Spezia v Juventus Live Commentary & Result, 19/2/23, Serie A

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	PTS	Form
1	NAP Napoli	37	27	6	4	75	28	+47	87	D W L W D
2	LAZ Lazio	37	21	8	8	58	30	+28	71	W W D L W
3	INT Internazionale	37	22	3	12	70	42	+28	69	W L W W W
4	MIL Milan	37	19	10	8	61	42	+19	67	W W L W D
5	ATA Atalanta	37	18	7	12	61	46	+15	61	L W L L W
6	ROM Roma	37	17	9	11	48	37	+11	60	L D D L D
7	JUV Juventus	37	21	6	10	55	33	+22	59	L L W W W
8	TOR Torino	37	14	11	12	42	40	+2	53	W D W D W
9	FIO Fiorentina	37	14	11	12	50	42	+8	53	W D W L D
10	MON Monza	37	14	10	13	46	47	-1	52	L W W D D
11	BOL Bologna	37	13	12	12	50	47	+3	51	D W D D L
12	UDI Udinese	37	11	13	13	47	47	0	46	L L L W D
13	SAS Sassuolo	37	12	9	16	46	58	-12	45	D L L D L
14	EMP Empoli	37	10	13	14	37	47	-10	43	D W D W W
15	SAL Salernitana	37	9	15	13	48	60	-12	42	W D W L D
16	LEC Lecce	37	8	12	17	31	43	-12	36	W D D L L
17	SPE Spezia	37	6	13	18	30	60	-30	31	L D W L L
18	VER Hellas Verona	37	7	10	20	30	56	-26	31	D L L W L
19	CRE Cremonese	37	4	12	21	34	69	-35	24	L L L W D
20	SAM Sampdoria	37	3	10	24	24	69	-45	19	D L D L L

That's all from La Spezia today, so thank you for joining us and goodbye!

After their sixth straight victory against Spezia since the Ligurians were promoted to Serie A in 2020, Juventus journey to Nantes on Thursday, where they will attempt to navigate their way into the Europa League's last 16. Another defeat today means Spezia could be in the bottom three when new boss Leonardo Semplici makes his debut in the dugout next week at Udinese.

With a typically underwhelming but ultimately effective display, Juventus notch up another win without conceding and move up to seventh place in Serie A as a result. Somehow, by a combination of shoddy finishing and Perin's reactions, Spezia fail to even find the net during a lively game - their first since Luca Gotti was relieved of his duties. They remain mired in trouble near the foot of the table, while Juve turn their attention back to European matters next week.

90' + 4' FULL-TIME: SPEZIA 0-2 JUVENTUS

90' + 4' Di Maria cuts inside from the right and unleashes a low shot towards the bottom-left corner, but it takes a deflection off Nikolaou and runs safely behind. That could be the last attacking action of the match.

L. Bonucci

D. Vlahović

90' + 3' Juve's final change sees Bonucci given the briefest of run-outs; Vlahovic strolls off.

90' + 1' A glancing header by Caldara from the edge of the area loops harmlessly over the crossbar, and Perin simply observes its gentle arc over his head.

89' Spezia still have plenty of the ball, but Juventus are fairly happy to let them have it. Their lead is almost impregnable now, so 10 pink shirts are gathered inside the visitors' defensive third.

87' Caldara can't get any power on his header from near the penalty spot, amid a packed area, and Perin comfortably catches the ball inside his six-yard box. Spezia are starting to run out of steam now; this is surely a lost cause.

85' On the break, Vlahovic gets a yard clear of his marker and slams an angled shot from the left side of the box not far over the crossbar.

84' Keeping his side two goals in front almost single-handedly, Perin has now made six saves today - the most he's recorded in a Serie A match since facing Sassuolo on 15th August (seven).

82' SAVE! A Maldini corner from the right is met by Nikolaou's head in the six-yard box, but with the ball apparently destined for the bottom-left corner, Perin again pulls off a sharp diving save!

S. Iling-Junior

F. Kostić

81' Allegri soaks up a few more seconds and introduces some energy to his tiring team, as Iling-Junior replaces Kostic for the closing stages.

D. Maldini

D. Verde

79' Verde has been lively again today, but he now makes way for fresh legs up front: Milan loanee Maldini comes on.

M. Caldara

A. Ekdal

79' Spezia make their final changes, as Ekdal first comes off for Caldara.

77' A clumsy, tired touch by Rabiot stops Juve's counter-attack in its tracks, after the Bianconeri's creative supremo Di Maria sets the Frenchman on his way.

74' Offered the chance to shoot from the left side of the box, Kostic drives a rising left-footed effort wide of the near post, with Marchetti left scrambling across his goal before watching it clear the crossbar.

73' After Perin stays down, the game is brought to a temporary halt for him to receive medical attention. Soon, though, he is passed fit to continue and the action resumes.

72' SUPER STOP! Perin to the rescue! Spezia slice Juve open down the right, as Amian hits the byline and drives the ball across for Gyasi. The latter turns it towards the bottom-right corner at quite a pace, but Juve's stand-in goalkeeper makes an excellent reaction save!

70' Kostic chops inside from the left and finds Fagioli 20 yards out, but the youngster's shot lacks power and merely travels straight at Marchetti in the centre of Spezia's goal.

68' Following his strike today, Di Maria has been directly involved in five goals in his last six Serie A appearances (three goals, two assists).

Danilo

Assist

66' It was Danilo who played the final ball to Di Maria, before the recent World Cup-winner struck clinically into the bottom-right corner from 20 yards.

Á. Di María

Goal

66' JUVE LEAD 2-0! A touch of class from Di Maria snatches an unmerited second for the visitors, as he takes in Danilo's pass and sizes up the bottom corner before slotting the ball past Marchetti. Such a cool finish, and Spezia's efforts are apparently all for nothing!

65' Spezia have had 68 per cent of the possession during this second half, while attempting eight shots at goal. They are throwing everything they've got at Juventus now.

63' Juventus release a little pressure at last, as De Sciglio buys a corner on the right. Di Maria's delivery is then flicked well over by the head of Alex Sandro, who sprints to meet it at the near post.

61' Reca hangs a cross up for Nzola at the back post, but it instead drops to Verde, who hammers a shot straight at his own team-mate from the right side of the area.

M'Bala Nzola

K. Agudelo

59' Even though they are already on top, Spezia still seek an equaliser. Who better to turn to than top scorer Nzola, who comes on for Agudelo with more than 30 minutes left to play?

58' Reca continues to cause havoc down the left for Spezia, and a low cross skidded along the turf has Juve in trouble before they ultimately clear their lines. Soon after, Ekdal takes a pop from 25 yards and Rabiot deflects it behind for another corner.

Á. Di María

M. Kean

56' His crucial goal aside, Kean has been fairly ineffective today, so Di Maria is introduced by Allegri for the final half-hour.

A. Reca

Yellow Card

55' For clipping Kean's heels with a late challenge, Reca joins the growing list of booked players.

53' Shomurodov sees a well-struck attempt blocked at close quarters, then Verde tees himself up with some tight control on the edge of the area before scuffing a volley straight at Perin. The Aquilotti are in the ascendancy here!

N. Fagioli

Yellow Card

51' Two members of Juve's midfield are on bookings now, as half-time substitute Fagioli is shown yellow for a clear shirt-pull on Reca.

50' Spezia earn successive corners from the left, both taken by Bourabia, and the latter is played back to Verde's cultured left foot. The latter flips over a cross towards the penalty spot for Gyasi to meet, but Spezia's skipper can't test Perin with a tame header.

48' MISS! Kean gets a free header all wrong, as Alex Sandro's curling cross meets his run into the area perfectly but he directs the ball well wide from close range! What a waste by the Juve goalscorer!

N. Fagioli

L. Paredes

46' Fagioli also comes on, with Paredes making way from the Juventus midfield.

M. De Sciglio

J. Cuadrado

46' Allegri is clearly not happy with Juve's first-half display, as he makes two changes after the break. First, Cuadrado is withdrawn for De Sciglio on the right flank.

46' Spezia kick off, and we are back under way at the Picco!

Not only are Juventus unbeaten in their last 27 Serie A matches when leading at the interval, they have a record of W7, D2, L0 when ahead at half-time this season. Furthermore, the last time the Bianconeri kept as many clean sheets at this stage of a campaign came back in 1977-78. Can Spezia really overcome such precedent in the second half?

An evenly contested first half ends with the visitors in front, but the scoreline could quite easily have been different as Juventus rarely reached top gear in the final third and Spezia posed a frequent threat. The home side have seen Verde and Gyasi grow into the game, and perhaps they will think their bright approach play merited an equaliser before the break. Kean's finish was somewhat scrappy for Juve's opener, but neither he nor Allegri will care too much about that.

45' + 3' HALF-TIME: SPEZIA 0-1 JUVENTUS

45' + 1' Agudelo slips in the box, but the ball still breaks for Reca 15 yards out from goal. The wing-back takes a clumsy first touch, though, and Rugani can make a last-ditch interception.

44' Again, Gyasi is involved, as Verde's wicked dipping cross from the right just zips past the Spezia skipper's outstretched boot at the back post. It's only a Juventus goal-kick.

42' Spezia's search for an equaliser goes on, as Gyasi flashes a low ball across the six-yard box, which not only evades the Juventus defence but also his own team-mates.

40' SAVE! Perin gratefully clasps the ball to his chest, after Verde stands a ball up to the back post and Shomurodov nods it down into the six-yard box; Gyasi can't make proper contact on the ball and Juve's keeper makes the save.

38' The home fans are appalled when Bourabia is not awarded a free-kick following some close attention from two Juve defenders near the right byline, but all that results is a goal-kick to the visitors.

36' While Juventus have an impressive record of W13, D2, L0 when scoring the opening goal in Serie A this season, Spezia have failed to win their last three matches when conceding first.

33' MISS! A hanging cross from Reca towards the centre of the area is met by Shomurodov's head, but the loan striker is unable to control his effort at goal and it zips a foot or so over the crossbar!

F. Kostić

Assist

32' Kostic catches the Spezia defence flat-footed, as he escapes down the left touchline before delivering a dangerous cross into the box for Kean to convert.

M. Kean

Goal

32' JUVENTUS LEAD! Meeting an outswinging cross from the left by Kostic, an alert Kean capitalises on Ampadu's unbalanced defending to sweep the ball low past Marchetti, whose first significant act since coming off the bench is to pick the ball out of the net! Out of nothing, really, Juve lead 1-0!

30' Juve are patiently keeping the ball in their own half and building from the back, hoping to draw Spezia out again and launch a quick counter.

28' Gyasi intervenes at the right time, after Rabiot and Kostic combine on the left. Then at the other end, Shomurodov is denied by a well-timed Rugani tackle. The game is opening up now.

26' JUST WIDE! Missing the right-hand post by a mere matter of inches, Juve captain Danilo rises highest to reach a Paredes corner, but his downward header just lacks the required accuracy! So close to an opener!

F. Marchetti

B. Drągowski

25' Despite his attempts to continue, Dragowski can't carry on with an apparent hip injury; the experienced Marchetti will be his replacement.

23' Still, Dragowski uncomfortably shifts around while wincing, but he is able to dive left when Locatelli drives a shot in from the edge of the box. It strikes Nikolaou on the head, though, and is deflected behind for a Juventus corner.

20' Dragowski can continue for now, having got rather stiffly back to his feet, and the game resumes. Nonetheless, Marchetti has begun warming up in case he is required later.

19' Following his attempt to stop Vlahovic's shot, it appears that Dragowski has sustained an injury, and the action is stopped while the Spezia stopper receives treatment.

17' Vlahovic is frustrated to learn he is offside, after he slips clear of Amian to find space on the right before coolly rolling the ball into the net past a displaced Dragowski.

K. Agudelo

Yellow Card

16' When Rabiot tries to break clear on the counter, Agudelo opts to crudely block his path, and that's a yellow card for the Colombian midfielder.

15' After Rugani pulls down Shomurodov around five yards outside the area, Spezia have the chance to load the ball into the six-yard box from the subsequent free-kick. However, it is cleared by the Juve defence and a counter-attack begins.

13' Kostic urges calm as Juventus finally release the building pressure applied by their hosts, who are looking sprightly in their first outing since Gotti's departure.

11' Reca's dangerous low ball from the left side of the box is scrambled away by Rugani, as Spezia push on in search of an opening goal. They've stepped things up over the past few minutes; Juve are on the back foot.

9' With an ambitious attempt from the right corner of the box, Agudelo sees his shot blocked, then Verde fires a low strike straight at Perin from just inside the area.

7' An inswinging corner to the back post from Paredes puts Ekdal under pressure, but the veteran midfielder is just able to glance the ball away to relative safety.

5' Juventus look to mount a counter attack from deep, but Kean takes a heavy touch inside the centre-circle and the ball slips away. Neither side has managed to build any rhythm as yet.

3' Juventus, clad in bright pink and blue, have had most of the ball so far, without causing much threat to the Spezia defence.

M. Locatelli

Yellow Card

1' The referee lays down the law straight away, and despite Locatelli's pleas for leniency the Juve midfielder is booked for a foul on Bourabia in midfield.

1' Juventus kick off, and we are under way in La Spezia!

The players are out on the pitch at a picturesque Stadio Picco, and kick-off is now just moments away!

Between two Thursday fixtures in Europe, Max Allegri decides to rotate his Juventus squad, and an unexpected front pairing of Vlahovic and Kean lead the visitors' attack. Federico Chiesa joins Arkadiusz Milik, Fabio Miretti and Paul Pogba in missing out through injury, while Bremer is suspended. Rugani replaces the latter in defence, with Perin coming in for first-choice goalkeeper Szczesny; Di Maria also drops to the bench.

Caretaker coach Lorieri opts for continuity up front, as Spezia once more start Verde and Shomurodov together, despite top scorer Nzola being available. Without suspended midfielder Salvatore Esposito, the hosts have Ampadu and Caldara back from bans, though the latter is consigned to the bench. Meanwhile, Simone Bastoni, Szymon Zurkowski and Jacopo Sala are among those still sidelined by injury.

SUBS: Wojciech Szczesny, Carlo Pinsoglio, Nicolo Fagioli, Leonardo Bonucci, Angel Di Maria, Samuel Iling, Enzo Barrenechea, Matias Soule, Federico Gatti, Mattia De Sciglio.

JUVENTUS (3-5-2): Mattia Perin; Danilo, Daniele Rugani, Alex Sandro; Juan Cuadrado, Leandro Paredes, Manuel Locatelli, Adrien Rabiot, Filip Kostic; Moise Kean, Dusan Vlahovic.

SUBS: Federico Marchetti, Petar Zovko, Viktor Kovalenko, M'Bala Nzola, Salva Ferrer, Julius Beck, Raimonds Krollis, Simone Giorgeschi, Przemyslaw Wisniewski, Tio Cipot, Mattia Caldara, Daniel Maldini.

SPEZIA (3-5-2): Bartlomiej Dragowski; Kelvin Amian, Ethan Ampadu, Dimitris Nikolaou; Emmanuel Gyasi, Mehdi Bourabia, Albin Ekdal, Kevin Agudelo, Arkadiusz Reca; Daniele Verde, Eldor Shomurodov.

After a three-match winning run lifted some of the gloom hanging over the club, with their most recent victory coming against Fiorentina last week, Juventus were held to a disappointing home draw by Nantes on Thursday. The teams' Europa League play-off tie ended all-square after the first leg, despite Juve dominating the first half and having a late penalty award overturned. Deducted 15 points last month due to financial irregularities, the Bianconeri dropped into the bottom half of the Serie A standings, but they would climb to seventh with a win today.

Without a manager following last week's trip to Empoli, where they were ultimately held to a 2-2 draw, 17th-placed Spezia sacked coach Luca Gotti in midweek. Though Daniele Verde bagged a brace in Tuscany, that was not enough to claim victory or save Gotti's job, and the Aquilotti would now slip into the relegation zone if they were to lose their fourth match in five and Verona defeat Roma later. The Ligurian club are just two points clear of Serie A's bottom three now, as Fabrizio Lorieri steps in as caretaker for today's game.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of today's Serie A clash between Spezia and Juventus at Stadio Alberto Picco!

Spezia v Juventus Live Commentary, 20/2/23

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