Pogba rested:Dybala seals winning warm-up for Juve
Juventus enjoyed a successful dress rehearsal for the Champions League Round of 16 return away to FC Bayern with a 1-0 Serie A victory over Sassuolo Calcio on Friday evening. Five days prior to the top European showdown, a 39,240 crowd at the Juventus Stadium saw Paulo Dybala score the match-winning goal. The Italian record champions moved six points clear at the top of the table overnight.
“I'm very satisfied with our performance,” commented Massimiliano Allegri after the match. The head coach opted to rest a handful of key players against the side lying seventh in the table. Paul Pogba was brought on for Sami Khedira after the hour mark, Stephan Lichtsteiner came on shortly before the final whistle, and Patrice Evra did not make an appearance.
Juventus' last league defeat dates back to October, a 1-0 reverse in the first meeting with Sassuolo. In the return La Vecchia Signora posted a deserved but unspectacular win. However, the 35th-minute goal was well worth watching: after dribbling down the right wing Juan Cuadrado set up Dybala who curled the ball into the far corner of the net.
