Juventus’ shock loss at Monza raises doubts over Allegri
TWO OF the top Serie A coaches are already feeling the pressure after Juventus and Inter Milan surprisingly lost yesterday.
Promoted Monza probably didn’t expect their first-ever Serie A win to come against Juventus, but they managed to beat Massimiliano Allegri’s side 1-0. Juventus played most of the match with 10 men following Ángel Di María’s red card.
Simone Inzaghi’s Inter side was earlier beaten 3-1 at Udinese, for their third loss of the season.
Allegri was already under pressure after Juventus lost their second straight Champions League match midweek. They were unbeaten in Serie A but had only won two of their opening six matches.
The Bianconeri were perhaps expecting an easier match at Monza, who are winless and had conceded 14 goals in their six games.
However, Juventus had barely a sight of goal, and their chances of getting a morale-boosting win diminished when Di María was needlessly sent off in the 40th minute for elbowing Monza defender Armando Izzo forcefully in the chest.
And the home fans went wild in the 74th when Patrick Ciurria whipped in a cross from the right and Christian Lund Gytkjaer volleyed in at the near post.
GIANT KILLERS
Udinese continued their surprising start to the season as they recorded their fifth straight win.
Nicolò Barella curled in a fantastic free kick in the fifth minute to get Inter off to the perfect start, but Udinese levelled in the 22nd when Roberto Pereyra’s free kick went in off Milan Škriniar for an own goal.
Udinese hit the post before Jaka Bijol headed in a corner with three minutes remaining, and Tolgay Arslan made sure of the points in stoppage time with a diving header.
MOURINHO TO MISS INTER
Roma coach José Mourinho will miss the match against his former club Inter after being sent off in the 1-0 defeat by Atalanta.
Mourinho was shown a red card in the 57th minute after going on to the field to remonstrate with referee Daniele Chiffi, who had awarded a free kick to Atalanta, rather than what Mourinho thought should have been a penalty for his side. Mourinho became even more infuriated and had to be held back by a member of his staff.
Roma’s next match is at Inter after the international break. Mourinho steered Inter to the treble of the Champions League, Serie A and Italian Cup in 2010. Other results: Cremonese 0, Lazio 3; Fiorentina 2, Verona 0.