Juventus finally got the win they desperately needed. A 2-0 victory at Lecce on Sunday ended a difficult stretch that had seen the club collect just one point from their previous two Serie A matches, including a damaging 3-0 home defeat to Lazio. The result steadied the ship for Luciano Spalletti, whose position had drawn scrutiny in the days leading up to the match, and it lifted the club to tenth in the table with 11 points from seven games.

The performance offered genuine encouragement. Douglas Luiz delivered his best display in a Juventus shirt, contributing an assist and scoring his first goal for the club in an impressive first half. The attacking partnership of Nick Woltemade and Randal Kolo Muani, which started together for only the second time, again showed promise, with the German forward proving the more influential of the two. Spalletti had committed to the two-striker system ahead of the game, and the decision paid off.

The injury situation, though, remains a serious concern. Sixteen players have passed through the treatment room since August, and the latest casualties, Zeki Celik and Nico Gonzalez, both picked up muscle injuries during the Europa League draw with Rennes. Celik suffered a low-grade bicep femoris tear, while Gonzalez was diagnosed with a low-grade soleus problem. Spalletti is working with a significantly depleted squad, and how the club manages that depth over the coming weeks will be as important as any single result.