MILAN (AFP) – Juventus got their Serie A season off to a perfect start with Sunday’s 3-0 stroll at Udinese which suggested they will be in the title mix, while Lecce struck twice late to beat last year’s runners-up Lazio 2-1.
Massimiliano Allegri’s Juve did all the damage in the first half with an early strike from Federico Chiesa, Dusan Vlahovic’s penalty and a header from Adrien Rabiot just before the break.
The away side then sat on their lead and comfortably held out for the win, and the return to form of injury-prone Chiesa will give Juve a boost as they try to bounce back from last season’s scandals.
“I wanted to do the knee slide as it had been a long time since I’d last done one,” joked Chiesa, who has suffered a series of knee problems, about his celebration after drilling home his second-minute opener.
“Like the manager said our aim is to get back into the Champions League, after that we’ll see.”
Points deductions over transfer irregularities led to Juve finishing seventh last term and then a ban from European football by governing body UEFA.
Without continental competition and with a fit squad Juve have been tipped to challenge for the Scudetto, and on Sunday’s evidence they will be a tough team to beat as they try to move towards a more aggressive, attacking style of play.
“We played very well today, especially in the first half. That’s how we need to play, a modern style of football,” added Chiesa.
“We have to go out and get after teams, we can’t just sit back and play on the counter.”
With 84 minutes gone at Lecce, Ciro Immobile’s 197th Lazio goal seemed to be the decisive strike.
