Juventus player ratings vs Sassuolo: Locatelli’s mistake costs dearly | OneFootball

At the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Juventus dropped two points that could return to haunt them at the end of the season.

The Bianconeri thought they were in for a quiet evening when Kenan Yildiz broke the deadlock early on against Sassuolo. However, Andrea Pinamonti restored parity after the break. Manuel Locatelli had a golden chance to score the winner from the spot, but his tame effort was easily denied.

Here are our player ratings for Juventus, who were dealt a big blow in the Champions League race after failing to beat Sassuolo at home.

Juventus XI (4-2-3-1)

Mattia Perin – 6

The goalkeeper instigated the opener by picking up Conceicao with a sublime long ball. He didn’t stand a chance on the equaliser, and had little to do otherwise.

Pierre Kalulu – 7

The Frenchman was excellent in both phases of the game. Made crucial interceptions at the back, and delivered exquisite crosses.

Gleison Bremer – 5.5

The Brazilian had a comfortable first half, but it all unravelled after the break. Lost track of Pinamonti on the equaliser, and then picked up a yellow card for a tactical foul on Darryl Bakola.

Lloyd Kelly – 6.5

A solid performance from the English defender, who made some important interventions, before leaving his place for Dusan Vlahovic in an ultra-attacking change.

Andrea Cambiaso – 5.5

The Italian international had a promising start, but struggled to contain Domenico Berardi as the game progressed, and eventually allowed the latter to produce the assist for Pinamonti’s equaliser before being hauled off.

Manuel Locatelli – 5.5

The Juventus captain was exceptional at shielding the backline, but his distribution was relatively poor. Stepped up spot-kick duties, but his weak delivery cost his side two valuable points in the Champions League race.

Khephren Thuram – 5

This was one of the Frenchman’s most modest displays in a Juventus jersey. It should be remembered that he suffered a slight knock last weekend.

Francisco Conceicao – 7

The Sassuolo defenders had no clue how to stop the Portuguese speed demon, who produced the opener for Yildiz. He constantly dribbled past his opponents with ease and created chances for his teammates.

Weston McKennie – 6

The American ran more than anyone else on the pitch. Started the contest as an attacking mifielder before switching to left-back, but his outing lacked a genuine highlight.

Kenan Yildiz – 6.5

The Turk’s evening perhaps peaked too soon when he showcased his ever-improving finishing by finding the bottom corner. But after scoring the winner, he struggled to make an impact.

Jeremie Boga – 6

The Ivorian winger operated as a false 9 during the first hour of the match. His clever movement created space for Yildiz on the opener. His powerful header should have restored Juve’s lead, but Arijanet Muric produced a jaw-dropping save.

Substitutes

Teun Koopmeiners – 5.5

The Dutchman didn’t add much in midfield following his introduction, and later acted as a sweeper in defence.

Fabio Miretti – 6

The young midfielder picked up his teammates inside the box with a few clever passes.

Arkadiusz Milik – 6.5

Juventus instantly became more dangerous following the double attacking change. The Pole almost grabbed the winner with a towering header, but was denied by Muric. Not bad for a player who hasn’t been on the pitch for almost two years.

Dusan Vlahovic – 6

The Serbian won Juventus a spot-kick as his header was blocked by handball.

Edon Zhegrova – N/A