Juventus got the break they so dearly needed when they beat Parma 2-1 at the Stadio Ennio Tardini yesterday. However, don’t let the score line fool you. The Bianconeri needed an own goal to help them bag all the 3 points.
Juve were first on the score sheet when Hasan Salhimidzic headed the visitors ahead in the 3rd minute. The hosts responded in the 25th minute when Nicola Amoruso a former Juve man equalised.
This was Juve’s second win in seven league games and it shows just how bad their form has dipped since the beginning of the season. A39 minute own goal from Paolo Castellini saved Ciro Ferrara the blushes and it will at least help to deflect the negative attention he has been receiving lately. The matches don’t get any easier because just two weeks away on the 24th of this month, Juventus host Milan at the Stadio Olimpico.
This fire-cracker of a match will decide who among these two teams will give league leaders Inter a run for their money. Juventus may have gotten the result but if the statistics are anything to go by then Parma were far more effective. The hosts had more shots 13 compared to Juve’s 9. They had 57% of the possession compared to Juve’s 43% and they had twice as many corners as the visitors.
Ferrara should know that this is not a result he can pin his hopes on. The club have already made their intentions clear by actively pursuing his replacement. If Juve decide to finish the season with Ferrara still at the helm then you can be sure that they won’t be anywhere near the top four. Juve should put their fans out of their misery and show Ferrara the door. That to me is the best way to contain this problem from further deterioration.
Photo credit: Juventus official site
