Turin: Juventus kicked-off the New Year on a winning note dominating their way to a 4-1 win over Udinese in Serie A at the Allianz Stadium in Turin on Sunday (January 3). Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace along with Federico Chiesa and Paulo Dybala, both netting once for the home side while Marvin Zeegelar scored one for the visitors.
Andrea Pirlo set up his side in a 4-4-2 formation with Matthijs De Ligt being paired with Leonardo Bonucci at the centre of the defence. Chiesa and Aaron Ramsey starting as wide midfielders completed a four-man midfield with Weston McKennie alongside Rodrigo Bentancur starting in the middle of the park. Ronaldo shared the forward line alongside Dybala.
The match started with Udinese playing well in the first few minutes creating pressure on the Bianconeri defence. They scored one though courtesy of Rodrigo De Paul but VAR disallowed that claiming a handball in the build-up to the goal.
Juventus opened up quite a lot after that creating good build-up plays before breaking the deadlock when Ramsey won the ball in a dangerous area up in the field giving it to Ronaldo who went on his own before unleashing a fierce shot inside the box to find the back of the net.
Ramsey was playing well as his work-rate and tenacity were causing problems to the opposition and so was Bentancur. The home side extended their lead just after the second half resumed courtesy of Chiesa who finished it comfortably after Ronaldo found him with a gem of a through ball to lay in the path of the Italian youngster with the outside of his foot which was worth watching again and again.
Chiesa has been thriving under the watchful eyes of Pirlo ever since he signed for the defending champions. Chances came for the visitors as well but they failed to make it capitalise while the defending champions got the third of the evening when Bentancur won the ball in the midfield before laying it off for Ronaldo who finished it clinically.
Udinese got one back through Zeegelar late in the game but that was a mere consolation Dybala put the icing on the cake for Juventus as he received the through ball perfectly from Danilo before turning and making a run into the box before finishing it exquisitely helping the defending champions take full three points to place themselves at fifth.
