At the last breath. For the second consecutive year, the Turin derby was decided at the photo finish: 12 months it was Pirlo who gave Juventus 2-1 with a few seconds left, this time Cuadrado took care of doing the same with a paw in full recovery. A fundamental victory for the Bianconeri and for Massimiliano Allegri: a draw, in fact, would have been experienced almost as a defeat. It wasn't a great Juve, on the other hand it was unthinkable to erase all the problems seen in Reggio Emilia in a few days, but they fought until the end proving that they wanted victory at all costs and this, given the period, is already a good news. “It's a great success, sought after and wanted – confirmed Allegri at the press conference. – It was a good derby and we deserved to win it. Playing against Torino is never easy but with this character you can get the three points more easily." That of the Stadium was much more than a "simple" derby. A question of classification, which saw the grenade sensationally ahead, and above all of the environment, ready to explode in case of failure to win. The Lady had a bad time, forced to wait for the 94th to vent all the tension accumulated in the last, very difficult, days. Thanks also to Toro, as usual well fielded by Ventura, who however was to blame for settling for a draw: Juve, at a certain point, were a wounded animal and with a little more courage things could have take quite another turn.
Allegri has chosen to play one of the most delicate matches of his management with his favorite formation, that 4-3-1-2 that was so productive last season and, who knows why, shelved too quickly this one. The big news, compared to what was thought on the eve, was the confirmation of Dybala in place of Cuadrado, with Morata alongside him and Hernanes on the trocar. But the coach's plan fell through after just 11': Khedira's muscle injury (the 15th of the season!) forced him to insert Cuadrado and lower Hernanes to the midfield line. It seemed the prelude to another bad evening, then, in the 19th minute, the turning point: an exchange between Dybala and Pogba and the Frenchman's big right foot from outside the box for the splendid 1-0. Channeled match? Not a chance. Because in the second half Torino, quite apathetic up until then, found an equalizer with a huge left foot from Bovo (51') which seriously risked bringing down the already shaky Juventus castle. With Juve still upset by the goal conceded, the grenades even risked winning but all of Buffon's pride came out there: the two crazy saves on Glik that literally saved the team. In the final, the bianconeri, thanks to the incomprehensible retreat of Toro, returned to the battle. In the 87th minute Allegri removed Dybala, hitherto man of the match, for Alex Sandro: a choice booed by the Stadium and instead proved to be the winner. Because in the 94th minute, after having cursed for Bonucci's crossbar, Juve found the decisive goal: Hernanes ball for Alex Sandro and the latter's assist for the onrushing Cuadrado, good at taking time from the opponent and lucky in bagging the ball with a dirty touch. Fundamental victory, as evidenced by the unbridled exultation of the entire Stadium, with President Agnelli in the lead. Maybe it won't be enough to get the championship back on its feet but it's certainly a good starting point.
