve been here and the club is very important to me. I want to dedicate the goal to the club, the fans and my team-mates.”
Those same supporters who hard turned up in droves to see Ronaldo were happy to see him on the score sheet once again, perhaps disappointed not to see Pjanic take a late free kick which, inevitably, saw CR7 go through his theatrical routine before smashing the ball harmlessly into the wall.
The former Manchester United man was credited with an assist on Juve’s second goal after scuffing an effort on the line before Mario Mandzukic doubled the Old Lady’s advantage. He had other chances too, most notably turning Wallace midway through the second half before unleashing a viciously dipping shot from the edge of the box.
Strakosha got his fingertips to it to deny him on a day which belonged to someone else. Miralem Pjanic making sure that – not for the first time – he was the one who sent supporters home happy once again. With that new contract agreed and the esteem Max Allegri holds him in, it won’t be the last.
