Juventus player ratings vs AC Milan: Mandzukic and Ronaldo deliver for Juve

LB: Alex Sandro 8.5/10

Alex Sandro hadn’t looked great in Juve’s last two matches, but he really made this match count. He made a couple of tackles and an interception in the match, but his most important contribution was on the other end of the pitch. He provided the assist on Mandzukic’s opener and put Juve in the driver’s seat right from the start of the match. Juve could’ve used this version of Sandro on Wednesday, but they’ll be fine with getting this performance against Milan.

CB: Giorgio Chiellini 6.5/10

This was a surprisingly quiet day for Giorgio Chiellini. Juve’s control of the match kept the defense from being called into action too often and his new partner at the heart of the defense was seemingly everywhere in this match, but it is very rare to see Chiellini have a match where his only contribution is one clearance. It wasn’t a bad performance and he’ll be glad to see the defense recover from Wednesday’s debacle, but it was a pretty slow day for the captain.

CB: Medhi Benatia 7.5/10

Thank you, Mr. Allegri, for making this change. Leonardo Bonucci has been a liability at the back for stretches of this season while Benatia has once again looked like he deserves to start consistently. The penalty could’ve made this move look bad if Higuain finishes, but Benatia really just got stuck in a tough position.

His contribution the rest of the match was fantastic. He made 2 tackles, 5 interceptions, and 5 clearances in a match where it seemed like he would stop anybody from getting by him (even if he needed his arm to stop them). Starting Benatia was a great move by Allegri and one that I hope he sticks with until Bonucci gets his issues figured out.

RB: Joao Cancelo 7.5/10

Joao Cancelo’s return to the starting lineup was expected to give Juve some more creativity on the wings and he certainly delivered. He was the first person to reach a Milan clearance and he took it straight down the right side of the field and into the box, where he attempted a shot from a tough angle that forced Donnarumma to make a save.

He parried it into Ronaldo’s path for Juve’s second goal on a play that showcased Cancelo’s value to Juve. He also kept Hakan Calhanoglu from making an impact from the left wing in this match. Cancelo coming back strong after dealing with an injury was nice to see for Juve.