Analysis: Juventus

Juventus set up in a 4-3-3 attacking structure, with full-backs Mattia De Sciglio and Joao Cancelo stepping forward to provide the width. Miralem Pjanic would drop in between the centre-backs when the pair moved forward to form a back three.

The hosts’ front line had various attacking rotations, especially when Inter Milan dropped into a low block. Cristiano Ronaldo started as the central striker with Paulo Dybala moving inside from the right, aiming to pull one of the visitors’ central midfielders out of shape. Mario Mandzukic, attacking from the left, would then provide an aerial presence.

Juve progressed well down their right side, as Dybala’s inside runs created space for Cancelo to step forward from full-back. Switches of play towards Mandzukic helped avoid Inter’s compactness around the ball, as the hosts remained patient in attack and prioritised combinations in the wide areas.

With Inter looking dangerous during moments of transition, Juve adapted their attack. Ronaldo increasingly performed diagonal runs out towards the left, with Dybala now a more fixed central option. In roaming the left inside channel, Ronaldo had the option of using the overlap of De Sciglio to cross in for Mandzukic, who was now attacking from the right. Should Inter block the first cross, the hosts looked for cut-backs, with Ronaldo available and Dybala a deeper option in the central lane.

Juve added more direct passes to their attack in the second half, but their rotations within the front line, while unpredictable, were largely ineffective. Long balls forward from Leonardo Bonucci proved useful for Ronaldo and Mandzukic, who frequently won the first contact before linking with their attacking teammates. With Pjanic more aggressively marked in the second period, Bonucci continued these longer passes forward.

In the end, Juve’s Serie A stroll continued, as Mandzukic headed home from close range after beating Kwadwo Asamoah to a back-post cross from Cancelo – who had by now switched sides with De Sciglio.

With Inter pushing both full-backs forward throughout the first half, spaces in the wide areas were naturally targeted. As Mauro Icardi regularly dropped from a high starting position, Inter always had a link for their first pass forward – and Juve struggled to contain this progress out of midfield. With one of Giorgio Chiellini or Bonucci moving on to Icardi to stop the striker from turning, the hosts initially had less cover to block the next pass forward – usually a through ball in behind for the wingers to run on to.

As the first half progressed, Juve ensured one of Blaise Matuidi or Rodrigo Bentancur remained slightly deeper during their build through midfield. This helped their structure during defensive transitions, as they could now screen and block passes into Icardi. However, this did reduce the supporting numbers forward.

They eventually changed to press high in a 4-4-2 structure, which coincided with their use of longer passes when in possession. By targeting the full-backs, Mandzukic remained fixed to the left side, helping to form a midfield block of four. Dybala then joined Ronaldo on the top line, and pressing Inter’s full-backs became much easier.

First-time passes around the corner from Inter’s full-backs soon ceased, as Juve applied quicker pressure, reducing their opponents’ second-half build-up. Even when the ball was worked into their half, a lack of supporting Inter players allowed the hosts to comfortably deal with what was thrown at them.

After scoring, an understandably deep and compact defensive block ensured the champions held out for another valuable home victory against one of their very few realistic title rivals.