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#JuveVerona in numbers

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#JuveVerona in numbers
#JuveVerona in numbers
#JuveVerona in numbers

Not only did the Bianconeri of Massimiliano Allegri extend their winning run in the league to eight matches in Wednesday’s 3-0 victory over Hellas Verona but they* *also reasserted their dominance over this fixture, registering a 23rd Serie A victory in 27 home encounters with the struggling Gialloblu.

While the search for a first league win for yesterday’s visitors goes on (eight draws and 10 defeats), Allegri’s men were still required to turn in a determined and composed showing that is beginning to become a staple of this team’s new-found resilience and consistency, the proof of which was clear from the statistics from Juventus Stadium.

Home comforts

Roared on by an expectant home crowd, Juve produced 15 shots to Verona’s 7 (one of which requiring a magnificent one-handed save from Gianluigi Buffon from Giampaolo Pazzini’s acrobatic volley), attempted more than double the number of passes (480 to 231) and maximised their 53.3 per cent share of the ball to devastating effect.

Looking left

As has been increasingly the trend in recent weeks, the champions turned to the pace and drive of Alex Sandro to carry the ball out from the back, with the wing-back’s three successful duels, five crosses from open play and two chances created illustrating once again his importance as an attacking outlet and reliable piece of Allegri’s five-man midfield.

Operating just inside the Brazilian, Paul Pogba’s all-action performance in the centre of the field was typically one of effortless excellence and served as a fine example of the Frenchman’s multi-purpose midfield qualities, taking three shots, creating just as many scoring opportunities including an assist for Simone Zaza’s late third all while scrapping in a game-high 19 duels.

Juve's three wise men

Further forward, there were to be no surprises as to the identity of the Bianconeri’s most eye-catching performer. Paulo Dybala’s superbly flighted first-half free-kick was his fifth strike in six appearances at Juventus Stadium and the 13th in all competitions to bear the mark of the Argentine this season (nine goals, four assists).

As it happens, La Joya’s opening goal was the second of his career to come directly from a dead-ball situation, having netted his first against the same opposition last February while in the colours of Palermo.

Wednesday afternoon’s victory also saw a maiden appearance on the scoresheet for Leonardo Bonucci in 2015/16, expertly heading home Dybala’s free-kick on the stroke of half time for his first strike since April.

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On the subject of goals however the last word could only really be reserved for Simone Zaza, whose perfectly-timed run and finish eight minutes from the end ensured that the Calabrian has now found the net every 98 minutes in Serie A for his new club, the most prolific scoring ratio of any Juventus player this season.

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