Paulo Dybala’s hat trick saw Juventus thrash Young Boys 3-0 to collect their ninth consecutive win this season. Unstoppable and all conquering, Juventus can rotate personnel and formations and keep winning under Massimiliano Allegri.
In truth this was nothing short of an easy win for a Juve side that’s packed with talent and experience. Young Boys may have played with desire and attacking intent but they boast no balance, defensive strength or players who can make the difference.
Juventus could probably have walked away with several more goals to their name but took their foot of the gas and conserved their energy.
Positives
Nothing can be more beautiful than to watch Juventus play without Cristiano Ronaldo, without Giorgio Chiellini, Douglas Costa and many more capable talents and still manage easy wins. This is a beautifully assembled side that boasts depth and versatility, capable of scoring with ease and managing games perfectly.
Negatives
Juve had chances to score more goals and should have kept going rather than take their foot off the gas.
Manager rating out of 10
7 — Massimiliano Allegri needs to make sure his Juve side always keep going, scoring the maximum amount of goals to make the most of their superiority. However, nine wins out of nine and a side that is happy to change formations and personnel and still succeed should allow Allegri a smile or two.
Player ratings (1-10; 10=best; players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating):
GK Wojciech Szczesny, 6 — Was basically given the night off considering how poor the opponent was at constructing clear cut opportunities.
DF Andrea Barzagli, 6 — Classic brilliance and organisation. Barely troubled.
DF Leonardo Bonucci, 7 — Bonucci demonstrated why Juventus missed their ball-playing centre-back last season. A perfect ball to Dybala allowed the Argentine to open the scoring. Those long passes forward, his ability in one on ones and the command he had over the backline deserves applause.
DF Medhi Benatia, 6 — Alert, concentrated and powerful, the opponent simply couldn’t get past him.
MF Juan Cuadrado, 6 — Cuadrado didn’t look like he shined but his passes made the difference and he progressed nicely in the second half, delivering the assist that secured Dybala the third goal of the evening.
MF Miralem Pjanic, 6 — Read the game well and managed his duties well. Precise and accurate.
MF Blaise Matuidi, 7 — Decisive defensively and offensively. It was his shot that allowed Dybala to score from the rebound. Boasting an engine that doesn’t even need to rest, Matuidi is the man who ensured Juve’s balance.
MF Alex Sandro, 6 — Always looked for ways to push but not as decisive as he can be considering the inferiority of the opponent and the space and time offered.
FW Federico Bernardeschi, 6 — Always there trying to create danger and provide for Dybala. However, the beauty of his talent lies in his humility and desire to provide for others. It’s therefore frustrating to watch him go for goal, making the wrong decision when a pass would have proved to be a better option.
FW Paulo Dybala, 8 — A brilliant night for the player who became only the fourth Juve player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League. Playing with confidence and technique, Dybala is the most of his opportunities and delivering important wins for Juve, albeit against lesser opposition.
FW Mario Mandzukic, 6 — Battled at the top to try to create space for his teammates. Wasn’t at his brilliant best.
Substitutes:
MF Emre Can, 6 — Starting to understand how to make an impact in Allegri’s Juventus and his understanding of his teammates’ movements is improving. Fulfilled his duties.
MF Sami Khedira, N/A — Nice to have the German back on the pitch offering his tactical intelligence and experience
FW Moise Kean, N/A — Not on for long yet looked desperate to get on the scoresheet and he even managed to hit the back of the net, but he was offside.