Danilo honors late Vialli by firing Juve 2nd

MILAN — Danilo made sure that Juventus paid the perfect tribute to deceased former captain Gianluca Vialli by netting the only goal in Saturday's 1-0 win over Udinese which fired the Turin giants second in Serie A.

Massimiliano Allegri's team jumped one point above AC Milan and to within just four of league leader Napoli thanks to a beautifully-constructed goal finished off by the Brazilian defender four minutes from the end at the Allianz Stadium.

Danilo extended Juve's league winning streak to eight games, a run in which it hasn't conceded a goal, after Federico Chiesa controlled fellow substitute Leandro Paredes' delicate chip and then played a perfect pass across goal.

That was one of the few clearcut chances Juve created against eighth-placed Udinese, who was missing their talisman Gerard Deulofeu and is winless in nine matches.

On Friday, Juve travels to Napoli, who on Sunday was in action at Sampdoria, where former Italy forward Vialli — a victim of pancreatic cancer — played most of his soccer and may be mourned the most.

"After the win our first thoughts go to Gianluca Vialli. He was a great guy, I was lucky enough to have had him in my life," said Italy forward Chiesa.

The 25-year-old was part of the Italy team which won Euro 2020, and hailed Vialli's role in that triumph despite him not having a coaching role with the Azzurri set-up.

"You could speak for hours and hours about what a great man he was," Chiesa added. "This win is for him"

Champion Milan could move back into second if it beat Roma in Sunday's late match, and sit two points ahead of Inter Milan after Denzel Dumfries' stoppage-time own goal led to it drawing 2-2 at Monza.

Spirited Monza is nine points clear of the relegation zone in its first ever Serie A season thanks to Dumfries deflecting former Inter youth player Luca Caldirola's header into his own net.

However Inter coach Simone Inzaghi was livid that a Francesco Acerbi strike had not been given 10 minutes earlier because referee Juan Luca Sacchi blew for a non-existent foul before the ball went in, leaving VAR powerless to intervene. "We're very angry, because it's a clear mistake. After five years of VAR... Everyone knows to wait and see what happens," said Inzaghi to Sky.

Vialli remembered

It was an emotional day for many Juve fans, who will remember Vialli as the last captain to lead their team to a major European honor more than a quarter of a century ago.

Fans brought jerseys emblazoned with the former Italy striker's name, while one flag in the Allianz Stadium stands depicted the moment he lifted the Champions League trophy in 1996.

Gianluca Pessotto, who played over 250 times for Juventus and was alongside Vialli in that triumphant campaign, hailed "a captain. A friend," in his pre-match eulogy on the pitch.

"You were our leader on and off the field," said former Italy international Pessotto who is now sporting director of Juve's youth academy.

"Nobody will ever forget the memories you gave us with your football and your goals. We will miss your smile so much."

Juve was also mourning former Italy defender Ernesto Castano, who won three Serie A titles with the Turin giant in the 1960s and died aged 83 on Thursday.

AFP