MADRID: A couple of Cristiano Ronaldo penalties and Matthijs de Ligt header allowed Juventus to get the better of Fiorentina, although Wojciech Szczesny had some big saves too.
The Bianconeri were fresh from only their second league defeat of the season at Napoli, which cut their lead at the top to just three points.
Danilo, Merih Demiral, Giorgio Chiellini and Sami Khedira were injured, while the Viola had Nikola Milenkovic and Martin Caceres suspended, Franck Ribery and Gaetano Castrovilli on the treatment table, starting new signing Igor.
Wojciech Szczesny smothered an Erick Pulgar curler, while Patrick Cutrone was back defending to stop Miralem Pjanic turning in from 12 yards.
Leonardo Bonucci had to make a risky tackle to stop Federico Chiesa going clear on goal, but Fiorentina almost scored a stunning strike.
A double Marco Benassi and Chiesa back-heel flick routine forced Szczesny into a fingertip save from close range. On the resulting corner, Pol Lirola stung the goalkeeper’s gloves and another dangerous ball flashed across the face of goal.
Bartlomiej Dragowski also had to parry a long-range Rodrigo Bentancur scorcher, while Igor made several impressive tackles on his debut.
The deadlock was broken when Pjanic’s snapshot was charged down just inside the area by German Pezzella’s raised hand. He was trying to turn, but the hand was detached and by his shoulder, so the referee awarded a penalty after the VAR on-field review. Cristiano Ronaldo squeezed his spot-kick under Dragowski, equalling David Trezeguet’s Juventus record of nine consecutive Serie A matches on target.
Fiorentina threw on Dusan Vlahovic and started to create more danger, as Benassi’s strike whistled just wide with Szczesny rooted to the spot.
Moments later, Douglas Costa flew down the right and pulled back for a Higuain toe-poke, forcing Dragowski into a fingertip reaction save.
Matthijs de Ligt’s header hit a Fiorentina arm, but it was floppy and by his side, so it could not be considered handball. Dragowski then took the sting out of a swerving Adrien Rabiot strike, but Juventus were awarded another penalty.
This one was considerably more controversial, as Rodrigo Bentancur rode one tackle and then seemed to run into Federico Ceccherini. Even after an on-field review, the referee stood by his original decision that it was a foul, seemingly because an elbow was slightly jutted out.
Ronaldo converted into the same corner, but this time Dragowski went the other way. There was still time for a third goal, as Paulo Dybala’s corner found Matthijs de Ligt for a free header.
(with inputs from Agencies)
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