Juventus put on show by outclassing AS Roma 3-1

Juve’s new Brazilian signing Diego stole the show in only his second Serie A start with two breathtaking strikes in a 3-1 win at AS Roma on Sunday.

The Brazilian playmaker, who signed from Werder Bremen over the summer, demonstrated why Juve fans hope he is what the club needs to keep pace with champions Inter Milan this campaign.

“It’s thanks to the environment at Juve, coach Ciro Ferrara, my team mates and the fans that I’ve settled in so well,” Diego said.

Having produced flashes of brilliance in last weekend’s 1-0 win over Chievo in Juve’s league opener, Diego netted his first Serie A goal for the club midway through the first half after a superb solo run. A mistake by Roma’s Marco Cassetti allowed Diego to take possession on the halfway line and charge towards goal before impressively outmuscling John Arne Riise and slotting the ball into the corner of the net with the outside of his boot.

AS Roma’s Daniele De Rossi equalised for the home side 10 minutes after Diego’s strike and although his goal was different, it was equally breathtaking. With Juve debutant Felipe Melo busy arguing with the referee, Roma took a quick free kick and Italy midfielder De Rossi unleashed a dipping 30-metre strike which caught goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon slightly unaware.

Diego was not to be outdone, however, and he ran on to Vincenzo Iaquinta’s clever flick in the second half and bamboozled the Roma defence before rifling home a bullet. Fellow Brazilian Felipe Melo, another big money buy from Fiorentina, sealed the win in injury time with a fierce strike having struggled for much of the match.

Juve, who again left Alessandro Del Piero on the bench, had a number of other good chances with Amauri striking a post. Roma’s Francesco Totti, who scored a hat-trick in the 7-1 thrashing of Kosice in the Europa League playoffs in midweek, was denied by a top save by Buffon but otherwise the hosts stuttered to their second Serie A defeat in two matches.