Juventus substitute Alvaro Morata only needed ten minutes and one superb strike in Palermo yesterday to fire the champions to a 1-0 win, a 14-point lead in Serie A and another step closer to a seemingly inevitable 31st Scudetto.
Juve’s first triumph away from home in over two months gives them 64 points from 27 games, while second-placed Roma, who host Sampdoria tomorrow, trail on 50 from 26 games.
“One less win needed to win the league,” Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri said. “Probably six more victories and a few draws should be enough.”
Spanish international Morata came on in the 60th minute, replacing compatriot Fernando Llorente in a match that appeared to be heading towards a goalless stalemate.
Yet 10 minutes later, he received a long pass from Claudio Marchisio, kept defender Sinisa Andelkovic at a distance and rifled home an unstoppable left-foot shot from just outside the area.
“He scored a marvellous goal,” Allegri said. “I love 1-0 games. For the second straight time, we finished with a clean sheet.”
Andrea Barzagli was back in Juve’s starting line-up after playing his first five minutes of the season against Sassuolo last Monday.
The former Palermo defender, playing alongside Italian international team-mates Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, looked in good form after the heel injury which has sidelined him since last summer’s World Cup.
“It’s very important to have Barzagli back,” Allegri beamed.
“We’ll see how he feels tomorrow but the first game is usually easier than the second.”
Juventus visit Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday in the Champions League last 16 second leg, having won the opening match 2-1.
“It’ll be much tougher in Germany,” Allegri concluded.
“Scoring one goal won’t be enough, we’ll probably need two to advance.”
Serie A
Played yesterday
Cagliari 1
Pedro 20;
Empoli 1
Vecino 90;
HT: 1-0. Att: 9,500.
Palermo 0
Juventus 1
Morata 70;
HT: 0-0. Att: 29,832.
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Juventus | 27 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 54 | 14 | 64 |
| Roma | 26 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 38 | 19 | 50 |
| Lazio | 26 | 14 | 4 | 8 | 47 | 27 | 46 |
| Napoli | 26 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 46 | 33 | 46 |
| Fiorentina | 26 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 37 | 28 | 42 |
| Sampdoria | 26 | 10 | 12 | 4 | 34 | 28 | 42 |
| Genoa | 25 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 37 | 30 | 37 |
| Torino | 26 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 30 | 28 | 36 |
| Inter | 26 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 41 | 34 | 36 |
| Milan | 26 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 37 | 32 | 35 |
| Palermo | 27 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 38 | 40 | 35 |
| Udinese | 25 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 29 | 34 | 31 |
| Empoli | 27 | 5 | 15 | 7 | 27 | 29 | 30 |
| Sassuolo | 26 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 29 | 39 | 29 |
| Verona | 26 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 31 | 46 | 29 |
| Chievo | 26 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 30 | 26 |
| Atalanta | 26 | 5 | 9 | 12 | 22 | 37 | 24 |
| Cagliari | 27 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 33 | 50 | 21 |
| Cesena | 26 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 24 | 47 | 20 |
| Parma (-3) | 24 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 20 | 47 | 9 |
Playing today – 15.00
Atalanta vs Udinese
Genoa vs Chievo
Inter vs Cesena - 20.45
Sassuolo vs Parma
Verona vs Napoli - 18.00
Tomorrow
Fiorentina vs Milan - 19.00
Torino vs Lazio - 19.00
Roma vs Sampdoria - 21.00
Top scorers
15 goals: Tevez (Juventus), Icardi (Inter).
13 goals: Menez (Milan).
12 goals: Higuain (Napoli), Dybala (Palermo).
11 goals: Toni (Verona).
Next fixtures
Saturday: 18.00 Chievo vs Palermo; 20.45 Milan vs Cagliari.
Sunday: 12.30 Empoli vs Sassuolo. 15.00 Juventus vs Genoa. 20.45 Cesena vs Roma; Lazio vs Verona; Parma vs Torino; Napoli vs Atalanta; Sampdoria vs Inter; Udinese vs Fiorentina.
Serie B
Bari vs Varese - 3-0
Brescia vs Latina - 1-2
Carpi vs Pescara - 1-2
Cittadella vs Crotone - 0-0
Frosinone vs Entella - 3-3
Perugia vs Pro Vercelli - 3-2
Trapani vs Ternana - 4-2
Lanciano vs Avellino - 1-0
Today
Bologna vs Modena - 15.00
Tomorrow
Vicenza vs Catania - 20.30
Standings: Carpi 59; Bologna 51; Avellino 49; Frosinone, Vicenza 48; Livorno 47; Pescara, Spezia 46; Lanciano, Perugia 43; Bari 40; Modena, Latina, Trapani, Entella 37; Ternana 36; Cittadella, Pro Vercelli 35; Brescia 33; Crotone 32; Catania 31; Varese 28.