Udinese v Juventus Live Commentary & Result, 04/06/2023, Serie A

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	PTS	Form
1	NAP Napoli	38	28	6	4	77	28	+49	90	W D W L W
2	LAZ Lazio	38	22	8	8	60	30	+30	74	W W W D L
3	INT Internazionale	38	23	3	12	71	42	+29	72	W W L W W
4	MIL Milan	38	20	10	8	64	43	+21	70	W W W L W
5	ATA Atalanta	38	19	7	12	66	48	+18	64	W L W L L
6	ROM Roma	38	18	9	11	50	38	+12	63	W L D D L
7	JUV Juventus	38	22	6	10	56	33	+23	62	W L L W W
8	FIO Fiorentina	38	15	11	12	53	43	+10	56	W W D W L
9	BOL Bologna	38	14	12	12	53	49	+4	54	W D W D D
10	TOR Torino	38	14	11	13	42	41	+1	53	L W D W D
11	MON Monza	38	14	10	14	48	52	-4	52	L L W W D
12	UDI Udinese	38	11	13	14	47	48	-1	46	L L L L W
13	SAS Sassuolo	38	12	9	17	47	61	-14	45	L D L L D
14	EMP Empoli	38	10	13	15	37	49	-12	43	L D W D W
15	SAL Salernitana	38	9	15	14	48	62	-14	42	L W D W L
16	LEC Lecce	38	8	12	18	33	46	-13	36	L W D D L
17	SPE Spezia	38	6	13	19	31	62	-31	31	L L D W L
18	VER Hellas Verona	38	7	10	21	31	59	-28	31	L D L L W
19	CRE Cremonese	38	5	12	21	36	69	-33	27	W L L L W
20	SAM Sampdoria	38	3	10	25	24	71	-47	19	L D L D L

That's all from Udine today - and for this Serie A season - so thank you for joining us and goodbye!

While Juventus - their total diminished by a 10-point penalty - must settle for seventh place in the final Serie A standings, Udinese will surely be satisfied with finishing 12th. That's both teams' 2022-23 campaigns wrapped up after another 38-game marathon. Come August, they'll do it all again!

Ending their difficult season with a classic Juventus result, the visitors' 1-0 win in Udine ends their three-game losing streak and is just reward for their improved efforts today. Against a 12th-placed Udinese side beset by injuries and with little left to play for, the Turin giants take home all three points - Chiesa's cool head in the opposition area proved the diffference between the teams. With Roma claiming victory in the capital, though, Juve are bound for the Europa Conference League next season.

90' + 5' FULL-TIME: UDINESE 0-1 JUVENTUS

90' + 5' After Samardzic delivers a corner from the left, Nestorovski's header from the centre of the box flies high and wide to the right of Juve's goal. With that, time's up!

D. Rugani

L. Bonucci

90' + 4' Juventus captain Bonucci departs; Rugani replaces him at centre-back.

90' + 3' Sottil is the latest man to see yellow, as tempers continue to fray. He knows now that his team are unlikely to salvage even a point from their final-day fixture.

90' + 1' Juventus are sitting back and soaking up more pressure in the first minute of at least four added for stoppage time in the final game of this Serie A season. Udinese are becoming more ponderous now, and will have to start delivering the ball with more urgency sooner rather than later.

I. Nestorovski

Yellow Card

89' For aggressively bundling Cuadrado to the ground inside Juve's area, Nestorovski is booked.

T. Arslan

Yellow Card

88' Arslan is booked for his response to an ugly tackle by Paredes in midfield.

L. Paredes

Yellow Card

88' A ludicrous sliding challenge on Arslan results in a merited yellow card for substitute Paredes.

87' On the counter, Cuadrado arrives at the back post and Silvestri has to make a smart block to divert the ball away from danger.

86' One wing-back connects with another, as Pereyra's raking cross from the right meets Udogie's head on the left side of the box. However, he can't steer his header on target and Juventus escape! Udinese are really pushing to level this game up now.

84' SAVE! Again, Szczesny has to fling himself down to palm wide a long-range scorcher! This time, Perez wanders up from the back as Udinese seek a late equaliser, and his hammer of a shot is bound for the bottom corner before Juve's trusty keeper tips it away for a corner!

82' Nestorovski nearly makes an immediate impact from off the bench, as he steers Udogie's pass wide of the target when finding some rare space in the penalty area.

Leonardo Buta

A. Guessand

80' Finally, Buta replaces Guessand in defence.

Vivaldo Semedo

F. Thauvin

80' Semedo is introduced in place of Thauvin.

I. Nestorovski

Beto

79' Sottil responds with a triple-substitution. First, Nestorovski replaces Beto up front.

M. Kean

A. Milik

79' Kean comes on for Milik up front.

L. Paredes

F. Chiesa

78' Allegri opts for fresh legs heading into the closing minutes; making two changes. First, Chiesa is replaced by Paredes.

77' CLOSE! Growing in influence since his arrival from the bench, Di Maria now takes up a shooting position on the edge of the box, before curling a low effort narrowly wide of the left-hand post!

76' First, Thauvin tries an optimistic long-range shot from just inside the Juventus half, then Beto is squeezed out in the area. Udinese are still lacking fluency up front - surely Sottil must consider some changes, even if injury deprives him of several preferred options.

74' After a clever outside-of the-boot cross from Di Maria on the left, Locatelli's flicked attempt is kept out quite comfortably by Silvestri in the centre of his goal.

72' CLOSE! Silvestri has to be alert at his near post, as Milik slips through Chiesa, who seems set to slot the ball in from a tight angle, before the goalkeeper combines with Guessand to shut down the danger. Udinese are reeling here and could go further behind - can they keep Juve at bay for much longer?

70' SUPER SAVE! Diving full-length down to his right, Szczesny tips away a brilliant goalbound drive from Lovric, who hit it sweetly from the edge of the box. The Slovenian struck it so well, but will have to make do with just a corner for his efforts - a great stop!

M. Locatelli

Assist

68' After a long spell of pressure, Locatelli picks out Chiesa in the area with a simple pass to help put Juventus 1-0 ahead.

F. Chiesa

Goal

68' JUVENTUS LEAD! At last, the visitors go in front! They've been pushing for the opening goal for over an hour, and a touch of class from Chiesa opens the door! He receives a short pass from Locatelli on the left side of the box, before calmly curling the ball in by the right-hand post; leaving Silvestri well beaten!

66' Di Maria's whipped inswinger from a corner on the right is headed behind by Rabiot. Seconds later, Cuadrado drives forward to the edge of the box and then hits a powerful shot no more than a foot over the crossbar. Juve are getting closer.

64' Within moments of coming on, Di Maria appears to have tweaked a muscle when striking the ball in midfield. He stays down for quite some time before finally limping back to his feet and playing on. It looks like he can run it off.

Á. Di María

F. Miretti

62' As Miretti makes way at the end of his breakthrough season in the Juventus first team, Di Maria arrives from the bench for perhaps his final Juve appearance.

61' JUST WIDE! Played into a shooting position on the right by Milik's pass, Rabiot can only find the side-netting with a rasping drive from 10 yards out! That's a great chance to open the scoring spurned!

N. Cocetta

J. Abankwah

59' Having seemingly sustained a muscular injury, Abankwah becomes the second Udinese player forced off during this second half. Young Cocetta comes on in his place.

57' After Milik's ambitious strike from 20 yards is diverted behind for a corner by Abankwah's outstretched leg, the young Irishman remains laid out on the turf and the game comes to a halt while he receives treatment.

55' Beto lays the ball off for Thauvin just inside the area, but the French forward takes too long to release his shot and is ultimately crowded out by a number of pink-shirted defenders.

53' Udinese take the rare opportunity to retain possession and build up patiently through the thirds, but a loose pass from Lovric sends them back to square one. They've barely laid a glove on Juve today.

51' After a clever flick by Miretti almost sends Chiesa clean through in the box, the latter is then penalised for a tussle with Pereyra and any chance to take a shot at goal evaporates.

49' Juventus have picked up where they left off, as a series of crosses into the Udinese box cause discomfort in the home defence. Iling-Junior tumbles to the turf inside the area too, but the officials are not interested in awarding a penalty.

T. Arslan

Walace

47' After sustaining an injury early in the second half, Walace apparently cannot continue. Arslan will be his replacement in central midfield.

46' Udinese kick off, and we are back under way at the Dacia Arena!

S. Iling-Junior

F. Kostić

46' Juventus have made a half-time change on their left flank, as Kostic has been withdrawn and Iling-Junior sent on.

Udinese have held Napoli and beaten Milan at home recently, and as Sottil's side have lost only three league games in Udine all season, they are unlikely to simply roll over during the second half. Improving Beto's service should be the Fruilani's priority after the break, as their top scorer has only had scraps to feed on so far.

With 63 per cent of possession, nine corners and twice as many shots on goal as their hosts during the first half, Juventus have certainly shaken off their recent woes to throw everything at securing final-day victory. As Atalanta are apparently in the process of sewing up fifth spot in Serie A, Juve must better Roma's result at Stadio Olimpico to snatch sixth - at the interval, the Giallorossi are being held 1-1. Having nothing concrete to play for and being bedeviled by injuries, Udinese have rarely featured as an attacking force following a bright first few minutes, but they remain level and could yet turn things around after the break.

45' + 2' HALF-TIME: UDINESE 0-0 JUVENTUS

45' + 2' In the second minute of two added on for stoppages, Danilo can't control his header from near the penalty spot, which simply pops up into the air. Then, Locatelli shanks an attempted cross high and wide - that's it for the first half.

45' With no team-mates arriving at the back post, Chiesa's typically incisive surge down the left and flashing cutback from the byline goes unmet. All it needed was a move from Milik or Miretti to turn the ball home from close range.

43' As Roma have equalised against Spezia, Juventus would finish seventh as things stand. There is still plenty of time to go in both games, but Allegri will be keen for his side to convert at least one of their chances sooner rather than later. Can they do so before half-time at the Dacia Arena?

41' After Walace is felled around 35 yards out from goal, Udinese opt for a short free-kick routine, which ends with Thauvin thundering a low shot well wide from outside the box.

F. Gatti

Yellow Card

39' A reckless sliding challenge from behind on Beto brings Gatti the first booking of today's game.

37' After breaking through on the left flank, Thauvin tries to pick out Beto in the centre of the area, but his cross is heavily deflected and Szczesny is easily able to field the ball inside his six-yard box.

34' Having had a finger injury treated by the medics, Szczesny can continue and the action resumes in Udine, where the away side are dictating terms to their hosts but are yet to find the goal such dominance merits.

33' Silvestri makes a save low at his near post to deny Chiesa, who shoots at goal from a tight angle, before the game comes to a temporary halt when Szczesny calls for medical attention down at the other end.

31' OFF THE BAR! First, Milik steers a header from the latest Juventus corner towards goal, and Bonucci then meets it with a flick-on that thumps against Silvestri's crossbar! It then bounces clear, and Udinese escape!

30' CLOSE! After Milik slips through a well-weighted pass for Chiesa to latch onto near the right byline, the latter's low shot takes a deflection off Perez - who is defending at full stretch - and zips into the side-netting!

28' There's a pink tide flowing towards Silvestri's goal now, and from Juve's latest corner - this time taken by Kostic from the left - Bonucci heads well over the top.

26' Another dangerous whipped cross by Kostic is diverted behind by an alert Walace. Then, Thauvin hacks the ball clear from Juve's subsequent corner.

24' Silvestri tips the ball away from immediate danger after Cuadrado flashes his free-kick from near the left touchline across the face of goal. Then, Gatti heads well wide at the back post, under pressure from several Udinese defenders.

23' Udinese come under siege as Kostic's corner and then Cuadrado's subsequent cross from the right cause havoc in the hosts' area, and Juve ultimately win a free-kick on the left-hand side, around 20 yards out.

21' It's all Juventus now, as the visitors push forward in search of an opening goal. However, their latest attacking move is sharply ended when Rabiot loses the ball on the right byline and then fouls Walace when trying to regain it.

19' Chiesa's outswinging corner to near the penalty spot is headed straight at Silvestri by Gatti, who was up from the back for Juve's latest set-piece situation. He couldn't quite angle his body to get better purchase on the attempt.

18' Though Miretti plays through Milik on the right side of the area, Guessand - making his first Serie A start today - intervenes at the second attempt and manages to turn the ball behind for a corner.

16' Roma are now losing to relegation-threatened Spezia, so Juventus just need to better the Giallorossi's result to sneak into Serie A's top six - that would secure Europa League qualification.

14' Pereyra wins a corner from Danilo on the right, but when Udinese then work the set-piece short, Lovric scuffs a tame shot wide of the right-hand post from just outside the box.

12' Making his 200th Udinese appearance, former Juventus midfielder Pereyra is captaining the home side today; having been directly involved in 12 goals - five of his own and seven assists - in Serie A this season.

10' Again, Abankwah is called upon to clear up some danger at the back post, as his header flicks a cross bound for the left boot of Kostic behind for a corner. Juventus then fail to make anything of the set-piece situation.

8' Kostic is outraged when he apparently flicks the ball behind off Udinese captain Pereyra near the left byline, but is not awarded a corner-kick. Juventus are now gaining more of a foothold.

6' After successive corners keep the pressure on Juve, the ball breaks to Samardzic around 20 yards out from goal, but his powerful drive is charged down and the visitors manage to end Udinese's attacking phase.

4' CLOSE! Soon after Abankwah blocks out Miretti inside the box with a last-ditch challenge, at the other end, Thauvin hangs up a tantalising cross from the left for Beto, who plants his header over the top of the crossbar!

3' The hosts, sporting their traditional black and white stripes, have started by taking control of the early possession. They don't have much to play for today, but will still want want to finish the season on a high.

1' Clad in pink and blue, Juventus kick off. We are under way in Udinese!

The players emerge from the tunnel and out onto the pitch, and kick-off in this battle of the Bianconeri is now just moments away!

As Dusan Vlahovic's first full season at Juventus has been brought to an early conclusion by injury, Chiesa partners Milik up front today. Bremer is sidelined too, so captain Bonucci returns at the heart of the visitors' defence. Di Maria and Paredes must both make do with a place on the bench; Paul Pogba, Nicolo Fagioli and Mattia De Sciglio are all ruled out by injury again.

Due to a long list of absentees, Udinese's defence has an unfamiliar look for their final game of the season, with Jaka Bijol and Marvin Zeegelaar - who was sent off after scoring in Salerno last week - both suspended. Udogie is back from a ban to feature on the left flank, but Rodrigo Becao and Adam Masina join Enzo Ebosse, Festy Ebosele and Kingsley Ehizibue in missing out today. Meanwhile, top scorer Beto is preferred to Nestorovski up front.

SUBS: Mattia Perin, Carlo Pinsoglio, Angel Di Maria, Samuel Iling-Junior, Alex Sandro, Tommaso Barbieri, Alessandro Sersanti, Leandro Paredes, Daniele Rugani, Moise Kean, Alessandro Pio Riccio.

JUVENTUS (3-5-2): Wojciech Szczesny; Federico Gatti, Leonardo Bonucci, Danilo; Juan Cuadrado, Fabio Miretti, Manuel Locatelli, Adrien Rabiot, Filip Kostic; Federico Chiesa, Arkadiusz Milik.

SUBS: Daniele Padelli, Edoardo Piana, Nicolo Cocetta, Riccardo Castagnaviz, Vivaldo Semedo, Alberto Centis, Tolgay Arslan, Diego Russo, Ilija Nestorovski, Matteo Bassi, Leonardo Buta.

UDINESE (3-5-1-1): Marco Silvestri; James Abankwah, Nehuen Perez, Axel Guessand; Roberto Pereyra, Sandi Lovric, Walace, Lazar Samardzic, Destiny Udogie; Florian Thauvin; Beto.

After recently being hit with a fresh points penalty, endured a European exit and suffered successive Serie A defeats, Juventus may be keen for the 2022-23 season to finally end. The Bianconeri's last defeat came at home to Milan last week, but they still retain a chance of qualifying for the Europa League. Despite having 10 points docked, Massimiliano Allegri's men could finish fifth if other results go their way, but they sit seventh with just 90 minutes of a troubled campaign to play. Today, Juve tackle one of their favourite opponents, having won nine of their last 11 league meetings with Udinese.

No matter the result in today's season finale, Udinese will finish 12th in the Serie A standings after 38 matches. Last week, the Fruilani suffered a 3-2 defeat to Salernitana, and they have now lost their last three games. Nonetheless, with a win over Juventus, Andrea Sottil's side would reach 49 points - recording their best top-flight tally for a decade. Having lost January's reverse fixture 1-0 in Turin, Udinese will aim to improve on a recent record of one win from 12 at home to Juve - they have won their final fixture in four of the last five years, so precedent at least favours them in that regard.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of today's season-closing Serie A clash between Udinese and Juventus at the Dacia Arena!

Udinese v Juventus Live Commentary, 04/06/2023

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