Two second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and a late header from Grayson Bremer helped Juventus to a 3-0 win away to Lecce on Sunday, moving them to the top of Serie A.
Juventus are currently in the lead with 52 points and are in second place with a difference of one. Inter Milan did not play any league matches this weekend as they will be participating in the Italian Super Cup.
Lecce are currently in 14th place with 21 points. Juve have remained unbeaten in 16 league games.
Juventus coach– Massimiliano Allegri says his team is starting to believe they can win the Scudetto for the first time since 2020.
“Nothing is impossible in football. We must have the belief that we can do something extraordinary and make the seemingly impossible possible,” he said.
“We have to give our all, and when the other team does better, we shake hands and praise their efforts.”
Juve aimed for an early breakthrough however, Weston McKennie’s header was saved on the goal line by Lecce defender Nikola Krstovic.
Juve broke the deadlock after 59 minutes when Vlahovic slotted the ball into the far corner. Nine minutes later, Vlahovic doubled Juve’s lead when he parried McKennie’s header, which had already found the back of the net.
“I’m very happy, especially because I was able to help the team. Without the team, I wouldn’t have been able to score these goals. I hope I can continue like this,” Vlahovic said.
Bremer sealed the victory with a set-piece with five minutes remaining, leaping over the Lecce defence and heading the ball into the net.
Nicola Sansone almost scored a goal for Lecce in finishing time, but Juve keeper Wojciech Szczesny made a one-handed save.
Inter will not play a Serie A game until next weekend, when they travel to Fiorentina next Monday (AEDT), and if Juventus win against Empoli the day before, they could extend their lead by then.
The top two teams will face off in a big encounter on February 5 (AEDT), which will undoubtedly be regarded as a potential title decider.