Juventus

Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus move back to the top of Serie A after a 2-0 victory over Inter Milan in the Derby d'Italia on Sunday.

Aaron Ramsey scored the opener then assisted Paulo Dybala for the Bianconeri's second at the Allianz Stadium to put Maurizio Sarri's team a point above Lazio. Meanwhile, Inter stay third, with the Nerazzurri now nine points adrift of Juve, although Antonio Conte's men have played a game less than the leaders.

Juve made the brighter start in a stadium left empty of fans amid the Italian authorities' ongoing response to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

The game's first chance went the way of Matthijs de Ligt, whose header prompted a fine save from Samir Handanovic. It was the first of three stops he would make, with the Inter goalkeeper also denying Ronaldo and Blaise Matuidi.

Samir Handanovic is gargantuan.

For me, one of the very best keepers in Europe and has been for some time now.

— Matt Santangelo (@Matt_Santangelo) March 8, 2020

Inter were content to strike on the counter, a ploy that almost paid dividends when Lautaro Martinez teed up Marcelo Brozovic with a clever touch. Brozovic aimed for the bottom corner, but Juve stopper Wojciech Szczesny was equal to the shot.

Brozovic had wasted an excellent chance, but it was Juve who still looked the most likely to eventually break the deadlock. The hosts' moment came nine minutes after the restart when Ramsey guided a shot beyond Handanovic.

Former Arsenal playmaker Ramsey has been searching for consistency during most of his debut campaign in Turin, but the Welshman is steadily becoming a player Sarri can trust:

Aaron Ramsey has scored in back-to-back league games for the first time since October 2017.

⚽️ Spal
⚽️ Inter

Finding his feet in Turin. 👣 pic.twitter.com/lI7VCGEYVF

— Squawka (@Squawka) March 8, 2020

Ramsey's burgeoning value was underlined when he played in Dybala to double Juve's advantage on 67 minutes. Dybala took his goal well to continue a habit of punishing Inter:

2 - Prior to Paulo #Dybala, the last #Juventus player to have scored in both matches against Inter in a single Serie A campaign was Arturo Vidal in 2013/14. Joya.#JuveInter #SerieA pic.twitter.com/u5HWnUEUDK

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) March 8, 2020

The away side's hopes for a comeback came and went when Alexis Sanchez teed up ex-Tottenham Hotspur schemer Christian Eriksen, who promptly put his effort over the bar.

Inter's frustrations boiled over when Brozovic was booked for bringing Matuidi down. Amid the protests, Handanovic's backup Daniele Padelli was sent off from the bench.

There was still time for Ronaldo to nearly scored a brilliant solo goal. Sadly, the 35-year-old's radar deserted him after a deft backheel presented him with a shooting chance.

Ultimately, Juve didn't need the luxury of a third. The Bianconeri had already comfortably kept Inter at arm's length and proved there is more to the attacking prowess than Ronaldo's goals.

     

What's Next?

Juve will be away to Bologna on Friday, while Inter host Getafe in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League last 16 a day earlier.

Not for the first time this season, Matthijs de Ligt was trending on Twitter. But this time, it was nothing to do with a shaky performance.

After team-mate Alex Sandro accidentally trod on his head in the first half of Juventus' recent UEFA Champions League clash with Lyon, De Ligt was left with blood streaming down the right side of his face. Images of the blood-splattered youngster getting patched up at the side of the pitch quickly proliferated on social media. To make matters worse, Lyon midfielder Lucas Tousart scored the only goal of the game while he was off the field receiving treatment.

The 1-0 defeat in the round-of-16 first leg was a bitter disappointment for Juventus, for whom Champions League success is this season's primary objective, but in the postgame analysis, De Ligt was spared criticism.

The focus instead fell on manager Maurizio Sarri's complaints about his team's slow passing and an argument between Leonardo Bonucci and Blaise Matuidi that took place during the warm-up, while the Italian sports newspapers reserved their most cutting remarks for Miralem Pjanic, Rodrigo Bentancur and Juan Cuadrado.

It is an indication of the difficulties that De Ligt has already encountered in his fledgling stint in Turin that being absolved of blame for the Lyon result represented a form of progress. Because up to now, his adaptation to life in Serie A has been far from plain sailing.

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De Ligt's problems started on August 30, a little over a month on from his €75 million transfer from Ajax, when Juve's veteran captain Giorgio Chiellini suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in training that would keep him out of action for close to six months.

Juve's plan had been to ease their new recruit into action gently, and De Ligt himself seemed aware of the need to take a slower approach to life in Italy, posting on Instagram that he was taking things "step by step." Chiellini's injury forced Sarri to change tack. De Ligt found himself thrust straight into the starting XI—and straight into the firing line.

His debut performance in a 4-3 home win over Napoli on August 31 was a calamity, and he continued to encounter problems over the weeks that followed, conceding penalties for handballs in a 2-1 win at Inter Milan and a 1-1 draw at Lecce.

Although he scored the winner in his first derby against Torino in November, an underwhelming display in Juve's 3-1 loss at Lazio in early December cost him his place in the team. He started five successive matches on the bench around the turn of the year and did not return to the starting lineup until Merih Demiral, who had taken his place, was struck down by a knee injury in mid-January.

In an October interview with Fox Sports Netherlands, the 20-year-old said he no longer felt "invincible" in the way that he had at Ajax and admitted that he could not say why he was underperforming, vowing simply to "continue to work, to do my best and to try to learn from my team-mates."

As one of the emblems of Ajax's stunning run to the Champions League semi-finals last season, De Ligt arrived in northern Italy accompanied by a huge sense of expectation that his massive transfer fee only served to inflate. While some might have questioned the wisdom of the move after he faltered on his first outings, those who have been in his shoes knew it was best to reserve judgement.

"He had more difficulties at the beginning than people expected," former Juventus defender Jonathan Zebina told Bleacher Report. "But how old is he, 20? He's gone in at the deep end, so it strikes me as completely normal. What isn't normal is that people expected extraordinary things from him straight away."

On top of the usual process of adaptation that a player must observe when they move to a new country, De Ligt has had to contend with the fact that Sarri's arrival as head coach prompted an overhaul of the way that Juventus defend. Where Juve used a man-oriented marking system at set pieces under Massimiliano Allegri, Sarri has switched to a strategy of zonal marking. And the shift has not been without complications.

"Juventus have let in a lot of goals from corners because they're using zonal marking rather than traditional, man-to-man marking, which was a big part of Allegri's defensive strategy," explained Filippo Conticello from La Gazzetta dello Sport. "The players have been making a lot of mistakes, and in the middle of all these defensive problems, you find De Ligt. I don't think it's all his responsibility."

De Ligt has also encountered a different set of expectations for when he is on the ball compared to his time at Ajax. While Sarri has, as expected, turned Juventus into more of a passing team than they were under Allegri—with average possession per game and average number of short passes per game both climbing between last season and this—De Ligt is still seeing much less of the ball than he did in Amsterdam.

In the Eredivisie last season, he would complete an average of 67.2 passes per game. In Serie A, that figure has fallen to 53. For a player who recently revealed to the UEFA website that he played as a playmaker in the Ajax youth teams until the age of 15, his more limited involvement in build-up play will take some getting used to.

Back home in the Netherlands, there has been conjecture as to whether Italy was even the right country for De Ligt in the first place, with influential television pundit Johan Derksen declaring in December that the former Ajax captain "chose the wrong club."

Very few Dutch centre-backs have enjoyed success in Serie A. To illustrate the point, in the past 25 years, the only central defender to have gone to a major tournament with the Netherlands while on the books of an Italian club was Jaap Stam, who was a Lazio player when he reached the semi-finals with the Oranje at Euro 2004.

"In Holland, the defender is the first stage of the attack," Jan-Hermen de Bruijn, editor-in-chief of Dutch football magazine ELF Voetbal, told Bleacher Report. "In Italy, a defender is a defender, which is a completely different concept.

"In Holland, every attack starts with six or seven passes in defence, and then they come forward in a good position. So for this reason he would have touched the ball a lot more [at Ajax]. Defenders in Italy are expected to win the ball and give it to a midfielder, and that's where the attack starts. It's a very different culture."

De Ligt was not at his best in the Netherlands' final Euro 2020 qualifying matches at the end of last year, but national coach Ronald Koeman defended him and backed him to recover from his difficult start at Juventus. Although Inter's Stefan de Vrij is a potential alternative to partner Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the Dutch defence at Euro 2020, there is no suggestion that De Ligt's place in the side is under threat.

Unsurprisingly, given the vast sums of money invested in him, there has been vocal support from senior officials at Juve as well. Fabio Paratici, the club's chief football officer, described the Dutchman as a "monster" in a December interview with Tuttosport and said that he represented "the best investment in a youngster that we've ever made." Sarri told Sky Sport Italia that De Ligt would become "the best defender in the world". 

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Zebina was not always the most popular player in the eyes of Juve's fans during his six-year stint in Turin, but he says that although the club's global renown brings with it a significant level of scrutiny, De Ligt will benefit from the fact that the life of a footballer in the Piedmontese capital is generally hassle-free.

"There's more attention, and he'll have to adapt to that," said Zebina, who played for Juve from 2004 to 2010. "You're representing an extremely significant club, so you're obviously perceived as an opponent to beat. But the great advantage of playing at Juve is that life in Turin is very peaceful. You don't feel the kind of pressure you might feel in Rome or Milan or Florence. That's a big, big advantage."

For his part, De Ligt has thrown himself into his new life in Turin, having moved into the city centre with his fiancee, Dutch model AnneKee Molenaar, and their dogs. The pair have been spotted sitting at outdoor cafes on Piazza San Carlo, and the defender has shown a diligent approach to his Italian studies.

"He's learning Italian, and that's very important because we've had players who came from South America, for example, who couldn't speak Italian after many, many years in Italy," Conticello said. "He prefers to speak in English, because he's not comfortable yet in Italian, but I asked him a question in Italian in the mixed zone recently, and you could tell that he understood everything."

Chiellini's comeback means there is now more competition for places at centre-back, but in keeping with his display at Lyon, De Ligt's form since he returned to the starting XI in January has been solid. While there will inevitably be more bumps along the way, the future remains his for the taking.

Stats via WhoScored.com.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MhyToyUfks

 

Wednesday's Coppa Italia semi-final second leg between Juventus and AC Milan in Turin has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak:

OFFICIAL: #Juventus v #ACMilan has been postponed.#CoppaItalia #JuveMilan #JuventusMilan https://t.co/4Dot2uNCRQ

— Football Italia (@footballitalia) March 3, 2020

The two teams were due to meet at the Allianz Arena with the tie finely balanced at 1-1 after Cristiano Ronaldo scored a late penalty to rescue a draw in the first leg.

However, the game is the latest in Italy to be called off after five Serie A matches were postponed at the weekend, including Juventus' key clash with Inter Milan at the top of the table.

The AC Milan team bus had already arrived in Turin when the announcement was made. The game has been postponed "to an unknown future date," per Football Italia.

Juventus head of communications, Claudio Albanese, has said the authorities have the support of the Italian champions, per Goal's Sam France.

He said: "Juventus respects any decision taken by the authorities, public health is also a priority good for society."

Coronavirus has caused chaos with fixtures in Italy already and seen the government issue a decree suspending sporting events in all affected regions until March 8, per the Guardian.

The postponements will cause problems as the season needs to finish by 24 May due to the summer's European Championship which is scheduled to begin on June 12, per the report.

News agency ANSA has reported the government are also considering suspending all sporting events in the country for a month, per Football Italia.

Inter Milan president Steven Zhang has criticised Serie A president Paolo Dal Pino for their handling of the situation in a post on Instagram, per ESPN's Gabriel Marcotti:

Inter president Steven Zhang absolutely hammers Serie A and its president Paolo Dal Pino. pic.twitter.com/0GgGyotVVc

— Gabriele Marcotti (@Marcotti) March 2, 2020

An emergency meeting involving all 20 Serie A clubs will be held on Wednesday to discuss scheduling and how to deal with the current situation, per Football Italia.

The other Coppa Italia semi-final between Napoli and Inter Milan is still scheduled to go ahead at the Stadio San Paolo on Thursday. Napoli lead 1-0 from the first leg at the San Siro.

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed his mother Dolores is in stable condition after being admitted to hospital:

Thank you for all your messages of support for my mum. She is currently stable and recovering in hospital. Me and my family would like to thank the medical team looking after her, and kindly ask that we are all given some privacy at this time.

— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) March 3, 2020

The Portugal international reportedly flew to the Dr Nelio Mendonca hospital in Madeira on Tuesday to be with her after she suffered a stroke, per the Mirror's Jake Polden.

Manager Maurizio Sarri told reporters Tuesday that he is unsure if Ronaldo will be available for the second leg of Juventus' Coppa Italia semi-final against AC Milan on Wednesday.

He said:

"I don't know what will happen, it is a personal matter, so he will discuss it when he returns. His return will depend on how that situation develops. It's obvious that the tactics and plans do change depending on whether Ronaldo is available or not. There's no replacement for him in the whole world, so naturally we'd do something different in his absence."

Juventus are due to take on AC Milan in Turin on Wednesday night with the tie currently level at 1-1 after Ronaldo's stoppage-time penalty cancelled out Ante Rebic's opening goal in the first leg.

Sarri's side may now have to cope without their top scorer for what is a crucial match. The winner of the game will go on to play either Napoli or Inter Milan in the final.

Ronaldo flew to Madeira by private jet after being granted compassionate leave by Juventus to see his mother, who is said to be conscious and in a stable condition, according to Goal's James Westwood.

Dolores has spoken previously about her health issues in the past after being diagnosed with breast cancer. She said in February 2019 she was "fighting for her life" in an interview with Portuguese television (h/t Calciomercato.com).

Juventus are set to return to action Wednesday after having had the weekend off. Their Serie A clash with Inter Milan, which was scheduled for Sunday, was called off due to fears over the spread of coronavirus.

There are also concerns Wednesday's match against AC Milan may also be affected. La Stampa (h/t Football Italia) have reported the game will be postponed because of coronavirus, and a new date for the game is yet to be confirmed.

Rafa Benitez has denied rumours that he tried to teach Cristiano Ronaldo how to better take free-kicks and Luka Modric to stop passing with the outside of his foot during his time as Real Madrid boss. 

The reports emerged after Benitez was sacked by Madrid in January 2016, just seven months after he took charge of the club, per Goal's Joe Wright.

On Ronaldo's free-kicks, he told Marca's Juan Castro and Alberto Rubio:

"It's a lie. At no time did I do that. The only time we discussed free-kicks was in Australia. I told him we analysed how he took them at Manchester United.

"At no time did I tell him how to take them, nor did I tell [Luka] Modric to stop passing with the outside of his foot."

He added on Modric: "All I told him was that when there's a simple pass with the inside of the foot, he had to use the inside of his foot because it's easier for his team-mate. I also used the outside of my foot when I player, but for 10 to 15-metre passes. But it's easy to spread lies."

Ronaldo has scored 53 times from free-kicks in his career, far more than most players can only dream of, even if he's still some way short of Juninho Pernambucano's record of 77.

However, the 35-year-old has been far less effective from dead-ball situations in recent years:

Cristiano Ronaldo has now taken 38 free-kicks for Juventus without scoring 😬 pic.twitter.com/4maAnJX8yL

— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 27, 2020

0/25 - 🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo’s last 25 direct free kick shots in the Champions League:
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Pjanic?#OLJuve pic.twitter.com/KtkMtbqFM9

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) February 26, 2020

It has been an issue during his time at Juventus, because his presence in the side means free-kick specialists Paulo Dybala and Miralem Pjanic have fewer opportunities to go for goal themselves.

As for Modric, the Croatian is one of the world's best passers of the ball, and he won the Ballon d'Or in 2018.

At 34 he's no longer the force he once was, but he dictates Real Madrid's play from deep and can run games for them in midfield.

Benitez was appointed in 2015 to replace Carlo Ancelotti, who was fired after Los Blancos failed to win La Liga, the UEFA Champions League or the Copa del Rey during his second season in charge.

The Spaniard won 17 of his 25 matches in charge of Real, losing just three times, but one of those defeats was a 4-0 humbling by Barcelona in El Clasico.

During his time as a manager Benitez has won two La Liga titles, the Champions League, the UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup twice and several domestic cups too, but his pragmatic style made him a poor fit at the Santiago Bernabeu.

His replacement, Zinedine Zidane, guided the team to three consecutive Champions League titles and La Liga in 2016-17, among other honours.

Maurizio Sarri bemoaned his Juventus side's inability "to understand the importance of moving the ball quickly" after their 1-0 loss to Lyon on Wednesday in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie.

Juve were widely expected to brush aside Lyon in the first knockout round given the French outfit sit a lowly seventh in Ligue 1. But the Old Lady have work to do in the second leg in Turin on March 17 if they are to reach the quarter-finals and keep their dream alive of winning Europe's biggest prize for the first time in 24 years.

Remarkably for a side boasting Cristiano Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain, Juve did not manage a shot on target in 90 minutes at the Groupama Stadium:

0 - Juventus have not made a shot on target against Lyon: in the Champions League, since 2004/05, it is only the third time that the Bianconeri have failed to do it (vs Atletico in 2014 and vs Arsenal in 2006 ). Off. #OLJuve

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) February 26, 2020

Meanwhile, Lyon took full advantage of Matthijs de Ligt's brief absence from the pitch due to a head injury to take the lead through Lucas Tousart in the 31st minute:

https://twitter.com/brlive/status/1232766286251384833

A BIG goal for the home side!

Lyon take the lead against Juventus, with Lucas Tousart converting from close range...

Look out for the goalkeeper's celebration 😅 pic.twitter.com/Xo82tC2DYi

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 26, 2020

After the match, Sarri did not pull his punches when analysing his side's performance, per Sky Sport Italia (h/t MailOnline's Danny Gallagher):

"We lacked determination and aggression when attacking, and for 15 minutes lacked it defensively too. We were unlucky to concede when De Ligt was off injured. The second half was better, but frankly it's not enough for a Champions League match. I don't know why I cannot get the players to understand the importance of moving the ball quickly. 

"This is fundamental, we'll keep working on it and sooner or later this concept will get into their heads. I continued to tell them, and there were many who were doing it, moving the ball too slowly and therefore getting into the wrong positions."

Last season in the first knockout round, Juventus went to Atletico Madrid for the first leg and lost 2-0, but they advanced after Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in the return leg. Their job is simpler this term given the deficit is only one goal and Lyon are theoretically easier opponents than Atleti.

Caesars Palace still has Juve as strong favourites to advance to the last eight.

However, Wednesday's performance raised the question of whether they are capable of going all the way in the Champions League, even with Ronaldo in top form:

Juventus have now played five UCL knockout games since Cristiano Ronaldo joined the club, Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player who is scored for them in those games.

Can’t do it all. 😤😤😤 pic.twitter.com/sZwnWBB6XH

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) February 26, 2020

The Portuguese superstar was signed by the Old Lady from Real Madrid specifically to help them finally win the trophy for a third time—they have lost five finals since last winning in 1996.

But with Sarri's side also involved in a fierce Serie A title battle, the chances of Juve winning the Champions League this season seem slight.

Blaise Matuidi has confirmed that Juventus have triggered a one-year extension in his contract to keep him at the club until 2021.

The Frenchman's deal was set to expire this summer, but he told Sport24 (h/t Football Italia): "In my contract there was an option for another year. Juventus have exercised it. I never had any doubts about it. I feel the trust of everyone."

Matuidi arrived from Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 for an initial €30.5 million, with a further €10.5 million in add-ons dependent on the number of appearances made for the Bianconeri.

He has thus far played 118 times for the Old Lady in all competitions.

Bleacher Report's Gianni Verschueren believes he's one of several midfielders to sign for Juve in recent years to fall short of the strength they once enjoyed in that area:

https://twitter.com/ReverschPass/status/1222970459530153985

He is perhaps not the most natural fit with the technical football manager Maurizio Sarri employs, either, as football writer Kaustubh Pandey observed:

Having a past his prime Matuidi for a technically obsessed system defines it all.

— Kaustubh Pandey (@Kaus_Pandey17) February 15, 2020

The enforcer does help provide defensive protection, though, thanks to his tireless work in the engine room to break up opponents' play and regain possession for his side.

He's not quite the player he once was, and he'll be 33 in April, so he's entering the twilight of his career.

However, after Juve allowed Emre Can to depart in January for Borussia Dortmund, they may not want to leave themselves short of options by losing Matuidi this summer.  

Sami Khedira is the same age—he'll also turn 33 in April—performs a similar role to Matuidi and already has another year remaining on his deal, but he has been out since November after knee surgery.

The German is likely to return soon if his expected three-month recovery has gone to plan, but Matuidi remaining at the club gives them some insurance if Khedira struggles to find form after his long absence.

Cristiano Ronaldo fired Juventus to a 2-1 victory over SPAL in the 1,000th match of his career on Saturday at the Stadio Paolo Mazza.

The 35-year-old scored for the 11th consecutive Serie A match when he opened the scoring in the 39th minute, and Aaron Ramsey doubled the lead on the hour mark with his third goal of the season.

On-loan Napoli forward Andrea Petagna pulled a goal back with a 69th-minute penalty, his 10th goal of the campaign, but that was as much as SPAL could muster in response.

The defeat is SPAL's fifth consecutive loss in Serie A.

Ronaldo thought he'd scored after just four minutes when he touched in Paulo Dybala's pass, but his effort was quickly dismissed for offside:

❌ Juventus thought they'd got an early opener, but the flag is up and it's ruled out

😬 A great ball from Dybala, and a finish to match from Cristiano Ronaldo, but the Juve No. 7 had just strayed offside pic.twitter.com/stm68KzaE4

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) February 22, 2020

Juan Cuadrado then twice should have done better when Alex Sandro picked him out with a pair of crosses, but on both occasions he failed to hit the target.

At the other end, Gabriel Strefezza forced two saves from Wojciech Szczesny, while Petagna missed with a header.

Juve continued to look the more threatening, however, and Dybala rattled the post before Ronaldo converted a cross from Cuadrado:

✔ 1000th professional match

✔ Scores in 11 consecutive Serie A game

⚫⚪ Cristiano Ronaldo gives Juventus the lead! pic.twitter.com/4radbQkIqm

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) February 22, 2020

ESPN FC's Andrew Cesare gave insight into the record the Portuguese superstar equalled with his strike:

Cristiano Ronaldo has equalled Fabio Quagliarella's record of scoring in his own 11th consecutive Serie A matches.

But Gabriel Batistuta is still the only player to score in 11 consecutive Serie A matches without missing a match in the sequence

— Andrew Cesare (@AndrewCesare) February 22, 2020

CR7's joint-best goalscoring streak

Not slowing down 💪 pic.twitter.com/Aj1lxukQRA

— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 22, 2020

Ronaldo almost doubled his tally shortly after the break when Danilo picked him out with a cutback, but Etrit Berisha was equal to his effort.

Ramsey curled a shot just wide before he got on the scoresheet with a deft chip over Berisha:

⚫⚪ Aaron Ramsey doubles Juventus' lead!

😍 A beautiful dinked finish from the Welshman pays off Dybala's perfectly weighted assist pic.twitter.com/kcDRGxmyKC

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) February 22, 2020

SPAL showed some signs of life as Petagna replied from the spot after Mattijs de Ligt was penalised for a challenge on Simone Missiroli.

Juve remained in control despite the setback, and Ronaldo almost added a third from a free-kick but saw his effort come back off the crossbar.

                

What Next

Juventus travel to Lyon in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday before facing title rivals Inter Milan in a crunch Serie A clash on March 1. The same day, SPAL take on Parma.

             

Juventus captain Giorgio Chiellini's agent, Davide Lippi, has said the centre-back is set to extend his stay with the Italian champions.

Lippi told Tuttomercatoweb Radio (h/t Football Italia) that the 35-year-old wants to keep playing and expects a renewal to go through smoothly.      

"His renewal will be official only when the club announces it. Then, between us, I don't think there will be any problems. Giorgio's will is to go ahead and play as long as he is well and until he feels important.

"His injury has allowed him to work a lot alone, on Sunday he surprised us all with his return to the field early. I didn't even know he would play, to tell you the truth. However, when Chiellini puts something in his head, there is no way to stop him!"

Chiellini joined Juventus in 2005 from Livorno and has made over 500 appearances for the Turin giants in a glittering career. He is heading toward the end of his playing days but remains a key player for manager Maurizio Sarri's side.

The centre-back will extend his stay in Turin for another 12 months, according to Romeo Agresti of Goal:

#Juventus: the renewal of Chiellini’s contract is just a formality. He’ll sign an extension until 2021 ⚪️⚫️@goal

— Romeo Agresti (@romeoagresti) February 18, 2020

Chiellini has spent the last six months on the sidelines after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament that required surgery in September.

He made his comeback as a late substitute in the club's 2-0 Serie A win over Brescia on Sunday:

Less than six months ago, Giorgio Chiellini tore his ACL 🤕

Today, the Juventus captain made his return to action 💪 pic.twitter.com/HtI3qSXTfm

— GOAL (@goal) February 16, 2020

Sarri has said will he "evaluate" the defender to see if he is fit enough to start Saturday's clash against SPAL at Stadio Paolo Mazza, per Football Italia.

Chiellini's return will be a boost to a Juventus side that have not wholly convinced in 2019-20 despite topping Serie A after 24 games.

They have had troubles defensively with Merih Demiral ruled out for the season after undergoing knee surgery, while summer signing Matthijs de Ligt has struggled to recapture the form he showed at Ajax.

Chiellini is likely to slot straight back into the team alongside Leonardo Bonucci when fully fit, and Juventus will need his leadership, experience and defensive qualities as they fight for trophies on three fronts.

Former Juventus star Claudio Marchisio has urged patience with manager Maurizio Sarri, saying he's the right choice for the club and needs time to implement his vision. 

The Italian spoke to DAZN (h/t Football Italia) and addressed the rumours surrounding the former Napoli and Chelsea boss:

"I think Sarri was the right choice for Juventus. Obviously, it takes time. The Bianconeri came from two great winning cycles under [Antonio] Conte and [Massimiliano] Allegri.

"Maurizio can count on a great squad and came from playing beautiful football with Napoli to win a big trophy in Europe with Chelsea, despite the difficulties he suffered. His experience with the Blues has also come in handy in Turin."

Sarri is in his first season with the Bianconeri, who lead Serie A and are through to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League but have done so without looking convincing.

The struggles have already led to speculation Juventus could move on from the tactician after one season. Per Metro, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been linked with the job.

Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero backed Guardiola to come to Turin:

https://twitter.com/IFTVofficial/status/1229241919840169985

Sarri has a reputation for bringing an intricate style of play that has been described as "Sarri-ball." It relies heavily on quick ball circulation and smart movement out of possession.

The system can take time to implement, and Juventus are in win-now mode, with several veteran stars like Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini and Cristiano Ronaldo in the squad. All three are 35 or older.

Juventus have shown flashes of brilliance at times this season and created plenty of chances in their last win against Brescia:

But while they mustered opportunities, Juventus scored just twice against an injury-ridden side that spent the bulk of the match with 10 men.

The Bianconeri have won eight consecutive Serie A titles under managers Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri. Winning is a must in Turin, and the UEFA Champions League is the ultimate goal. Juventus haven't tasted continental success since 1996.