Juventus finish the day with 3 fewer points after home defeat and separate Napoli ruling
Andrea Pirlo’s side are fourth, tied on points with Napoli and Roma, and seven points behind leaders AC Milan. By AFP Tuesday 22 Dec 2020, 11:16 PM Dec 22nd 2020, 11:16 PM 6,229 Views 2 Comments
Fiorentina celebrate as Cristiano Ronaldo prepares for another restart.
Image: SIPA USA/PA Images
Fiorentina celebrate as Cristiano Ronaldo prepares for another restart.
Image: SIPA USA/PA Images
TEN-MAN JUVENTUS CRASHED to their first Serie A defeat of the season 3-0 at home against Fiorentina on Tuesday in a nightmare final game before Christmas.
The defeat came hours after the champions learned they must play the match against Napoli which was cancelled on 4 October after Napoli decided not to travel to Turin because of coronavirus cases
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The champions had gone 12 games without a loss in the top flight under Andrea Pirlo prior to Tuesday s setback, coming on the day they discovered their 3-0 forfeit win over Napoli in October has been revoked following their opponents successful appeal. Dusan Vlahovic scored early on for Fiorentina and Juve then lost Juan Cuadrado with 18 minutes played, the referee upgrading the yellow card he initially showed to a red following a VAR check. Juve were unable to hit back and conceded twice more in the final 14 minutes, with Alex Sandro putting into his net and their former player Martin Caceres tapping in to inflict a further Scudetto blow on Pirlo s men.
Serie A
Juventus vs FiorentinaNow seven points off AC Milan
Conor Clancy
Juventus fell to a shock
3-0 defeat to Fiorentina on Tuesday evening, ending their unbeaten start to this Serie A season to suffer their first domestic loss under
Andrea Pirlo.
Fiorentina themselves had been improving on a terrible start to the season, but even after draws against high flying
Sassuolo and Hellas Verona, Cesare Prandelli wouldn t have expected such a resounding win over the champions.
Dusan Vlahovic put the Tuscan side ahead inside three minutes, latching onto a fine
Franck Ribery ball to finish past
Wojciech Szczesny.
Gaetano Castrovilli, only making their task all the more challenging.
TheHardTackle.com
Juventus vs Fiorentina Player Ratings: 7/10 Ronaldo, Chiesa only bright spots; irresponsible Cuadrado gets 2
Betting Analysis
Juventus suffered a shock 3-0 defeat at home to low-lying Fiorentina as their unbeaten run in the Serie A came to end just before the winter break.
Juventus suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of Cesare Prandelli’s Fiorentina, who won their first match since the Italian tactician took charge. Dusan Vlahovic opened the scoring as early as the third minute, when Franck Ribery played him in through the centre-backs.
Vlahovic took the ball wide and did the rest, chipping Wojciech Szczesny for the opener. It was Juventus that looked to respond positively, but things changed when Juan Cuadrado picked up a red card when he unnecessarily slid in after a long touch and caught Gaetano Castrovilli above the calf.
RAMBO
Aaron Ramsey boots water bottle in anger after being taken off 19 minutes into Juventus defeat to Fiorentina
Updated: 23 Dec 2020, 9:58
AARON RAMSEY booted a water bottle in frustration after being hooked just 19 minutes into Juventus match against Fiorentina.
The Welsh midfielder, 29, was hauled off before the halfway mark in the first period after Juan Cuadrado s red card.
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It meant the Welshman s difficult spell in Italy continues.
After his 2019 free transfer from Arsenal, the midfielder started just 14 games in the 2019-20 campaign - despite his staggering wages of £400,000 per week.
He has enjoyed more game time this season, which will come as a relief to Wales fans ahead of next summer s Euros.