Allegri’s side drew 1-1 with both Atalanta and Torino in Serie A, making their position in the league table shaky. They were once again held by the same scoreline against Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday.
It took just 32 seconds for January signing Dusan Vlahovic to make his mark after registering his first Champions League goal on his debut.
However, the Bianconeri couldn’t build on the early goal. They were pegged back by Villarreal in the second half when Dani Parejo took advantage of a mistake from Adrien Rabiot to score the equalizer.
Bianconeri struggle against Villarreal
Juventus have struggled in the Champions League in recent years and not even the acquisition of Cristiano Ronaldo could change their fortunes in the competition.
Against Villarreal on Tuesday, it was déjà vu for the Bianconeri, who couldn’t match the intensity of their opponents. Despite taking an early lead, Juventus’ performance dropped as the minutes wore on.
On the contrary, Villarreal continued to grow into the game and seized complete control after grabbing the equalizer. The Spanish side ended the match with more shots on target (3 - 2) and a better possession percentage (60% - 40%).
It’s fair to say Juventus were lucky to get a draw and, with the away goals rule now canceled, the Bianconeri hold no advantage ahead of the second leg.
Vlahovic can be Juventus’ main man
If there was any positive from Juventus’ performance, it came from Vlahovic. The Serbian striker joined Allegri’s side from Fiorentina in January and has already hit the ground running.
His £66.6 million transfer fee looks like a complete bargain after scoring on his Serie A and Champions League debuts for the Bianconeri.
Even better, the 22-year-old has more to his game than just goals. He’s skillful, has great dribbling ability and can play with his back against the goal.
Vlahovic has been tipped as a generational talent and is already proving his worth at Juventus. The Serbian forward has played just two matches but his performances prove he can be their main man.
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