After Como and Roma drew, Juventus did not miss the chance to move clear in the standings and strengthen their position in fourth place, securing a 2–0 win over Bologna and taking a big step towards qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season.
Massimiliano Allegri’s team were decisive early in the match, with Jonathan David scoring the opening goal in the second minute, before Juventus managed to control the game despite several attempts in the first half to settle the outcome. The second goal, which came early in the second half through Kévin Touram, confirmed the result.
Bologna offered little, apart from a shot by Rov which struck the post; the side appeared affected by their exit from the Europa League and their distance from the European‑qualifying places, as they now trail the sixth‑placed team by ten points.
At the outset, Allegri introduced some tactical changes to preserve the freshness of Touram and Kenan Yıldız, who later came on from the bench, while giving starting roles to Emil Holm and Mourad Bouga. The coach opted for a 3–4–3 formation with the aim of wearing Bologna down over the long run, especially given their busy European commitments.
For Bologna, manager Vincenzo Italiano handed a league debut to Hjarnar Heland, and only his second appearance for the club after an earlier outing in the Coppa Italia against Lazio.
Before kick‑off, the match featured an emotional tribute to late Austrian goalkeeper Alex Manninger, who recently died in a car accident. His shirt and a bouquet of flowers were placed on the pitch in the presence of several former teammates, including Giorgio Chiellini, Gianluigi Buffon, Claudio Marchisio, Leonardo Bonucci, and Marco Benassi.
Juventus entered the match with intensity and David opened the scoring early with a header at the near post following a cross by Piero Callois. Bologna’s response was weak, and Francisco Conceição nearly added a second before being ruled offside. He squandered another chance in the middle of the half, while a shot from Holm hit the crossbar.
Shortly before the end of the first half, David missed a chance to double the advantage, while Bologna’s most dangerous opportunity came from a scissor‑kick by Riccardo Orsolini, which did not seriously threaten.
In the second half, Allegri reinforced midfield by bringing on Touram, and the move paid off quickly when Weston McKennie delivered a perfect pass for the second goal.
Bologna tried to come back through a series of substitutions, with Rov the most dangerous; his shot struck the post after work by Zortea, while goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio also produced fine saves to deny further attempts.
In the final minutes, Bologna finished the match with ten men after Federico Bernardeschi suffered an injury and the team had no more substitutes, allowing Juventus to manage the game comfortably to the final whistle.
With this win, Juventus continue their steady march towards the Champions League, now awaiting a crucial clash against Milan that could reshape the race for second place.
