It was, as Maurizio Sarri put it, "a total blackout".
In the space of just 18 minutes at San Siro on Tuesday night, Juventus went from 2-0 up on AC Milan to 4-2 down.
"It has happened to other teams in this period," Sarri told DAZN, alluding to the effects of the three month-long, coronavirus-enforced suspension of football.
"We just have to take the positives from the game, which are that we were in total control for an hour.
"It’s usually not even possible to find the reasons for these inexplicable blackouts."
However, for many observers, the absence of the suspended Matthijs de Ligt represented a pretty plausible explanation for Juve's dramatic capitulation.
Against Milan, the Bianconeri had conceded twice as many goals as they had in their five previous games (two) – all of which their Dutch centre-half had started.
Statistics can undoubtedly be misleading but anyone who has watched the Old Lady closely – particularly since the resumption of Serie A last month – will tell you that De Ligt has become Sarri's most reliable defender.
The coach deserves credit for his role in De Ligt's improvement after what was a tough start to his Juve career.
When De Ligt was desperately trying to prove himself worth the €75 million (£67m/$84m) fee Juve had paid Ajax for his services last summer, it was Sarri who took him aside and said, 'Calm down, we need you further along in the season and in your best shape, so there’s no rush.'"
However, former Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal was among those wondering if Juve had signed the wrong Dutchman, arguing that Frenkie de Jong would have been a better fit for the Bianconeri and De Ligt an ideal signing for Barcelona.
By the turn of the year, Merih Demiral was being preferred to De Ligt as Leonardo Bonucci’s partner in the heart of the Juve defence in the continued absence of captain Giorgio Chiellini.
However, De Ligt was drafted back into the starting line-up when Demiral suffered a serious knee injury against Roma on January 12. Since then, the 20-year-old has only grown in confidence.
Getty/Goal
Of course, it's hardly surprising that one so young needed time to settle. He may have been the captain of the Ajax side that knocked Juve out on the way to the semi-finals of the 2018-19 Champions League but, as De Ligt said himself, when he first arrived in Turin, he felt "like a kid in a candy shop".
He had gone from being the leader of the Ajax dressing room to being surrounded by legends of the game such as Gianluigi Buffon and Cristiano Ronaldo.
"In the beginning, you're a little bit looking around, going, 'Who's that, and who's that? What's he like?' So, it was only really after two months that I felt really like I could be more myself," he told Foot Truck.
Juve's players couldn't have been more welcoming either, with Chiellini playing his captain's role to perfection by speaking to De Ligt in English while the new arrival was trying to get to grips with Italian.
The senior members of the squad never had any doubts over De Ligt's talent either, telling Fabio Paritici that "He's a phenomenon". The sporting director, therefore, was never in any doubt that the youngster would come good.
For all the excellent reports he received from the club, though, it was De Ligt's character that saw him through the toughest period of his young career to date.
He has spoken regularly about the importance of having the right mentality as a professional footballer and he freely admits that he struggled for a long time after his high-profile transfer.
He went from feeling "invincible" at Ajax to vulnerable at Juventus.
Now, though, he has recovered from the niggling thigh and shoulder problems that hindered him earlier this season and, crucially, recently told Sky Sport Italia that "mentally, I'm in a much better place and this is crucial for things to go well."
De Ligt rediscovering the form that made him the most coveted centre-half in Europe certainly couldn't have come at a better time.
When Serie A returned, Juve were just a point clear of second-placed Lazio; even in spite of their San Siro setback, that lead has been stretched to seven.
However, the league is not over yet. Firstly, there are still seven rounds remaining.
Goal
Secondly, and more importantly, Juve face Atalanta on Saturday. The Bianconeri may top the table but their opponents are the best team in Italy right now.
Indeed, Gian Piero Gasperini's incredible over-achievers are on a club-record nine-game winning streak in Serie A.
Atalanta are the only major team alongside Bayern Munich and Real Madrid to have won all of their matches since league football returned.
After the nightmare Bergamo endured during lockdown, the fans are now dreaming of Champions League glory. However, there are now those that believe that even the Scudetto is a realistic target.
Victory in Turin would draw La Dea to within six points of the league leaders, who still have to play in-form Sassuolo and title-chasing Lazio.
An Atalanta Scudetto still seems highly unlikely but they represent a major threat to Juve's hopes of retaining their crown.
They have scored a staggering 85 goals in Serie A alone this season – that's 20 more than Juve – meaning this will be the biggest test yet of De Ligt's development, his apparent transition into the leader of the Bianconeri backline.
He was in the side that triumphed 3-1 in Bergamo last November but on that day, Josip Ilicic and Ruslan Malinovskyi were suspended, Duvan Zapata was out injured and Luis Muriel was only fit enough for the bench.
This will be a different team and, thus, a different challenge for Juve. Atalanta attack from all angles and are capable of breaking down even the strongest of defences.
Juve will have to remain focused for 90 minutes. Any lapse in concentration will be ruthlessly punished.
Another Juve blackout is unlikely, though. After all, De Ligt is back – in every sense.
The star-struck kid has become a leader of men once again.
