Juventus go top in Serie A with draw at Verona

By : AFP

Date: 20 September 2025 8:04pm WAT

(FILES) This file photo taken on May 9, 2017 shows the logo of the Juventus football club before the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg football match Juventus vs Monaco, at the Juventus stadium in Turin. - Twelve of Europe's most powerful clubs announced the launch of a breakaway European Super League on April 19, 2021 in a potentially seismic shift in the way football is run, but faced accusations of greed and cynicism. Six Premier League teams, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham are involved, alongside Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan. Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez, who was announced as the first ESL president, said the breakaway reflected the big clubs' wishes. (Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP)

Juventus drew 1-1 at Verona on Saturday to climb provisionally top of Serie A as the Turin giants were forced to fight for their away point.

Igor Tudor’s men were bidding to maintain a perfect start to the domestic campaign and got off the mark in the 19th minute through a long-range effort from Francisco Conceicao.

Hosts Verona drew level before the break when Gift Orban converted a penalty, and believed they were on for their first win of the season when Suat Serdar headed home in the second half, only to be defied by VAR after an offside in the build-up.

Juve beat Inter Milan 4-3 last week and then drew 4-4 at home to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League in midweek, and looked flat towards the end of the match on Saturday.

But they top Serie A on 10 points, one ahead of Napoli, with Antonio Conte’s champions taking on promoted Pisa on Monday.

Udinese can move level with Juventus if they overcome AC Milan later Saturday.

Earlier, Bologna came from a goal down to beat Patrick Vieira’s Genoa 2-1 with a last-gasp penalty.

Icelandic midfielder Mikael Egill Ellertsson blasted Genoa in front with a powerful 63rd-minute strike after weaving into the box down the right.

But a delightful back-heel from Santiago Castro dragged Bologna level, before a handball deep into time added on gifted the hosts a penalty and Riccardo Orsolini’s spot-kick sealed the three points.