Pogba return offsets drab draw

Posted Sunday, May 10, 2015 by ESPN

Pogba return offsets drab draw
Paul Pogba made an auspicious return from injury with a goal in Juve's 1-1 draw with Cagliari.

At home, in front of their own fans, Juventus drew 1-1 with a poor Cagliari side that were perhaps lucky to grab a point in Turin.

The Disciplinary Commission had closed down the Curva in Juventus Stadium for two home games as punishment for the actions of certain fans in the Derby della Mole, which included throwing a "paper bomb." The club appealed the decision and the punishment was suspended, allowing the fans to fill the Curva for the match on Saturday afternoon. Those who came took the opportunity to thank coach Massimiliano Allegri and show appreciation for all his work this season.

As he glanced at the banners and focused on the many hearts drawn, listening to them sing his name, Allegri was visibly moved. No coach in the league has warranted as much praise.

Having already won the Scudetto, the Old Lady opted to rest several of her star players to preserve their energies for the midweek fight against Real Madrid. Instead, the Juve tactician offered the likes of Romulo, Kingsley Coman, Simone Pepe and Alessandro Matri a chance to play and show their worth.

Deployed in a 4-3-3 formation, Juventus played a relaxed match in which they held possession, looked for avenues forward but rarely raised their rhythm. The tempo was slow, the opponent poor and the match proved mediocre at best. With Cagliari desperate to pick up points to secure their Serie A status, they opted for a defensive approach as opposed to showing courage and pushing forward. Instead, they covered the spaces, played in organised fashion and looked to halt the Bianconeri's advances, forcing them into shots from distance.

Little energy was expended by either side and neither team attempted to truly shine, yet it was Juventus that created the most chances. Coman seemed intent on grabbing the opportunity to make up for his past performances and worked well in the wide areas. His determination combined with his natural skills that include trickery and acceleration, created interesting moments, but he still hasn't been offered the consistency required to improve his finishing ability. As such, his work amounted to little and if Allegri wants to see improvement, then Coman must play as much as possible in the remaining Serie A games to build momentum.

In essence, the game was of little value -- it was simply an opportunity to introduce Paul Pogba back. Played from the start, the Frenchman, who is always eager to impress, delighted onlookers with his performance, managing fine work in midfield to demonstrate that his absence has barely affected his ability. Strong, technical and determined, he looked to provide and took his chances to shoot at goal, trusting his instincts. At times after an injury, fear can creep into a player's game but Pogba maintained his confidence and intensity throughout.

A confident player who always feels better after scoring, it was he who opened the scoring just before halftime with a deflected shot to breathe a sigh of relief. Back on the pitch and back to scoring. Pogba, along with Claudio Marchisio, were quickly taken off at around the hour mark in order to allow them the opportunity to rest before their midweek battle.

Cagliari have had their ups and downs this season but they have, on occasion, shown talent and even managed a few surprises. Thus it was bizarre to see the lack of interest they showed in going forward in this match, especially considering their place in the table and the fact that the opponent was playing well below expectations. Rather than attempt a comeback or even go for the jugular by raising the tempo in the second half, they maintained their monotonous rhythm, watching on as the Bianconeri passed to one another.

Gianluca Festa eventually made his changes to encourage more attacking ambition with the arrival of Marco Sau and Samuele Longo, but little changed. However, the goal did eventually arrive due to some poor defending and Luca Roscsettini's right-footed shot earned the visitors a point.

With so much rotation taking place, it was interesting to see how well Romulo performed as right-back despite the several injuries the man has had to cope with this season. While at times he was out of sync on a defensive level, he was both solid and assured and even provided valuable contributions going forward. Having barely played this season, it's a shame the Bianconeri haven't had the opportunity to enjoy his talent, but out of all the 'second string' stars, he perhaps played the best.

With touching moments cherished and titles celebrated, Juventus were allowed to enjoy their moment at home. Their real test awaits them on Wednesday evening.