Mueez Ajao
– A double from veteran defender Leonardo Bonucci earned Juventus a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Venezia in Serie A on Sunday to all-but secure Champions League football for next season.
– The hosts made a lightning start in Turin as Luca Pellegrini thundered an effort against the crossbar before Bonucci marked his 35th birthday with the opening goal in the seventh minute.
– Bottom side Venezia, who sacked their coach Paolo Zanetti in midweek, responded well, and went close to a first-half leveller, but Thomas Henry’s header flew just wide.
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– The visitors kept coming in the second half and got the equaliser they deserved when Mattia Aramu arrowed a strike into the net in the 71st minute, with the Juventus defenders arguing among themselves in the aftermath.
– With Juve looking all out of ideas up front, it was left to Bonucci once more to prod home the winner from close range 14 minutes from time.
– The victory helped Juve move to within a point of Napoli in third and crucially 10 clear of Lazio in fifth. Venezia stay bottom on 22 points, six adrift of the safety zone.
– It has been a disappointing season overall for Juventus after coach Massimiliano Allegri returned to take over as manager for a second time.
– Serie A’s most successful team have struggled to keep pace with the league leaders this term, sitting five points behind AC Milan ahead of the table-toppers’ clash with Fiorentina on Sunday – something captain-for-the-day Bonucci regrets.
– “When I wear the armband, something extra snaps to me,” Bonucci told DAZN. “When I wore it this year, I always tried to be an example.
– “When you take to the field in this shirt you are always aiming for the highest goals. We complicated our lives a little because three or four more points (this season) would be enough to be on top, but it will serve as a lesson for the future.”
