Five things that helped Juventus win eighth straight Serie A crown
Here, AFP Sport looks at five things that helped the Turin giants lift a 35th Scudetto with five matches to spare, equalling the record for the earliest any team has won Serie A:
Ronaldo effect
Cristiano Ronaldo was signed from Real Madrid for 100 million euros ($112 million) before the start of the season, in a bid to end the Turin giants’ 23-year wait for the Champions League trophy.
The 34-year-old left Real as their all-time top scorer, a record he also holds in the Champions League where he is the only player to have won five titles.
Despite their European exit to Ajax, the Portuguese superstar was a key player throughout the campaign with 19 league goals.
Both Juventus’ Serie A defeats came in his absence — 2-0 to Genoa on March 17 and 2-1 to SPAL on April 13 — the latter frustrating their bid to wrap up the title with a record six games to spare.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who was defended by Juve last year after being accused of rape, was slow off the mark, having to wait until their fourth game against Sassuolo before scoring a double in a 2-1 win.
“Cristiano is the future of Juventus, he has had an extraordinary season,” said coach Massimiliano Allegri after the Champions League loss.
Rising star Kean
Teenage sensation Moise Kean burst through during Ronaldo’s absence through injury, scoring six goals in the last seven matches for Juventus, having played just nine this season.
The 19-year-old, who provides an alternative to Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala up front, admitted: “I learn from Cristiano Ronaldo in training, I steal his secrets.”
Born in Italy to Ivorian parents, his first league appearance this season was just four minutes away against Fiorentina on December 1, with his first goals a double in a 4-1 win over Udinese on March 3.
Controversy overshadowed his only full match for the champions when he was subjected to racist abuse against Cagliari on April 2.
The youngster hit back by scoring in Sardinia and again in the following game against SPAL.
Bonucci back
Leonardo Bonucci returned to Turin after an unhappy season at AC Milan to recreate the so-called ‘BBC’ defensive partnership alongside veterans Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli.