Khephren Thuram celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal (Photo by sportinfoto/DeFodi Images … [+]
Juventus hosted old foes Fiorentina in Turin and went ahead twice as they sought to end 2024 on a high, but they failed to protect their lead both times and were held to yet another draw.
The game was vital to their opponents too, Fiorentina having been one of the most in-form teams in Italy until recently, racking up eight consecutive Serie A only to lose each of their last two outings.
Those defeats against Bologna and Udinese heaped even more importance on a fixture that is always laced with plenty of venom, and there were certainly plenty of participants with experience of both sides of this storied rivalry.
Viola boss Raffaele Palladino came through the Juventus youth sector to make over 50 appearances for the first team, as did striker Moise Kean who came into this clash having already scored 10 league goals.
Meanwhile, June’s team selection continues to be limited by their lengthy injury list as Gleison Bremer, Juan Cabal, Arkadiusz Milik, Jonas Rouhi and Tim Weah all remain unavailable.
How Juventus midfield pair impressed v Fiorentina
As discussed in this previous column, those long-term absentees will see Juve seeking reinforcements in the January transfer window. Compounding those problems are niggles affecting Andrea Cambiaso and Douglas Luiz, meaning Weston McKennie continued at left-back.
Those factors combined to leave Thiago Motta with a midfield pairing of Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram, the pair complementing each other perfectly throughout this game.
Former Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic almost scored with a neat header, but it would be the two Bianconeri midfielders who would combine to break the deadlock.
Collecting a pass from Locatelli, Thuram drove into the box before drilling a low shot beyond David De Gea and into the bottom corner of the net. Shortly afterwards, Italy international Locatelli blocked an effort from Albert Gudmundsson but was powerless to prevent Kean equalising with a glancing header just before half time.
Thuram — who hadn’t scored for Juve before this outing — found the back of the net again immediately after the break, slotting home after a fortunate deflection off Danilo Cataldi.
Manuel Locatelli shines again for Juventus
While Thuram’s brace thrust him firmly in the limelight, it is worth noting just how impressive his midfield partner was over the 90+ minutes of action. Locatelli created three more clear scoring chances in addition to his assist on the opening strike, completing a game-high 79 passes.
According to WhoScored.com, the 26-year-old also weighed in with three tackles, an interception and two clearances as he repeatedly contributed to the Juve cause both in and out of possession.
Yet it would not be enough as a blocked effort from Kean in the 88th minute bounced right to Riccardo Sottil who slammed in the equaliser to condemn Juve to their 11th draw in 18 Serie A matches.
With seven wins, Juve remain the only undefeated side in Italy’s top division but, as they sit nine points and five places behind leaders Atalanta, that was of little consolation to Coach Thiago Motta.
“We had to manage the game differently,” the Juve boss told Sky Italia shortly after the final whistle. “We managed the defensive phase well in other games, including against Manchester City.
“We must be more clinical and improve. That’s where you make a difference.”
It is impossible to argue with that assessment, and Juventus will hope to improve rapidly as they head to Saudi Arabia in the New Year to participate in the Italian SuperCoppa.
