Juan Cabal's very first touch of the ball resulted in the winner as Juventus leapfrogged over hosts Bologna and into fifth place, courtesy of a 1-0 win on Sunday night.
The triumph stretched Juve's unbeaten league record to Bologna to a staggering 29 matches, with the Rossoblu having last registered a win over the Turin titans in 1998.
With Stadio Renato Dall'Ara having become a cauldron in recent times, with Bologna having only suffering two home Serie A defeats last term and this season having only been stunned 3-1 by Cremonese before Sunday's clash, it was always going to be a tough trip for Juventus.
Yet the talk before the clash needed to be cleared up by Juve's defensive icon Giorgio Chiellini, now a director of football strategy with the Bianconeri. He explained to DAZN Italia prior to kick-off that Khephren Thuram was going nowhere, and that any potential sale of the club was simply not happening.
With media reports in Italy that France central midfielder Thuram would be swapped with Inter Milan's Davide Frattesi during the winter transfer window, Chiellini ended the speculation.
Chiellini gets defensive again
He said: "What I can say without doubt is that Thuram will remain a Juventus player. He has done really well in the year and a half he’s been with us and we have no intention of letting him go."
Crypto giant Tether, Juventus minority shareholders, made an audacious bid to purchase the remaining shares from the Agnelli family holding company Exor. This takeover plan was rejected.
Chiellini added: "When we think of the Agnelli family, we think of Juventus and vice versa. They are one and the same. That’s how it has always been and that’s how it will be in future."
Juve actually played well in both halves for a change, with manager Luciano Spalletti opting not to disrupt his starting XI with a major rotation, like he had recently employed.
The visitors were tested early on, with shotstopper Michele Di Gregorio saving Tommaso Pobega’s acrobatic flick from a free-kick and denying Riccardo Orsolini's follow-up.
At the other end of the pitch, livewire Weston McKennie was unable to head home Andrea Cambiaso's pinpoint cross.
With Juve hitting a purple patch, David went down too quickly for nothing more than a nudge from Jhon Lucumi in the box yet laughably wanted a penalty awarded.
David found the back of the net on 36 minutes, involved in a bizarre one-two with McKennie that bounced off keeper Federico Ravaglia and gifted the Canadian striker an empty goal to roll the ball home. Yet this strike was ruled out as McKennie was offside.
Bologna fluffed their chance to break the deadlock on the verge of half-time, Nadir Zortea's drive from a tight angle tipped onto the underside of the crossbar by Di Gregorio.
Tactical genius at Juventus
With Bologna beginning to dominate after the turnaround, Spalletti wisely went for a double switch just after the hour-mark. The former Italy head coach sent on defender Cabal for Cambiaso and swapped Lois Openda for David.
These changes altered the game, with both substitutes making a massive impact in just eight minutes.
Kenan Yildiz's shot was deflected over the target by Torbjorn Heggem for a corner. This was taken swiftly and short, Yildiz's in-swinging cross picked out unmarked Cabal.
His first touch of the ball ended up in the back of the net from six yards, heading the ball down to bamboozle stunned Ravaglia for a 64th-minute opener.
Juventus had the bit between their teeth, with the pace of unorthodox forward Openda latching onto a hoofed ball from Di Gregorio.
The Belgium international was clean through with only the keeper to beat, but was clumsily halted by overzealous Heggem. The defender's challenge was his last piece of action, shown a straight red card for his troubles by referee Davide Massa.
Bremer's Bianconeri comeback trail
Defender Gleison Bremer's latest comeback was a gentle 14-minute cameo role, sporting a Juve jersey for a competitive match for the first time since his meniscus injury in late September.
Francisco Conceicao's evening was less spectacular than his recent displays. He grimaced and pulled faces trying to convince the referee to blowing for a spot-kick after blatantly running into the arm of center-back Lucumi. Shortly afterwards, the Portuguese winger was subbed.
Openda sprang to life in the closing stages. His first effort was stopped by Ravaglia's fine one-handed save, and he followed it up with a rash and wild shot that flew over the gaping goalmouth.
Juve's success saw them overtake Bologna to slip into fifth place ahead of tomorrow night's contest between Como and AS Roma. Victory for Cesc Fabregas' Como would see them leapfrog Bianconeri.
Spalletti praises Juve's battlers
Spalletti enthused to DAZN Italia after the final whistle: “Having won here means even more for my players, and they must be congratulated this evening.
"Juventus were in the heart of the game for 90 minutes tonight, battled for every ball, went beyond these individual duels that Bologna force you into."
He explained about the match winner: “Cabal must learn to keep some of his emotions in check. He is like a pedigree horse with his strength and ability to sprint repeatedly, he has talent with back-heel flicks, but talent is also repeating the 100 meter runs 20 times.
"He doesn’t mind being in one-on-one situations, is good in the air, but in the games he played so far he wasn’t precise enough for his talent, so I had to be hard on him.”
JUVENTUS: Di Gregorio - Koopmeiners (Bremer, 76), Kelly, Kalulu - Cambiaso (Cabal, 61), Thuram, Locatelli, McKennie - Conceicao (Miretti, 88), Yildiz - David (Openda, 61). Subs: Perin, Zhegrova, Adzic, Kostic, Rugani, Mario, Rouhi, Scaglia