Sassuolo made the champions-elect work hard to overcome the hosts' early lead, but ultimately Juve's quality brought them three points - and put them even closer to claiming the scudetto.
With Monday's win over Sassuolo, Juventus are inches away from securing their third straight scudetto. The race could mathematically be over next weekend, as the bianconeri have an eight point lead over Roma, with three games to go. In the next round, they host Atalanta, so they're likely already planning their festivities.
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Sassuolo, on the other hand, still has a long way to go before reaching safety. Based on tonight's performance, though, the neroverdi deserve to avoid the drop.
Despite missing as many as eight players, most of them midfielders, Sassuolo started the game much better than the league leaders. The hosts were happy to soak up Juve's pressure while creating many problems to the bianconeri defense on the counter. After one of those quick breaks Nicola Sansone, originally in doubt after missing several training sessions this week due to injury, sent a through ball to Simone Zaza who rushed in from the left. His strike took a slight deflection off Angelo Ogbonna, catching Gianluigi Buffon on the wrong foot and finishing inside the net.
It took another fifteen minutes for Juve to take control of the game. They pushed Sassuolo to drop deeper, but were able to create no opportunities until the 34th minute. That's when Andrea Pirlo took a free kick around the center of the pitch, passing the ball to Claudio Marchisio on the left, who then passed it to Carlos Tévez. Sassuolo's defense left the Argentine way too much space near the penalty area, and Juve's superstar didn't waste any time. His powerful shot from the edge of the box sent the ball into the left corner of Gianluca Pegolo's goal.
Sassuolo could have easily scored another goal at 57th minute, when Angelo Ogbonna, Juve's weakest link in today's game, gave the ball away to Zaza. The neroverdi had a three-on-two advantage, but Sassuolo's forward failed to find Sansone on the right and instead gave the ball straight to Giorgio Chiellini.
After the hosts wasted that fantastic opportunity, they found themselves behind only a minute later. Pirlo sent the ball over the defense for Marchisio, who volleyed it into the back of the net.
Tévez could have increased the lead in the 72nd, but his shot from the edge of the box hit the bar. But the third goal came shortly after. Stephan Lichtsteiner got on the end of a through ball from Paul Pogba, sending his low cross into the box, where Fernando Llorente was waiting to score a beautiful backheel goal and put the game beyond doubt.
Sassuolo (4-3-3) Pegolo; Gazzola, Antei, Cannavaro, Longhi; Chibsah (Brighi 78'), Magnanelli, Ziegler (Floccari 65'); Sansone (Masucci), Zaza, Floro Flores
Goals: Simone Zaza 8'
Juventus (3-5-2) Buffon, Chiellini, Ogbonna (Bonucci 76'), Barzagli, Isla, Pogba, Pirlo (Vidal 80'), Marchisio, Asamoah, Llorente, Tevez
Goals: Carlos Tevez 34', Claudio Marchisio 58', Fernando Llorente 76'