21 May 2017
Juventus rewrote the history books on Sunday afternoon by claiming the Serie A title for a sixth straight season – an unprecedented feat in Italian football.
Strikes by Mario Mandzukic (after 12 minutes) and Paulo Dybala (39) set the Bianconeri on their way in a pulsating first half that had the Stadium rocking and rolling 68 months after witnessing the first league win of this legendary cycle – a 4-1 win over Parma back on 11 September 2011.
The second half might have been quieter, but not without a final, third goal to crown this special day, as Alex Sandro headed in off the underside of the crossbar: the cherry on the black and white cake.
MARIO MAKES BREAKTHROUGH
Cheered on by a capacity crowd, the Bianconeri flew out of the traps with Miralem Pjanic bending a free-kick just wide and Dani Alves firing over the top from range.
Twelve minutes in however, and Juve had already found the breakthrough. Juan Cuadrado’s cross from the right found Mandzukic at the back post and the Croatian, 31 today, seized his on-pitch birthday present by burying low into the corner.
Buoyed by the early lead, the hosts kept their foot on the gas in search of a second: the busy Dybala saw a threatening shot blocked, as did Gonzalo Higuain after some neat build-up play with Alex Sandro. The champagne football was already flowing before the bottles had been opened.
PAULO’S FREE-KICK PEACH
Juve deserved to be 2-0 up by the break and that they were when Dybala, with the wave of his magic wand of a left foot, curled his free-kick over a sea of green shirts and into the top corner.
Having been at the heart of the Bianconeri’s best moves of the half, it was fitting that La Joya got his name on the scoresheet, this his 10th league goal of another superb season in black and white.
LE6END IS MADE
Juve began the second half as they did the first: knocking on the door for more. Cuadrado forced Crotone keeper Alex Cordaz into a save immediately after the restart before Dybala saw an effort deflected out for a corner.
Although there would be fewer action points to follow, the Bianconeri still had one last treat up their sleeve for the adoring crowd.
In the 82nd minute, Alex Sandro rose highest at a corner-kick to head home off the underside of the crossbar.
Three-nil the final score. Game, set and match for Massimiliano Allegri’s men.
Now let the legend continue…
