Juventus’ defeat away to Sassuolo was more painful because of how it unfolded than because of the three points the Old Lady let slip. At the Mapei Stadium, besides seeing coach Spalletti beaten by his former pupil Aquilani, Juventus went down in a match shaped by the confusion they showed throughout the night, both on the pitch and from the bench.

Juventus’ starting XI was more or less dictated by circumstances, particularly in midfield, considering the lengthy injury list, but the substitutions and the way the final phase of the match was handled by Spalletti and several players leave plenty of questions.

Sending on Zhegrova was plainly the correct decision, especially given the brace scored by the Kosovo international, but there are still doubts about withdrawing Conceicao and Nico Gonzalez together for Zhegrova and Woltemade. Kolo Muani was probably the player who should have made way instead, having once again been largely anonymous. Spalletti kept faith with him and, after the match, said he plans to continue trusting the French forward.

Then there is the management of the closing moments. On the fourth matchday of the league campaign, after fighting back to level the score twice, with the second equaliser coming even after the 90th minute, common sense suggested Juventus would have done better to settle for the draw. Instead, as Spalletti explained after the match, he instructed the team to go for 3-2, while also saying the players interpreted his message too literally. Playing to win is the right mentality in general, but in that specific situation it was the wrong choice. The enormous spaces Juventus left for Sassuolo in the 94th minute, away from home, were not those of a big side, or even of a proper ‘team’, and they cast doubt on how Spalletti is using the technical resources available to him. The players on the field must also take their share of the blame, especially the senior figures, with captain Bremer above all.

That is how the night ends in deeply paradoxical fashion for Juventus: while the strikers, Kolo Muani and Woltemade, fail to score, former Juventus player Adzic, now on loan at Sassuolo, punishes them. At the same time, other players who have moved on from Juve are scoring and flourishing: Vlahovic, Openda, Licina and, from tonight, David as well, opening his account in an Atletico Madrid shirt.