The Turin "dragon", in the words of captain Leonardo Bonucci (absent on Sunday), showed his character by coming back twice, thanks to a gala Angel Di Maria, despite penalizing defensive errors.

"Serie A or Serie B, we are still here only for Juventus," read a banner stretched across the stadium gates and the Italian League anthem was booed ahead of the game.

Despite this atmosphere of sacred union, the pressure was palpable on the shoulders of the Bianconeri after the two blows suffered for ten days: one on the ground with the rout at the Neapolitan leader (5-1), the other outside with the withdrawal of fifteen points decided by sports justice in the case of capital gains deemed overvalued during certain transfers.

This may explain the rather unusual defensive gifts, starting with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny's handball on the opener from Ademola Lookman (5th).

On the restart, when Juve had regained the lead, Danilo missed a raise which Joakim Maehle took advantage of to equalize 2-2 (46th) then Lookman was completely forgotten and was able to sign his second goal of the evening (53rd) .

The latter consolidates his second place in the ranking of scorers with eleven achievements.

Ademola Lookman, double scorer for Atalanta, is congratulated by Jose Luis Palomino after the opener against Juve in Turin, January 2, 2023 © Isabella BONOTTO / AFP

But the Bianconeri carried an immense rage within them, like a particularly agitated Massimiliano Allegri in front of his bench.

Di Maria heels

After their failed start, they rushed to attack the Bergamasques who, overwhelmed, conceded a penalty that Di Maria converted (25th).

The Argentinian then distinguished himself with a delicious backheel at the origin of the second goal, signed Arkadiusz Milik with a perfect recovery (34th).

And it was still in a backheel, from a free kick, that he offered Danilo the opportunity to redeem himself by equalizing at 3-3 (65th)!

"We made mistakes but also good things, we must continue with this mentality", observed Di Maria, ensuring to be "happy" in Turin despite the penalty.

Angel Di Maria with a heel pass the ball to Danilo for the 3rd goal against Atalanta in Turin, January 22, 2023 © Isabella BONOTTO / AFP

This point will not compensate for the fifteen lost on Friday.

But it shows that Juve is determined to defend itself, on the lawns and in front of sports bodies, as its general manager Maurizio Scanavino reminded us.

"We are not the only ones to think that this is an unfair sentence, I thank the tifosi of the other teams and other football people who understood that these decisions were exaggerated", he said. declared on DAZN, recalling that the club was going to contest these sanctions before the Italian Olympic Committee (Coni).

Due to the suspension for sixteen months of its sporting director, Federico Cherubini, Juve has also appointed a chief manager of the sports sector: Francesco Calvo, already present at the club, will be in particular in charge of the transfer window.

Atalanta's draw, coupled with Juve's penalty, does the business of Roma, which invites itself into the Top 4 thanks to its victory at La Spezia (2-0).

La Louve played without Nicolo Zaniolo, decided to leave, even if his coach Jose Mourinho assures that there is currently no offer able to satisfy the Giallorossi.

© 2023 AFP