Sami Khedira on Sunday hit his first hat-trick as 10-man Juventus kept pace with leaders SSC Napoli and Inter with a 6-2 victory at Udinese as AC Milan’s campaign unraveled further with a goalless draw at Genoa.
Massimiliano Allegri’s champions desperately needed to win in Udine after claiming just one point in their previous two league games, and the reigning six-time champions fought back after Stipe Perica opened the scoring after eight minutes for the hosts and Mario Mandzukic was sent off on 25 minutes for a second yellow card.
However, a Samir own-goal after 14 minutes and a Khedira strike got the Turin giants back in front within six minutes.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“There was a good response from the boys. It wasn’t easy,” Allegri said. “In fact I want to thank him [Mandzukic], because we had to get back to winning games by defending and suffering for the result, so we can only thank him.”
“Over the past two games we had decent performances, but we needed something like this. Down to 10 men, the team was much more focused,” he said.
Udinese equalized with Danilo’s header, but it was Juventus all the way in the second half with a Daniele Rugani header on 52 minutes followed by two more from Khedira. Miralem Pjanic added a sixth in the final minute.
“It’s the first hat-trick of my career, so that’s great, but above all I’m happy with the win,” Germany international Khedira said.
“It’s always difficult for Juventus when we’re not winning, especially after Mario’s red card,” he said. “It was not easy for us, but we are still one of the best teams in Europe and we proved that today.”
Juventus remain joint third with SS Lazio, who beat Cagliari 3-0, but are just a point behind second-placed Inter and three adrift of leaders Napoli, who have 25 points from nine games.
Former Juventus player Leonardo Bonucci’s nightmare start at his new club Milan continued as he was sent off for elbowing — a first red card decided by the video assistant referee (VAR) in Serie A — that could cost coach Vincenzo Montella his job.
Montella had already been under huge pressure after three straight Serie A losses and Thursday last week’s 0-0 UEFA Europa League draw with AEK in Milan.
Amid reports his days are numbered the team played for more than an hour with 10 men after video confirmed a nasty elbow from the AC Milan captain on Genoa’s Aleandro Rosi.
“VAR helps, but we have to decide if we are in a televisual world or one on the pitch,” Montella said after his team dropped to 11th, far below the ambitions of the club’s new Chinese owners. “This is an episode that can change my career.”
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