Serie A: Juventus Drop to Third After Controversial Penalty in Draw with Cagliari

Juventus was unexpectedly held to a 1-1 draw at home by Cagliari on Sunday, following a late penalty that cost them the second spot in Serie A to Inter Milan.

Razvan Marin secured the equalizer for Cagliari in the 88th minute at the Allianz Stadium, following a penalty awarded after Douglas Luiz clumsily fouled Roberto Piccoli. This incident mirrored a similar situation from Juventus’s Champions League match against Leipzig earlier in the week where Luiz also conceded a penalty.

The match’s first goal came from Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic at the 15-minute mark, also from a penalty, which initially gave Juve the lead. Marin’s successful penalty shot not only earned Cagliari a critical point but also pushed them slightly above the relegation zone.

This draw marked Juventus’s first conceded goal in Serie A this season, leaving Thiago Motta’s team in third place, three points behind Napoli after seven matches.

Motta expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s performance post-goal, emphasizing the need to maintain offensive pressure throughout the game. He acknowledged creating some chances but felt the team allowed Cagliari too many opportunities to equalize.

The drama escalated in the match’s closing moments when Adam Obert hit the post during stoppage time, and Juventus was reduced to ten men following Francisco Conceicao’s red card soon after Marin’s goal.

Marin remarked on the challenge of keeping focus amid the intense atmosphere at Juventus’s home ground, feeling satisfied with securing a point under such conditions.

The match also featured some controversies, notably Vlahovic’s missed opportunity in the 78th minute that could have secured a win for Juventus. His initial goal arose from a debatable penalty decision when Cagliari’s Sebastiano Luperto was penalized for a handball during a congested play, confirmed after a VAR review.

Elsewhere in Serie A, AC Milan had the chance to surpass both Inter and Juventus with a win against Fiorentina in Sunday’s last game.

Meanwhile, Lazio joined Juventus at 13 points in the standings, securing fourth place after defeating Empoli 2-1 in Rome. This victory marked Lazio’s fourth consecutive win across competitions, highlighted by Pedro’s late winning goal. In this game, Lazio’s Mattia Zaccagni equalized during first-half stoppage time, although Valentin Castellanos later missed a penalty.

In other league action, Bologna’s challenging season under Vincenzo Italiano continued with a scoreless draw against Parma, who played with ten men for most of the second half after Woyo Coulibaly’s early second-half dismissal.