Strefezza is lucky to stay on the pitch after his wild leap takes De Ligt down down - but the referee is hesitant to show the winger a second booking with seconds remaining.
90' +3
The fourth official awards an additional six minutes of stoppage time - primarily for the hold-up during the awarding of SPAL's penalty.
90' +1
T. Cionek gets yellow.
Cionek takes Ronaldo down and earns a booking in yet another late, cynical tackle in this match.
90'
Danilo gets yellow.
Danilo charges through Fares and is shown a yellow card in the 90th minute.
89'
F. Di Francesco enters the game and replaces M. Valoti.
Di Francesco is sent on in place of Valoti with just a minute left in the match.
88'
Gabriel Strefezza gets yellow.
Strefezza catches Alex Sandro late, forcing the referee to show him a yellow card.
84'
Cuadrado is taken down just outside the penalty area, giving Juventus a chance to double their lead from the set-piece.
82'
With just under 10 minutes remaining, Juventus look firmly in control of the match as they look to wind down the clock. The conceded penalty was certainly not how Sarri envisioned the second half, but it looks as though it hasn’t caused too much damage ultimately.
80'
G. Tunjov enters the game and replaces S. Missiroli.
SPAL make a change at the same time, with captain Missiroli replaced by Tunjov.
Minute
Description
79'
F. Bernardeschi enters the game and replaces B. Matuidi.
The recently booked Matuidi makes way in Sarri’s final change, with Bernardeschi his replacement.
78'
B. Matuidi gets yellow.
Matuidi lunges into a tackle in midfield and catches Strefezza - earning a yellow card.
75'
Ronaldo stands over a free-kick on the left edge of the penalty area and hits it low, looking to drive it under the wall. It doesn't quite come off for him however, as the drive hits the shins of those in the wall and ricochets out.
73'
A. Rabiot enters the game and replaces A. Ramsey.
Juve's second change is in midfield, as Rabiot takes over for Ramsey.
71'
Petagna’s penalty takes him to 10 goals on the season for SPAL - with the team as a whole scoring 19 in Serie A. The physical centre-forward has been the bright spark in an otherwise miserable season.
69'
Penalty goal scored by A. Petagna for SPAL!
PETAGNA MAKES NO MISTAKE! The long wait couldn’t have helped the striker, but SPAL’S talisman dispatches his left-footed penalty into the bottom corner of the goal! 2-1!
64'
SPAL appeal for a penalty after Missiroli is taken down under a heavy challenge inside the penalty area - but the referee is unmoved by the claims. Strefezza’s hard pass into the feet of his team-mate got tangled in his legs, forcing Rugani to come across with strength. It’s being examined by VAR - but it doesn’t appear that it’ll be given.
62'
Juventus are on the move again, looking to add to their lead but Cuadrado’s silly foul on Valdifiori breaks down the move and gives SPAL a chance to clear their lines.
60'
M. Fares enters the game and replaces L. Castro.
A. Ramsey has scored a goal for Juventus! Assist by P. Dybala.
SPAL’s first change of the afternoon sees Castro replaced by Fares.
Dybala's skill was on display for that assist, with his weaving run opening up space for his incisive pass.
RAMSEY DOUBLES JUVE’S ADVANTAGE! Dybala’s mazy run through down the right flank opens up a passing lane, finding Ramsey inside the penalty area. Berisha dives in anticipation but the midfielder has the presence of mind to chip a finish over the goalkeeper! 2-0!
55'
M. de Ligt enters the game and replaces G. Chiellini.
Chiellini's first start since August sees him depart after 55 minutes, with De Ligt taking over in defence.
50'
Ronaldo’s dribbling near the 18-yard box gives Alex Sandro enough time to get into position to link play - which he does by distributing it to Ramsey inside the box. SPAL take no chances and get two defenders towards the man in possession, winning the ball back and whacking it down the field.
46'
Juventus get the match restarted from the kick-off!
45' +2
HALF-TIME: SPAL 0-1 JUVENTUS.
45' +1
E. Zukanović gets yellow.
A cynical challenge to stop a late counter-attack earns Zukanovic a yellow card.
45'
The fourth official indicates one minute of stoppage time.
41'
Zukanovic tries a long-range effort which forces Szeczney to scramble to his far post, but the shot ultimately misses by some distance.
39'
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a goal for Juventus! Assist by J. Cuadrado.
Cuadrado’s pace got him in-behind the defence, before a textbook back-post cross provided the assist for Ronaldo’s opener.
RONALDO BREAKS THE DEADLOCK! Ramsey plays a lovely ball over the top of the defence for Cuadrado, before a switch of play finds Ronaldo open at the far post to beat Berisha! There appeared to be a hint of offside in the build-up, but VAR confirms the referee’s call and Juve have a 1-0 lead!
36'
Ronaldo and Cuadrado have both seemingly been given permission to switch wings and interchange as they see fit, with both wide players coming to the right in Juve’s latest possession, looking to overload one side.
33'
A lovely bit of SPAL play comes to a corner as Valdifiori turns on the halfway line, spinning round Bentancur and playing a fantastic off-balance ball to Strefezza. The winger gets the better of Alex Sandro and receives a tug of the shirt, but his eventual shot is parried out for a set-piece.
31'
Cuadrado slips into the penalty area and finds Ronaldo in space on the left, but upon receiving the pass he’s immediately swarmed by two defenders, with Bonifazi getting the decisive clearing touch.
29'
Ronaldo stands over it, but it’s Dybala who takes it with his left foot. He strikes the head of a defender in the wall and wins a corner for his efforts - but nothing more.
28'
Missiroli blocks the path of Dybala on the edge of the penalty area and gives Juventus a free-kick, with Ronaldo no-doubt the favourite to strike it towards goal.
26'
Short of ideas, Alex Sandro puts a hopeful cross towards the edge of the penalty area, but it’s beaten away by the sweeping foot of Zukanovic.
25'
SPAL are just keeping the ball inside Juve’s half, forcing everyone except Ronaldo behind the ball in defence. Strefezza loses possession and quickly fouls Ramsey - preventing Juve to break on a counter-attack.
23'
Strefezza calls for, and receives, a leading pass down the right flank, getting him away from both Matuidi and Alex Sandro before entering the penalty area down the byline. He smashes a low strike which almost squirms underneath Szczesny, but the goalkeeper manages to get two hands on it at the last possible moment.
21'
Valdifiori’s inswinging corner is flicked away at the first opportunity and put out to Reca - who is out of options as he turns and passes it back to Berisha in the SPAL goal.
19'
M. Valoti gets yellow.
The first yellow card of the match is shown to Valoti for a studs-up challenge on Danilo. That’s an absolutely terrible challenge, catching the right-back on the shin with the underside of his boot. Had the referee brandished a red, there wouldn’t have been too many questions asked.
17'
Alex Sandro’s low drive finds Cuadrado inside the penalty area, but the winger is unable to muster anything from the chance; side-stepping a defender and firing wide instead of linking play to an open Ronaldo.
15'
Castro tries a speculative effort from well outside the 18-yard box, but is forced to apologise to his team-mates for wasting possession in Juve’s half.
13'
Valdifiori swings the free-kick to the far post, but before the ball could drop down the referee blows for play to halt, as Chiellini was apparently fouled in the build-up.
12'
Bentancur isn’t pleased as Valoti goes over under the weight of a shoulder challenge from the Juventus midfielder, giving SPAL a free-kick near the corner flag.
9'
Dybala ghosts past Zukanovic and pushes it forward for Ramsey, but an expertly timed tackle from Reca dispossesses the former Arsenal midfielder and puts it out for a throw.
7'
Despite the Ronaldo threat, SPAL have looked good going forward in the opening stages, pressing Juventus’ defensive line high and asking questions of Szczesny in possession.
5'
RONALDO SCORES BUT IT’S OFFSIDE! Dybala’s cross to the far post meets the run of the Portugal captain - but he made his run a touch too early and the linesman was in the perfect position to make the call.
3'
Chiellini involved with an early challenge to poke the ball away from Strefezza just outside his own penalty area. He’s looked shaky in the opening moments - though nothing less could be expected considering his six-month absence.
1'
SPAL get the match underway from the kick-off!
Hello and welcome to our LIVE commentary of the Serie A fixture between SPAL and Juventus!
Juventus managed to separate themselves from the chasing pack - if only just - last weekend thanks to a 2-0 win over Brescia, and Lazio’s 2-1 victory over Inter. Now a point above the remaining pack, the Bianconeri once again have their destiny in their own hands with 14 matches remaining in the domestic calendar.
With 15 minutes to go before kick-off, let's take a look at the team news, starting with the hosts!
JUVENTUS XI (4-3-3): Wojciech Szczesny; Alex Sandro, Giorgio Chiellini, Daniele Rugani, Danilo; Blaise Matuidi, Rodrigo Bentancur, Aaron Ramsey; Cristiano Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala, Juan Cuadrado.
SPAL SUBS: Nenad Tomovic, Jacopo Sala, Francesco Vicari, Bryan Dabo, Federico Di Francesco, Alessandro Murgia, Sergio Floccari, Mohamed Fares, Demba Thiam, Felipe, Georgi Tunjov, Karlo Letica.
SPAL XI (4-3-3): Etrit Berisha; Thiago Cionek, Kevin Bonifazi, Ervin Zukanovic, Arkadiusz Reca; Simone Missiroli, Mirko Valdifiori, Mattia Valoti; Lucas Nahuel Castro, Andrea Petagna, Gabriel Strefezza.
JUVENTUS SUBS: Carlo Pinsoglio, Gianluigi Buffon, Mattia De Sciglio, Matthijs De Ligt, Luca Coccolo, Wesley, Adrien Rabiot, Federico Bernardeschi, Daouda Peeters, Marco Olivieri.
Life under Luigi Di Biagio hasn’t started as hoped, with the new manager losing 2-1 to Lecce in his first match in charge; extending SPAL’s losing streak to four matches. Eight points adrift of safety, the hosts also own the unwanted tag of worst attack in Italy - mustering only 18 goals in 24 matches.
With Champions League coming up midweek for Juventus, look for Sarri to instruct his players to slow the match down in preparation. SPAL must keep their defensive organisation while turning up the intensity, keeping their opponents on their heels. The pace of Strefezza has done wonders down the right - a tactic that could be employed on the other flank in the second half with Di Francesco.
That concludes our commentary of the Serie A fixture between SPAL and Juventus! We hope you enjoyed it!
SPAL will look to register their first win in six matches next weekend when they travel to face Parma. Juve head to France to face Lyon in their Champions League tie, before hosting Inter on Sunday.
Commentary
More…