Juventus player ratings vs Lazio: Juve impresses in 4-3-3

Douglas Costa 7.5/10

Douglas Costa looked much better in game two than in game one. He was a constant threat from the time he came on. He made 3 key passes and sent in 5 crosses in just 34 minutes of action. It was his pass that gave Cancelo the space he needed to send in the cross that set up Juve’s second goal. After today’s performance we shouldn’t expect Costa to be coming off the bench for very long.

Emre Can 7/10

Against Lazio we got a much better look at Emre Can’s capabilities. He was given 25 minutes in the second game as Allegri works him into the squad and he made that time count. He made 3 tackles and an interception in his limited time and completed 90% of his passes. It wasn’t enough for Can to command a starting place yet, but he showed he can be a valuable piece for Juve, especially in games where they need a defensive boost.

Rodrigo Bentancur: Inc.

It was nice to see Bentancur get on the field, but 9 minutes isn’t enough to give a player a rating. If Juve makes the formation switch permanent it will open up some time for Bentancur, but today just wasn’t the day for him.

Manager: Massimiliano Allegri 10/10

Everything Allegri did today was perfect. It started with the formation change. He recognized Juve needed something different and absolutely made the right call switching to a 4-3-3. It was Juve’s most effective formation last season. Next, he made 3 changes to the lineup that all paid off. Allegri brought back the Khedira-Pjanic-Matuidi midfield that produced some of Juve’s most impressive performances of the previous season.

Matuidi stifled Lazio in the midfield throughout the match. Mandzukic scored the second goal for Juve. Bernardeschi was once again a positive presence for Juventus, creating multiple chances. Allegri’s subs also made an impact for the team. Can kept Lazio’s attack in check as the tried to get back into the game. Costa posed a threat the whole time he was on the field. Bentancur got a little bit of time to work himself back into form.

Allegri managed a perfect game against Lazio and it earned Juventus a convincing 2-0 victory against a very good club.