Juventus: The defining matches of the 2020/21 season

In the aftermath of the release of Juventus‘ heart-warming statement regarding the departure of manager Andrea Pirlo, we at Old Juve thought it’d be a great idea to run you through some of the defining matches of Il Maestro’s sole season at the helm.

It was a tumultuous campaign, one laden with thrilling highs and humiliating lows. Here’s the pick of the bunch!

1. Juventus 3-0 Sampdoria (20/09/20)

Juventus’ opening weekend triumph over Sampdoria was pretty inconsequential in the grand scheme of things but it was Pirlo’s competitive coaching debut.

The contest saw Aaron Ramsey thrive between the lines, Danilo’s versatility laid bare and Cristiano Ronaldo kickstart his Capocannoniere journey. Overall, this was perhaps the game that best manifested the ideals Pirlo was attempting to inculcate onto the Bianconeri.

2. Barcelona 0-3 Juventus (08/12/20)

This European triumph should be entrenched in Juve folklore but the events that ensued in the first knockout phase have rendered the Bianconeri’s historic night at the Camp Nou almost trivial.

Cristiano Ronaldo outdueled long-time rival Lionel Messi in this one as Gianluigi Buffon kept the dazzling Argentine out on several occasions with a string of fine stops. The Portuguese great scored either side of a Weston McKennie bicycle kick to secure a 3-0 triumph in Catalonia.

The result saw Juve top the group and set up a Round of 16 clash with Porto…

Uh, oh.