Juventus player ratings vs Inter Milan: Mandzukic delivers Derby d’Italia win

 LW: Mario Mandzukic 8/10

There’s not much left to say about Mario Mandzukic that I haven’t already said this season. He was once again Juve’s only real target in the box and in the 66th minute he made his size count when he beat Asamoah to a cross and headed it past Samir Handanovic. He also had another header that he put on target, but he just wasn’t quite able to get enough power on it to score. It was another in a string of impressive performances that have made this season Mandzukic’s best yet with Juventus. The goal that delivered Juve’s big win also moved Mandzukic into a tie for 5th in the league in scoring. Mandzukic continues to step up in the big moments for Juve and has proven over and over again that he is one of this team’s most important pieces.

ST: Cristiano Ronaldo 6.5/10

This was Ronaldo’s least impressive performance with Juventus. Unlike every other match he has played this season, there was never a time in this match where Ronaldo looked like a real threat to score. He also didn’t provide the incisive passing that he has been recently. It was probably due in large part to the fact that he was playing against Serie A’s 2nd best defense, but those are exactly the types of teams that Juve brought him in to beat. This match saw his 12 match streak with either a goal or an assist come to an end. Next weekend Ronaldo will get another chance to shine in a derby when Juve meets Torino. They’ll be hoping to see a better version of Ronaldo for that match.

RW: Paulo Dybala 7/10

Juve’s new free flowing front 3 seems to be helping Paulo Dybala feel more comfortable and it made him somewhat more effective in this match, but there still seems to be something missing. Since his hat trick against Young Boys we have yet to see the Dybala of years past make another appearance. In this match he wasn’t a real threat to score and even though he sent in a few accurate crosses none of them were quite enough to trouble Inter. Something needs to change as this version of Dybala just isn’t offering Juve much. His goal tally in the league has been matched by Matuidi, Bentancur, and Federico Bernardeschi. That’s two midfielders and a wing that has started 3 matches with the same number of goals as a player who was near the top of the league in scoring last season. Either the old Dybala needs to make a comeback or Juve needs to start real wings on the wing from now on.