Juve's Champions League chase popped by battling Parma

Igor Tudor's troops lacked any fight spiriting, producing a dismal display to slip up 1-0 at relegation candidates Parma.
Igor Tudor tasted his first defeat as Juventus interim head coach
Igor Tudor tasted his first defeat as Juventus interim head coach | Ciancaphoto Studio/GettyImages

Mateo Pellegrino's first-half stoppage time strike was enough to divide the teams, earning Parma a massive boast of maximum points to lift the Emilia-Romagna side six points clear of the drop. His goal was a big blow for Juve, in their desperate bid to finish in the top four to secure a Champions League berth.

Interim head coach Tudor took his side to the rescheduled clash at the Ennio Tardini Stadium, postponed following the passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, expecting to collect all three Serie A points.

Formation failure

With star attacker Kenan Yildiz not fully fit and dropped to the bench, Kolo Muani made his maiden start for Tudor to sit off the shoulder of center forward Dusan Vlahovic in a 3-4-2-1 formation. The pair failed to add the required firepower, with Vlahovic having two shots blocked before they conceded because of poor defending.

Andrea Cambiaso was beaten by Manuele Valeri, who picked out Pellegrino in the box. The Argentine outjumped lackluster defender Lloyd Kelly to head into the top right corner past Michele Di Gregorio.

Ineffecive Vlahovic was hauled off at half-time and replaced by Francisco Conceicao because of a thigh injury. Without a figurehead upfront, Tudor was forced to throw on Yildiz for Weston McKennie just before the hour-mark.

Yildiz almost produced the first save from Zion Sukuzi, only for his effort from the center of the box to be blocked. Nicolas Gonzalez latched onto the loose ball and set up Muani, but the home 'keeper the long range shot finding the bottom right corner.

Lacking creativity

Juventus continued to look like a team out of ideas, with the usually reliable duo of Cambiaso and skipper Manuel Locatelli wilting under any sign of pressure as Parma dictated the pace of the tussle.

It seems like the last throw of the dice for Juve to try and beat the organised defense when Tudor made a triple substitution on 86 minutes, with Gonzalez, Kelly and Locatelli taken off. It was too little too late.

The home supporters, players and head coach Cristian Chivu cheered loudly as though they had won a cup final at the final whistle, following five added minutes. In contrast there were long faces among the Juve fans and playing squad, Tudor suffering his first defeat as interim manager.

Juventus lie fifth in Serie A, only above Lazio on goal difference and a point behind fourth-placed Bologna. The Bianconeri tackle both teams next month, but will end April aiming to get back to winning ways when they face basement side Monza on Sunday.

Parma: Suzuki; Leoni, Vogliacco (10 Hainaut), Valenti; Delprato, Bernabe (10 Estevez, 46 Hernani), Keita, Sohm, Valeri; Pellegrino (74 Man), Bonny (85 Almqvist) Subs: Corvi, Marcone, Lovik, Balogh, Circati, Trabucchi, Camara, Haj, Hernani, Ondrejka, Djuric

Juventus: Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Veiga, Kelly (86 Costa); McKennie (57 Yildiz), Thuram, Locatelli (86 Douglas Luiz), Cambiaso; Nico Gonzalez (86 Weah), Muani; Vlahovic (45 Conceiçao) Subs: Pinsoglio, Perin, Savona, Rouhi, Adzic