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Andrea Pirlo started his coaching career off to a winning start when his Juventus team began their quest for a 10th consecutive Serie A title with a 3-0 win over Sampdoria on Sunday.
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Dejan Kulusevski, signed from Atalanta, scored on his debut in the 13th minute with just his sixth touch of the ball in the Juventus jersey before defender Leonardo Bonucci and Cristiano Ronaldo added two more in the final 15 minutes.
Pirlo, a former Milan and Juventus midfielder, had no experience as a senior manager before being surprisingly chosen to replace Maurizio Sarri in August, and only earned his managerial badge last week.
Pirlo has cited Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte as his biggest influences, but said his style of football would be a mix of everything.
“I don’t want to copy anyone, I have my own ideas and I will follow the example of the teams that impressed me,” he said. “We haven’t had much time because the guys have only returned a week from their commitments to the national team.”
“We have seen some things today and in the friendlies but it will take time to assimilate things. We lack players but, with the ones we have, we will try to do the best we can.”
His first match pitted him against one of Serie A’s most experienced and cunning characters, Claudio Ranieri, 68.
American midfielder Weston McKennie, signed from Schalke 04, also made his Juventus debut and Gianluca Frabotta made only his second appearance when Pirlo reorganized the team.
As in the other Serie A matches on Sunday, a handful of fans watched the match after the Italian government authorized up to 1,000 spectators at the matches for the first time since March.
Unsurprisingly, Pirlo’s team started off with aggressive high pressure and the pressure quickly paid off.
Ronaldo stormed into the Sampdoria area and, although his run was blocked, the ball slipped past Kulusevski, who launched a precise low shot into the far corner.
Ronaldo also hit his shot against the crossbar and then went wide after a clean exchange of passes as Juve dominated possession.
But, as expected of a Ranieri team, Sampdoria, who spent most of last season in the drop zone, were an uncomfortable opponent and Juventus took until the final 15 minutes to finish them off.
Sampdoria couldn’t clear a corner, McKennie’s effort was saved by Emil Audero, Bonucci took the rebound and celebrated with his familiar gesture that suggests his critics should wash their mouths.
Ten minutes later, Aaron Ramsey released Ronaldo and the Portuguese opened his account for the season by drilling his shot to the furthest angle.
“Today I didn’t see the Samp I wanted to see, I’m very disappointed,” said Ranieri. “We were too scared. You can lose games but you have to try to play. Juventus played hungry and my team didn’t.
“We were lucky to get away with it 3-0 because we could have conceded so much more. We were shy, fearful and weak and I don’t know why this happened.”
