19 February 2016
Juventus were unable to break down a well-organised and combative Bologna outfit on Friday night, as they had to settle for a 0-0 draw at the Stadio Dall´Ara.
Both teams entered the encounter in Emilia-Romagna in fantastic shape, with Massimiliano Allegri´s men having won 15 league matches on the bounce and Roberto Donadoni´s charges fifth in the Serie A form book over the previous 15 fixtures, from which they had garnered an impressive 27 points.
Ultimately, the sides´ respective defences would end out on top during 93 minutes devoid of clear-cut scoring opportunities, meaning that the Bianconeri move two points above second-placed Napoli, who host Milan on Monday.
The visitors began the brighter of the two sides and might have taken the lead in the ninth minute when Patrice Evra headed whiskers wide from Claudio Marchisio´s menacing corner kick.
Following 20 minutes of Bianconeri pressure in and around the final third, it would be Bologna to get away the game´s first effort on target, as Mattia Destro hit fiercely from outside the area, only to be foiled by Gigi Buffon.
Back down the other end, Juve resumed their search for an opener and, once again, it was French full-back Evra in the thick of the action, latching on to Paul Pogba´s knockdown before firing just over the crossbar.
The first couple of openings after the interval came the way of Donadoni´s men, ex Bianconero Emanuele Giaccherini sending a free-kick over the bar before Leonardo Bonucci crucially blocked Godfred Donsah´s teasing cross into the box.
Allegri´s charges, however, came closest to finding the target on 53 minutes when Pogba caught Stephan Lichtsteiner´s centre ever so sweetly, but the ball flew marginally wide of Antonio Mirante´s upright.
Defences would dominate once again for the majority of the half with neither side having a sniff of goal until the 84th minute when Pogba was put through by Marchisio´s pinpoint pass, only for the 22-year-old to strike wide of the mark from a difficult angle.
Stepping up their pursuit for an ultimately elusive winner, Alvaro Morata forced Mirante into a smart save on 87 minutes and, moments later, the keeper intercepted Pogba´s cross that was destined for the Spanish striker, who was lurking dangerously in the penalty area.
The Rossoblu rearguard ended the night having to defend deep and in numbers, as they successfully weathered a late Bianconeri onslaught on their goal.
Allegri and company will now turn their attentions to Tuesday´s appetising Champions League clash at home to Bayern Munich before looking to return to winning ways in the league when Inter make the trip to Juventus Stadium next Sunday.
JUVENTUS
Buffon, Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Bonucci, Evra, Sturaro, Marchisio, Pogba, Pereyra (Cuadrado 46), Zaza (Dybala 67), Morata
Unused substitutes: Neto, Rubinho, Rugani, Romagna, Padoin, Lemina, Hernanes, Favilli
Coach: Allegri
BOLOGNA
Mirante, Mbaye, Gastaldelli, Maietta, Masina (Constant 73), Donsah, Diawara, Taider (Brienza 82), Rizzo (Mounier 65), Destro, Giaccherini
Unused substitutes: Pulgar, Floccari, Juan Zuniga, Da Costa, Stojanovic, Morleo, Ferrari, Brighi, Oikonomou
Coach: Donadoni
