Smash, Grab, and Stabilize: Juventus Survive the Woodwork at Pisa to End 2025 on a High

PISA — If Luciano Spalletti preached 'patience' and 'control' when he took the reins at Continassa, this match was a test of faith rather than a demonstration of mastery. Under the looming shadow of the Leaning Tower, Juventus produced a performance that was far from straight-forward, surviving a barrage of pressure from a spirited Pisa side to steal a 2-0 victory at the Arena Garibaldi.

The "Spalletti-Ball" Growing Pains

This was the final fixture of 2025, and for long stretches, it looked like the year would end in frustration. The transition from Igor Tudor’s rigid back-three to Spalletti’s fluid 4-3-3 has been fraught with defensive vulnerability, a fact nearly exposed repeatedly by the hosts. Pisa, buoyed by a raucous home crowd, didn't just park the bus; they drove it straight at the Bianconeri defense.

While Teun Koopmeiners and Andrea Cambiaso looked to overload the right flank early on—creating a massive chance for Loïs Openda in the 2nd minute—the momentum quickly shifted. Pisa’s wing-backs, particularly Touré and Tramoni, exploited the space behind Juventus’s high line. The stats tell a worrying story for Spalletti: Pisa hit the woodwork twice (Moreo in the 44th and Tramoni in the 59th minute) and generated a higher Expected Goals (xG) tally for the first hour of the match.

The Turning Point: Zhegrova’s Spark

Football, however, is rarely fair. Just as the home side looked destined to break the deadlock, individual quality bailed out the visitors. The breakthrough in the 73rd minute wasn't a product of sustained possession, but a moment of vertical incisiveness.

Edon Zhegrova, operating from the right, did what he was signed to do: disrupt deep blocks. His precise through-ball split the Pisa defense, releasing Cambiaso. The subsequent chaos in the box—a Weston McKennie cross deflecting off Arturo Calabresi—was fortunate, but it was the kind of luck Juventus have frantically searched for during their mid-season crisis.

Yildiz Seals the deal

If the first goal was lucky, the second was pure class. In the dying embers of stoppage time (90+2’), Fabio Miretti danced through a tired Pisa backline to set up Kenan Yildiz. The Turkish jewel, who had narrowly missed a curling effort in the first half, made no mistake this time. His finish was a reminder of why he is considered the centerpiece of this new era—clinical, calm, and increasingly decisive in the final third.