Cremonese 1-2 Juventus Player Ratings: Cambiaso Rated 8.5/10 as Juventus Scrape Past Cremonese in a 2-1 Thriller

This was a game that felt much closer than the final scoreline suggests. Juventus shot out of the gates like a team possessed. They scored almost immediately through Filip Kostić and from the stands, you thought it might be a very long night for Cremonese. From our perspective, Juve completely dominated possession and created chance after chance after chance. The problem? Their finishing was, to put it mildly, all over the place.

Dušan Vlahović in particular must be wondering what he has to do to score. He had so many opportunities but just couldn't find the back of the net, missing a couple of huge chances. It was a recurring theme for the visitors throughout this match. They controlled the tempo, they looked dangerous, but they seriously lacked that killer instinct in front of goal for large parts of the game. It kept the home side in the contest far longer than they probably should have been.

Cremonese to their immense credit never gave up. They weathered the early storm and fought their way back into the match with real spirit. Jamie Vardy's late goal set up a frantic, nerve-wracking finish that had everyone on the edge of their seats. Suddenly, the confident Juventus looked shaky and vulnerable at the back. It was a classic Serie A battle, one that Juventus will simply be relieved to have won, but one that left us with plenty of questions about both teams moving forward.

Here are Cremonese Vs Juventus Player Ratings

Cremonese Player Ratings vs Juventus

Here are Cremonese Player Ratings vs Juventus

Goalkeeper

Emil Audero - 6.0: We felt for Audero today. He conceded two goals but was left exposed by his defense for both. He made a couple of decent saves, including a strong stop to deny Vlahović in the first half. His distribution was okay under pressure. There wasn't much more he could have done, really. A standard performance in a losing effort.

Defenders

Federico Baschirotto - 6.5: A solid and determined display from the central defender. He was one of the few in the backline who didn't seem flustered. His passing was impressively accurate, and he made several key clearances. He did get caught out once or twice but he battled hard against a tricky Juventus frontline.

Matteo Bianchetti - 5.5: The captain had a very tough evening. He was constantly under pressure and it showed. He made an error that led to a shot and picked up a yellow card for a clumsy challenge. While he made some important clearances, his overall performance was shaky and lacked the composure you expect from a leader. He looked a step off the pace.

Filippo Terracciano - 5.0: It was a day to forget for Terracciano. His major error led directly to a goal, a moment that really took the wind out of his team's sails. He struggled to cope with the movement of Juve's attackers and was eventually substituted. He looked out of his depth in this one, which was a disappointment.

Midfielders

Tommaso Barbieri - 6.0: A really energetic performance. He ran his socks off down the flank and wasn't afraid to take players on. The end product wasn't always there, and he did lose possession a bit too often for our liking. Still, his work rate was commendable and he caused a few problems.

Romano Floriani Mussolini - 5.5: A quiet game from Mussolini. He struggled to get involved in the play and make any real impact on the match. He worked hard defensively but offered very little going forward before being taken off. The game just seemed to pass him by.

Jari Vandeputte - 5.5: Like Terracciano, he was guilty of an error that led to a goal. That's a massive blot on his copybook for the day. Outside of that moment, he was busy and tried to make things happen, but his decision-making in the final third was poor. A frustrating outing.

Martín Payero - 6.0: A combative and feisty performance in the middle of the park. He drew several fouls and wasn't afraid to get stuck in. However, he was also wasteful in possession and committed a few needless fouls himself. A mixed bag, but his fighting spirit was a plus.

Warren Bondo - 6.5: We were quite impressed with Bondo before he was substituted. He showed some great touches and was one of the few Cremonese players who looked comfortable driving with the ball. He created a couple of decent chances and looked like a real bright spark for the home side.

Forwards

Jamie Vardy - 8.0: What a classic striker's performance. He had very few touches of the ball all game, but when his chance came, he was absolutely lethal. His goal was taken brilliantly and gave his team a lifeline. It's what he does best. He was starved of service but remained a threat. Easily Cremonese's best player.

Federico Bonazzoli - 6.0: He worked hard but had little impact on the game. He linked up play reasonably well on a few occasions but never really looked like scoring. It was a tough assignment for him against a physical Juventus defence, and he was eventually substituted.

Substitutes

Dennis Johnsen - 7.0: Made a huge impact after coming on, providing the crucial assist for Vardy's goal with a great run and pass. He looked sharp and dangerous.

Manager

D. Nicola - 6.5: His team was outclassed for long periods but he deserves credit for keeping them in the fight. They never gave up and the late goal was a reward for their persistence. His substitutions, particularly bringing on Johnsen, made a positive difference. He got his tactics wrong early on but adjusted well.

Juventus Player Ratings vs Cremonese

Here are Juventus Player Ratings vs Cremonese

Goalkeeper

Michele Di Gregorio - 6.0: Had a very quiet day at the office. He made one save all match and couldn't do anything about the goal he conceded late on. He'll be annoyed to have lost his clean sheet, but it was a comfortable outing for the keeper overall. His distribution was fine.

Defenders

Federico Gatti - 5.0: This was a poor performance from Gatti. His shocking error led directly to Cremonese's goal, putting his team under needless pressure in the final minutes. While he made a few clearances, that one moment of madness overshadows everything else. A really sloppy mistake he'll want to forget quickly.

Teun Koopmeiners - 6.0: Played in an unfamiliar role in the back three and did okay. From our perspective, he looked comfortable on the ball, as you'd expect, but was caught out of position a couple of times. It was a strange decision to play him there, and while he wasn't bad, he didn't look like a natural defender.

Pierre Kalulu - 5.5: A very average performance from Kalulu. He didn't make any glaring errors but also didn't inspire much confidence. He lost most of his aerial duels and struggled against the physicality when Cremonese did attack. He needs to be more commanding.

Midfielders

Manuel Locatelli - 8.0: An excellent captain's performance. He absolutely ran the show from midfield, winning tackles, breaking up play, and controlling the tempo. His passing was crisp and he even created a big chance. What stood out to us was his leadership; he was constantly organizing and demanding more from his teammates. A top-class display.

Filip Kostić - 8.0: Got Juventus off to a perfect start with a well-taken goal inside two minutes. He was a constant menace down the left flank, delivering dangerous crosses and showing great energy. His influence waned slightly before he was substituted, but his early contribution was vital for the win.

Andrea Cambiaso - 8.5: Our man of the match. He was simply superb. He scored the crucial second goal with a composed finish and was Juventus's most creative player, setting up three chances for his teammates. His energy was infectious, and he was a threat all game long. A brilliant, all-action performance that ultimately won his team the three points.

Khéphren Thuram - 6.5: A solid, if unspectacular, performance from Thuram. He did the simple things well, kept possession ticking over, and provided a physical presence in midfield. He didn't offer much in an attacking sense but he did his job for the team effectively before being substituted.

Forwards

Dušan Vlahović - 6.0: A deeply frustrating night for the Serbian striker. His movement and hold-up play were good, but his finishing was shockingly poor. He missed two big chances that he absolutely should have buried. On another day he could have had a hat-trick. He needs to find his scoring boots, and fast.

Loïs Openda - 6.5: He was lively and his pace caused problems for the Cremonese defence. He got into some great positions but, like Vlahović, his final ball and finishing were lacking. He was a constant threat but the end product just wasn't there. A promising but ultimately inefficient performance.

Weston McKennie - 7.0: A typically industrious performance from the American. He worked tirelessly, created a big chance, and was a physical nuisance for the opposition. He sometimes lacks a bit of technical refinement, but you can never fault his effort and desire. He played a key role in Juve's dominance.

Substitutes

Francisco Conceição - 6.5: Looked lively and drew a couple of fouls after coming on. Didn't have a major impact but showed some nice touches.

Manager

L. Spalletti - 7.0: His team got the three points, which is the bottom line. The decision to start with such an attacking lineup paid off early, but he'll be concerned by their wastefulness in front of goal and the defensive fragility they showed late on. The win papers over a few cracks in this performance.

Sportsdunia's player of the match is Cambiaso