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Juventus 2 - Genoa 0: Initial reaction and random observations Juventus knew they wouldn’t be able to jump back into fourth place no matter what happened during Monday’s lunchtime kickoff between Como and Udinese. But with what played out in Udine, Juventus’ opportunity to cut the gap between themselves and fourth-place Como was there for the taking. And they did just that. There were two very different kind of halves from Juventus on Monday evening, but thanks to about as dominant of an opening 45 minutes as anybody could have asked for with Gleison Bremer and Weston McKennie scoring goals within the first 20 minutes, the Bianconeri were able to ride that two-goal lead to a 2-0 victory over Genoa at the Allianz Stadium. With that win and Como’s scoreless draw against Udinese a few hours earler, the gap between fourth place and fifth place is now down to a single point. And with Como the next team up to face Inter Milan on the Serie A schedule, there is a legit chance that Juventus could be in fourth by the time next weekend is over (or even as they’re heading back to Turin after the trip to Bergamo). ............ Shoot, I don’t think anybody foresaw one of the second-half heroes that prevented Genoa from actually getting on the scoreboard being a much-maligned former starting goalkeeper who wasn’t in the starting lineup and hadn’t played since Juventus’ brutal loss to Como on Feb. 21 on this same field in Turin. On that day, Michele Di Gregorio was adding to his list of costly errors. This time around, about six weeks later, he was making about as Gigi Buffon-like double save as you’ll see from a Juve keeper — let alone one who came on in a pinch because Mattia Perin picked up a calf injury late in the first half. If Di Gregorio doesn’t make either of those two saves, then it’s about as nervy as a final 15 minutes as we’ll see. Heck, even with those saves it was still a nervy final 15 minutes from Juventus thanks to a second half that left a whole lot to be desired. It was the culmination of a second half in which Juve took their foot off the gas a little bit, were probably taxed from the high-tempo first-half performance they delivered on and the fact that Tommaso Baldanzi gave Genoa exactly the kind of spark that Daniele De Rossi was looking for. Juventus could have been made to rue some of their missed chances — and especially so with somebody like McKennie who could very well have scored a hat trick with his two notable close-range shots that he didn’t convert. They could have put Genoa away for good with plenty of time to spare and made the final 30 minutes (or more) a total cruise to the finish line like you’re just driving with the top down on a beautiful Sunday with absolutely nothing else to do. But, this is Juventus in 2026, and nothing comes easy or really follows the logic we’ve always known with this sport. That is why, up 2-0, their best defender is going on a tackle right on the edge of the box that ends up being a penalty after a lengthy VAR review. That is why, after not playing for six weeks because his manager replaced him as the start in goal, Di Gregorio suddenly is thrust into the spotlight and becomes a hero with a massive double save that keeps the clean sheet intact. This was a classic game that should have been a 3-0, 4-0 or even more kind of victory for Juventus. Instead, the actuality was a nervy second half where you probably thought “2-0 is the most dangerous lead in football” once or twice, if not more. Juventus, as is well-established, did a whole lot right in the first half only to, in a way, be their own worst enemy after the break that kept Genoa hanging away in some shape or form. In the end, though, they got the three points. ............ We said it around the same point in the schedule last season when this exact same situation regarding Champions League qualification was playing out — we don’t care how they win, as long as they win. Considering the vast differences in both halves — and Spalletti essentially said after the game that it wouldn’t have been possible for Juve to keep things up after what they did in the opening 45 minutes — it would have made total sense for this team to cough the lead up and leave us wondering if the chances for Champions League next season were basically gone. But, they won — and that is the thing they need to do as much as possible over these final eight weeks of the 2025-26 season. ............ RANDOM THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS A 2-0 lead? Within 20 minutes? In this economy? Seriously, though, a 2-0 lead within 20 minutes is something that is more than welcomed around these parts and that is the way you would like to see Juventus start just about every one of their remaining games this season. The second half, though? Not so much! The passing sequence that led to McKennie’s goal to make it 2-0 was just beautiful. Andrea Cambiaso and Kenan Yildiz did well to combine in a tight space and get out of pressure. Cambiaso was incredibly smart with his switch of the field to fully kick things into gear. McKennie’s run to find himself wide open in the box was great. Same goes for Francisco Conceição’s cutback to spot McKennie. And the finish to cap it all off. Just a great team goal all the way around. The finishing on McKennie’s other two chances in the box? Not as nice. ............ McKennie being suspended due to yellow card accumulation for the weekend trip to Bergamo is less than ideal. No ot a fan of it — nope, not one bit. David was surely a surprise to many when it comes to him being a starting lineup choice. But he played a solid game after a productive international break with Canada. That shot he had that hammered off the post was impressive if only because the guy had absolutely no momentum behind him and looked to be basically flat-footed as he got the ball off. ............ Shot count in the first half: Juventus 10, Genoa 2. Shot count in the second half: Genoa 10, Juventus 6. If Arek Milik scored his first goal in basically two years in that kind of way … oh my goodness. Might have written 1,300 words just on that alone, folks. Is it time to heap some praise on Di Gregorio? Yeah, I think it is. Let’s do it … For him to come off the bench and basically just have the halftime interval to try and lock in mentally only to go on and make that double save, it’s pretty remarkable. And that is even before you think about how tough these past six weeks must have been after he lost his starting job to Perin, a move that Spalletti first said was more of a mental health break before it became a more more permanent thing. Maybe he got a little bit of a sarcastic cheer on his first save of the day when the shot was right at him. But on that double save? Just brilliant. That is the kind of stuff that made me really have high hopes for him when he first signed with Juventus. Plus, the dude has gotten his fair share of online abuse from folks following his mistakes. Redemption, at least for one game, looked really good on him — and you could tell he was feeling it, too. Finally, Di Gregorio just seems like a genuinely good dude regardless of his Inter past. It’s always good to see good things happen to good people. ............ I also like the part of Kalulu’s game in which he channels his inner Danilo and makes a huge 1-on-1 tackle only to look completely nonchalant about it right after it happens. Four Juventus players got yellow cards in this game. It felt like so many more than that. Yildiz had almost as many key passes by himself as Genoa had as a team. And yet this felt like a somewhat quiet outing for Kenan on the whole. Boy is good. ............ Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/previews-reviews/37583/juventus-genoa-2026-serie-a-matchday-31-final-score-result-initial-reaction-random-observations

Spalletti criticises Juventus second-half performance despite 2-0 Genoa win: ‘Impossible’ Luciano Spalletti criticised Juventus’s second-half performance despite picking up a 2-0 victory over Genoa in Serie A on Monday evening, and says that after six or seven months at the helm in Turin, ‘I’m still not sure what I’m dealing with’. ............ Despite moving back within a point of Como and the Serie A top four on Easter Monday, Spalletti was still frustrated by some of the things he saw from his players against Genoa, especially in the second half. ............ “It wasn’t tiredness, we didn’t train yesterday or the day before,” Spalletti told Sky after full-time. “I left them alone because they needed to recover. They had two days off, a training session and a half and then they took a break, so that’s not the case.” ............ “Sometimes we have to accept that we aren’t the best versions of ourselves. After six or seven months here, I’m still not sure what I’m dealing with. It’s not possible to have a first half like that and then a second half like this. And if they go ahead and score the penalty, it becomes a very difficult evening.” ............ There are also concerns for Dusan Vlahovic, who was meant to come on but felt something go in his calf while warming up, and for goalkeeper Perin, who was forced off at half-time, also with a calf issue. “There is concern because they both got hurt, they both felt a muscle go,” Spaleltti confirmed. “We need them to have tests to understand how long it will take to get them back on the pitch.” . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/spalletti-criticise-juventus-second-half-genoa/

Juventus player ratings vs Genoa: Di Gregorio back with a bang Juventus made the most out of Roma and Como’s slip-ups, as they beat Genoa by two unanswered goals to place themselves just one point behind the Champions League zone. Gleison Bremer and Weston McKennie gave the Old Lady a two-goal lead after 17 minutes, but they couldn’t quite kill off the contest with a third, which kept the visitors’ hopes alive. ............ Juventus XI (3-4-2-1) Mattia Perin – 6 The experienced goalkeeper was almost a bystander against his former club for 45 minutes before making way for Di Gregorio. Pierre Kalulu – 7 ............ Gleison Bremer – 6.5 A story of two halves for the Brazilian, who scored the opener after four minutes and looked outstanding against Lorenzo Colombo in the first period, but found some difficulties after the break, and ended up giving away a spot-kick. Lloyd Kelly – 6.5 ............ Weston McKennie – 7 The versatile American showcased his finishing touch by rounding off a slick counter-attack, but he will be kicking himself for squandering two glorious chances later on. Manuel Locatelli – 7 A dominant display in the middle of the park from the Juventus captain, who never shied away from a sliding tackle. Picked up his teammates with precise passes and long balls. Khephren Thuram – 6.5 ............ Andrea Cambiaso – 6 ............ Francisco Conceicao – 7 The Portuguese speed demon provided the assist for McKennie with a perfectly timed set-up pass. He was able to cause havoc on countless occasions. Kenan Yildiz – 6.5 ............ Jonathan David – 5.5 The Canadian had a forgettable first half, but almost made up for it with a venomous shot out of nowhere that crashed against the far post. Substitutes Michele Di Gregorio – 7.5 If his half-time introduction aimed to restore his self-confidence, then it certainly panned out better than Spalletti had expected. Pulled off a fantastic save on Aaron Martin’s spot-kick before denying the follow-up attempt. Arkadiusz Milik – 6.5 The Pole’s return has been a breeze of fresh air for Juventus. Held up the ball experetly, brought his teammates into the play, and almost scored from the halfway line with an audacious effort. Fabio Miretti – N/A Emil Holm – N/A Jeremie Boga – N/A . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-player-ratings-vs-genoa-di-gregorio-back-with-a-bang/

Juventus stars praise Di Gregorio heroics in 2-0 Genoa win: ‘Knew his time would come’ Juventus teammates were full of praise for goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, who came on at half-time and made a second-half penalty save to help the Old Lady towards a 2-0 victory over Genoa in Serie A on Sunday afternoon. Juventus were forced into a rare in-game change of goalkeepers at half-time of their 2-0 victory over Genoa on Easter Monday after an injury to Mattia Perin, which gave a first run-out in five games for the out-of-favour Di Gregorio. ............ Juventus moved back within one point of the Serie A top four thanks to goals from Gleison Bremer and Weston McKennie in an eventual 2-0 win over Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa at the Allianz Stadium. ............ Di Gregorio had been dropped for Perin for the last four Serie A matches, but was brought on at half-time after the latter felt a problem with his calf. Di Gregorio then went on to make a huge double save from the penalty spot to keep Juve’s two-goal lead in tact. ............ “He’s gone through good and bad times with us, but we know his qualities,” said goalscorer Bremer after full-time. “We knew his time would come, and it has come.” Andrea Cambiaso added: “Michele is an extraordinary guy. He’s always switched on in training and I’m very happy for him because today he won us a very important game. “He was great because of the attitude he had, he’s always been alert and today he showed it.” . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/juventus-stars-praise-di-gregorio-after-genoa/

Juventus 2-0 Genoa: Bremer & McKennie give Old Lady a UCL boost At the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Juventus earned a vital win over Genoa to boost their Champions League hopes. Luciano Spalletti decided to restore Jonathan David to his starting lineup. The Canadian spearheaded the 4-2-3-1 formation, supported by Francisco Conceicao, Weston McKennie, and Kenan Yildiz. ............ The Bianconeri didn’t waste any time before laying their siege towers, and it took them less than four minutes to seize the lead. Genoa tried to clear the corner kick, but Thuram kept the ball alive by redirecting the header towards the box. This was followed by a second header from Kelly, and then a third from Bremer. While the Brazilian couldn’t put much power behind it, the deflection wrong-footed Justin Bijlow. In the 17th minute, Juventus doubled their advantage through a smooth counter-attack. Cambiaso picked up McKennie in midfield, and the latter found Conceicao on the right wing. The Portuguese stormed to the box before completing the give-and-go with the American, who beat the goalkeeper with a clinical low drive from the middle of the box. The home side continued to dominate the action for the rest of the first half, and McKennie almost completed a personal brace, but couldn’t connect well with Yildiz’s headed cut-back, wasting a golden chance from a couple of yards. Juventus kept pressing for a third after the break, but McKennie squandered another chance, while David’s formidable effort crashed against the post. Genoa improved as the match progressed, and were awarded a spot-kick for a Bremer challenge on Aaron Martin. The Spaniard converted it himself, but Michele Di Gregorio, who had replaced Perin at the interval, produced a terrific save and doubled down with another stop on the follow-up. ............ The two sides traded blows in the final stages of the contest, with Arek Milik coming close with an audacious attempt from the middle of the pitch, but the result remained 2-0. ............ Juventus 2-0 Genoa Goals: 5′ Bremer, 17′ (J), McKennie (J) Yellow cards: Locatelli 13′ (J), McKennie 26′ (J), Frendrup 50′ (G), Bremer 71′ (J), Thuram 78′ (J). . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-2-0-genoa-bremer-mckennie-give-old-lady-a-ucl-boost/

Serie A | Juventus 2-0 Genoa: Di Gregorio makes heroic return Juventus closed to within a point of Como in fourth place with a 2-0 victory over Genoa, as Gleison Bremer and Weston McKennie scored, substitute Michele Di Gregorio saving a penalty. The Bianconeri were feeling the pressure after a 1-1 draw with Sassuolo left them in joint fifth place, although Como’s draw in Udine gave them the opportunity to close the gap on fourth. ............ It took just four minutes to break the deadlock, as after the first Gleison Bremer header was charged down, Khephren Thuram and Lloyd Kelly knocked it back into the box for another Bremer header, this one wrong-footing Justin Bijlow with a deflection off Johan Vasquez. Thuram flashed just wide and Ruslan Malinovskyi’s powerful free kick was deflected for a corner, but Juventus added a second with a well-worked move. Weston McKennie started it in the centre-circle sending Francisco Conceicao down the right, continued his run and was ready to sweep home the return pass from 12 yards off the inside of the right boot. However, McKennie was booked soon after for a clumsy sliding tackle on Vasquez and will be suspended for the big match with Atalanta. Kenan Yildiz had a couple of weak efforts straight at Bijlow, but McKennie wasted an astonishing chance on the stroke of half-time. ............ Michele Di Gregorio came on for the second half, as Mattia Perin sustained a slight calf issue. Juve continued to pour forward, as first McKennie was sliding in unable to fully meet the Thuram knockdown in a free kick routine, then moments later Jonathan David’s screamer from the edge of the area thumped the inside of the far post. ............ Vlahovic was getting ready to come on when he felt a calf twinge in the warm-up, so Milik was introduced instead. Bremer brought down Aaron Martin for a yellow card, but VAR confirmed the contact was on the line, which is part of the penalty area. Martin stepped up, but Di Gregorio marked his unexpected return with a huge double save, first on the Martin spot-kick, then the follow-up volley too. It means Genoa have failed to convert four of their eight Serie A penalties this season, with four different players missing. Baldanzi made a big difference since coming on for Genoa and was brought down by Thuram this time inches outside the box. Arkadiusz Milik spotted Bijlow off his line and attempted an audacious lob from the centre-circle, which the Genoa goalkeeper scrambled back to claw away. Juventus 2-0 Genoa Bremer 4 (J), McKennie 17 (J) Saved penalty: Martin 75 (G) . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/serie-a-juventus-2-0-genoa-di-gregorio-heroic/

I milanisti hanno cominciato a conoscerlo anche loro.

Rigore parato. A Pio Pio si riapre la ferita.

Grande DIGRE!

Quello che giocava per i bovini?

Nessun problema. Entra Milik.