Juventus’ hopes of qualifying for the Champions League were dealt a blow as they suffered successive Serie A defeats, losing 1-0 to Sassuolo on Sunday.
The team looked tired and uninspired, lacking creativity in the attacking third. Sassuolo had numerous chances before finally breaking the deadlock in the 64th minute with a well-placed shot from Gregoire Defrel.
Juventus tried to mount a comeback late in the game, with Adrien Rabiot and Angel Di Maria coming close, but they were unable to find the back of the net.
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Sassuolo’s victory marked their first home win against Juventus in the league since October 2015.
Stand-in goalkeeper Mattia Perin made several key saves to keep Juventus in the game, including one from Defrel’s close-range header.
Federico Gatti came close to doubling Sassuolo’s lead but hit the woodwork, and Juventus survived a few nervous moments before finally succumbing to defeat.
The loss followed a 1-0 win over Sporting CP in the Europa League, leaving Massimiliano Allegri’s side with work to do in the league.