Defender Bonucci scores as bullish Juve go 11 clear
Premier League target Leonardo Bonucci scored an impressive goal as Juventus moved 11 points clear at the top of Serie A with a comprehensive 4-0 win over Genoa on Sunday.
Bonucci, a former target for Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, has been linked in recent days with a big-money move to Manchester City. And the Italy centreback underlined his all-round class with a great finish in the 64th minute of a one-sided encounter in Turin that saw Massimiliano Allegri’s men take another step towards a record sixth consecutive ‘scudetto’.
Genoa had stunned Juventus 3-1 at the Luigi Ferraris last September.
A bright start saw the hosts in front by 17 minutes, when Ezequiel Munoz scored an own goal past his own ‘keeper Eugenio Lamanna after Claudio Marchisio had got the slightest of touches to Gonzalo Higuain’s delivery in deep from midfield.
But if Genoa’s fans were aggrieved, they could have little argument two minutes later.
Paolo Dybala turned on the class to beat Lamanna with a crisp shot from the edge of the area. When Mario Mandzukic picked up his own rebound four minutes before the interval, the Croatian striker pounced from the left of the area to curl a superb shot past the outstretched hands of Lamanna at the far post. Bonucci had the ball in the net 10 minutes after the restart when he volleyed home a Dybala free kick at the far post, although it was ruled out for a Mandzukic foul.
BALDE HAT-TRICK
Napoli remain third, but are now 12 points behind Juve and could be four behind Roma after drop ping two points in a shock 2-2 draw at Sassuolo.
Lazio stay fourth after seeing a Keita Balde hat-trick in the space of five second-half minutes star in a 6-2 romp over Palermo that boosted their hopes of mak ing it to Europa League .