TURIN (AFP) – Juventus moved back into Serie A’s Champions League places on Monday by beating Verona 2-0 to dampen rumbling fan discontent.
Khephren Thuram’s fine first-time finish in the 72nd minute and a late strike from Teun Koopmeiners saw off struggling Verona.
Juventus climbed two points above Lazio who briefly moved into the top four by winning at AC Milan on Sunday night, and next week host third-placed Atalanta with only three points separating the two teams.
France midfielder Thuram opened the scoring just as fans at the Allianz Stadium in Turin were turning on the Juve players, loudly booed off at half-time by supporters already outraged at the midweek exit from the Italian Cup at the hands of lowly Empoli.
“We played well and we deserved to win… it was an important three points,” said under-fire Juve coach Thiago Motta. “I’m pleased with the players I have, with the effort and commitment they show… We know that the attitude was wrong last time (against Empoli).”
The match was played in a flat atmosphere as fans protested their team’s underwhelming season after bringing in Motta to replace Massimiliano Allegri and spending significant sums to renew the squad and mount both a challenge for the Scudetto and a deep run in the Champions League.
Instead, Juve were dumped out of Europe’s top club competition in the play-offs by PSV Eindhoven and trail league-leaders Inter by six points.
Demanding supporters staged a protest outside the team hotel on Sunday night and launched foul-mouthed chants at Motta ahead of Monday’s win, Juve’s fifth in a row in Serie A.
