Juventus moved into Serie A’s top four after a dominant 5-0 win over Cremonese, with goals spread across a ruthless display in Turin.
Juventus moved into the Serie A top four with an emphatic 5-0 home win over Cremonese. The result came at the perfect time. Inter, AC Milan and Napoli all dropped points over the weekend. Juventus took full advantage to close the gap above them.
The Allianz Stadium crowd saw a ruthless and controlled performance. The hosts set the tone early and never relented. Cremonese struggled to cope with Juventus’ pace and movement. By half time, the contest was already beyond doubt.
Juventus began at full throttle and nearly scored inside six minutes. Jonathan David struck the post from a tight angle after pouncing on a loose back pass. That warning proved decisive.
The opener arrived in the 12th minute in unusual fashion. Fabio Miretti’s long range volley struck Gleison Bremer on the head and looped past Emil Audero. Three minutes later, Juventus doubled their lead on the counter.
Khephren Thuram surged through midfield and released David on the left. The Canadian finished calmly into the far corner. Cremonese were stunned by the speed of the move.
Cremonese briefly thought they had a route back when awarded a penalty on 27 minutes. VAR overturned the decision after Manuel Locatelli was judged to have played the ball. Head coach Davide Nicola was sent off for dissent.
Moments later, Juventus were given a spot kick for Federico Baschirotto’s handball. Kenan Yildiz saw his effort tipped onto the post by Audero. He reacted quickest to score the rebound and make it 3-0 after 35 minutes.
That goal ended any resistance before the break. Juventus entered half time in complete control. Cremonese looked short on belief and structure.
Juventus showed no signs of easing after the restart. Three minutes into the second half, Weston McKennie made it four. Fabio Miretti slipped him through, and the American rounded Audero before squeezing the ball over the line.
The fifth goal arrived on 64 minutes and capped a dominant display. Pierre Kalulu delivered a perfect cross from the right. McKennie rose unmarked and powered home a header.
David had another effort ruled out for offside late on. It mattered little with the points long secured. Juventus finished the night with confidence and clarity.
Juventus recorded 18 shots, with 11 on target. Their expected goals total reached 3.38. Cremonese managed just nine attempts and two on target, producing 0.91 xG.
It was Juventus’ first five-goal league game since February 2018. Since Luciano Spalletti’s arrival in November, only Inter have collected more Serie A points. Juventus now have seven wins in that period.
Bremer’s fortunate opener settled early nerves. Thuram’s driving run for the second goal defined Juventus’ midfield authority. David’s movement caused constant problems for the visitors.
Yildiz showed composure to score after missing his penalty. McKennie dominated the second half with his energy and finishing. The balance across the team stood out most.
Juventus now turn their focus to maintaining momentum in the league when they face Cagliari on Saturday. Their push for Champions League qualification has gathered pace with a home game against Benfica on 21st January. Cremonese remain 13th in the standings and relatively out of trouble but will be cautiously looking over their shoulders in the weeks ahead.
