19 May 2018
On a day of royalty around the globe, Juventus gave the departing Gianluigi Buffon a reception fit for a king, running out 2-1 winners over Hellas Verona on the final day of the Serie A season.
A double-salvo from Daniele Rugani and Miralem Pjanic early in the second half was enough for the Bianconeri winning their 16th out of 19 home matches this season.
Under a sunny spring afternoon in Turin, the Bianconeri closed the 2017/18 campaign in front of a packed Allianz Stadium ready for a party, Scudetto-style! After a tight first 25 minutes, the match sprang to life as the Bianconeri nearly found the opener on multiple occasions.
In the 26th minute, Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic nearly combined for the first goal as a nifty one-two saw La Joya free at the top of the box, but his low stinger flashed on just the wrong side of the post.
Just minutes later, Verona goalkeeper Nicolas would make two strong saves denying Douglas Costa and Mandzukic in the 32nd minute. Juve’s best chance of the half came on 40 minutes as Dybala’s chip found the crossbar but couldn’t find the back of the net.
In the second half, the Bianconeri breakthrough would come early on with a quick-fire double! In the 50th minute, Costa received the ball on a short corner, working it onto his left foot and firing in a shot that Nicolas could only parry into the path of Rugani who tapped home for his second goal of the season.
It would take less than two minutes to find a second as Dybala was fouled at the top of the box. Pjanic stepped up and curled in the free kick from 25 yards for his fifth goal of the season, making it 2-0 to the delighted home crowd.
With the Juventus goals out of the way, the inevitable moment came in the 63rd minute as Gianluigi Buffon exited the Allianz Stadium pitch for the final time receive an extended standing ovation as Carlo Pinsoglio replaced the #UN1CO Bianconeri goalkeeper.
The visitors would pull one back in the 76th minute as ex-Juventus man Romulo sent in a cross that Cerci flicked in the far post past Pinsoglio to cut the Bianconeri lead in half.
The final whistle blew on the 2017/18 season with Juventus deserved 2-1 winners over Hellas Verona to finish the campaign in style.
With all 38 games in the books, the Bianconeri come to the end of another stellar season boasting a 30-5-3 record with a Scudetto-winning 95 points including 16 home wins out of 19 matches as well as a fourth consecutive Coppa Italia. Another year to remember in black and white.
Bravo, Bianconeri. Bravo, Mr. Allegri. Bravo to every Bianconero and finally…grazie mille, Gigi.
