Mateo Pellegrino gave Fiorentina the start they wanted after 4 minutes, heading in from a corner kick. Nick Woltemade brought Juventus level in the 32nd minute, and the opening half quickly became a contest shaped by set pieces and direct attacks rather than patient control.

Pellegrino's goal was his third in nine Serie A appearances this season. It also fits the profile he has built in Italy, because he now has nine headed goals across the five major European leagues, level with Ante Budimir.

Pellegrino's early impact

The early header was no isolated moment. Pellegrino had already scored three times in Serie A before this match, and his movement inside the box has given Fiorentina a route into games that can be hard to find through open play. Fiorentina vs Juventus turned on that sort of direct delivery almost immediately.

Juventus were not caught completely cold, though. Woltemade's equaliser on 32 minutes restored balance before the break and kept the game open enough for Luciano Spalletti's side to push for more control. Spalletti also pointed to the demands on his squad after the match, saying on Sky Sport Italia, in comments translated from Italian: "We played two days ago and then three days before two days ago: the same players cannot play every time. Boga, when he came on, did well. We will have to be good at not letting ourselves be manipulated and staying with a clear head, possibly raising the level of football played"

Juventus under Spalletti

The rotation point makes sense when you look at the defensive workload around them. Juventus had faced the fewest total shots in Serie A, 90, which is still a strong sign of how difficult they are to open up. They have also put together 12 clean sheets since last March, but the 10 league goals they have conceded this season show why Spalletti wants freshness and better control across a heavy run of fixtures.

The match itself has already shown the balance of the argument. Fiorentina's direct start came from a corner, Juventus answered through Woltemade, and neither side was able to settle the first half on its own terms. Pellegrino has done enough this season to make that opening goal feel earned rather than surprising, and the 4-minute header will sit alongside the quick response from Juventus as the key moments from the opening spell.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →