Sunday 17th March 2002

Juventus healed their Champions League wounds with a 1-0 victory over Verona at the delle Alpi today.

But if the race for the scudetto has been narrowed to just three runners as the teams enter the final furlong then Juventus appear to be the runner that's leading on the wrong leg. They appear to have been running on empty ever since the narrow victory over Fiorentina just over a month ago and they'll need to summon all their reserves of strength to maintain their challenge, even if this was their seventh consecutive home victory.

Injuries have decimated their defence, Thuram and Montero are both out, up-front Del Piero was also missing, though Trezeguet had managed to shake off an injury. Lippi kept to a 3-4-1-2 despite enforced personel changes. Tacchinardi replaced the injured Conte in midfield with Zambrotta and Davids on the wings, Pessotto and Birindelli slotted into the defence on either side of the experienced Ciro Ferrara. Amoruso replaced Il Pinterucchio in the forward line.

Pavel Nedved was the main inspiration for today's victory, and he provided the only goal of the game, at least someone is finding his form at the right moment. Nedved broke to the edge of the box, played a one-two off the statuesque Amoruso and slipped the ball past Ferron.

Injuries to the Verona squad had forced Malesani to abandon his usual 3-4-3 in favour of 5-3-2 and their troubles were compounded when Seric was forced to abandon the field after just 20-minutes.

Camoranesi was playing up-front alongside Adrian Mutu, but save for one wasted chancefrom the Romanian, they had little supply and Juve deserved their victory, though it was a narrow and hard fought one.

As the game wore on Malesani appeared to have one eye on next week's Verona derby and he replaced Francesco Oddo after he picked up a Yellow Card for protesting too much. Teodorani began to look weary and he too was substituted and the visitors began a damage limitation exercise.

Lippi made his changes, saving legs, Mutu wasted another chance to level and Juventus remain in the title race, the winning post is in sight but the legs are starting to get a little weary.